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HISTOEICAL  SKETCHES 


KENTUCKY: 


EMBRACING 


ITS  HISTORY,  ANTIQUITIES,  AND  NATURAL  CURIOSITIES,  GEOGRAPHICAL, 
STATISTICAL,  AND   GEOLOGICAL  DESCRIPTIONS; 


ANECDOTES  OF  PIONEER  LIFE, 


I\IORE  THAN  ONE  HUNDRED  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES  OF  DISTINGUISHED 
PIONEERS,  SOLDIERS,  STATESMEN,  JURISTS,  LAWYERS,  DIVINES,  ETC 

ILLUSTRATED  BY  FORTY  ENGRAVINGS. 

y 

BY     LEWIS     COIililNS. 


PUBLISHED    BY 

LEWIS    COLLINS,    MAYSVILLE,    KY.; 

AND    J.    A.    &    U.    P.    JAMES, 

GIN  C  IN  NATI. 

1850. 


Enteked,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1847,  by 

LEWIS   COLLINS, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  in  and  for  the 

Eastern  District  of  Kentucky. 


lAMES  .t  CO.,  Slereotypers,  CincinsiU. 
i   A.  ft  U.  F.  JAMES'  Sleam  Press. 


PREFACE. 


The  late  H.  P.  Peers,  of  the  city  of  Maysville,  laid  the  foundation  for  the  work  which  is 
now  presented  to  the  reading  community.  Mr.  Peers  designed  it  to  be  simply  a  small 
Gazetteer  of  the  State ;  and  had  collected,  and  partially  arranged  for  publication,  the  major 
part  of  the  materials,  comprising  a  description  of  the  towns  and  counties.  Upon  his  de- 
cease, the  materials  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Author,  who  determined  to  remodel  them, 
and  make  such  additions  as  would  give  permanency  and  increased  value  to  the  work.  He 
has  devoted  much  labor  to  this  object;  but  circumstances  having  rendered  its  publication 
necessary  at  an  earlier  day  than  was  contemplated,  some  errors  may  have  escaped,  which 
more  time,  and  a  fuller  investigation  would  have  enabled  him  to  detect. 

Serious  obstacles  have  been  encountered,  in  the  preparation  of  the  Biographical  Sketches. 
Many  of  those  which  appear  in  the  work,  were  prepared  from  the  personal  recollections  of 
the  Author ;  while  others  have  been  omitted,  because  he  did  not  know  to  whom  he  could 
apply  for  them,  or  having  applied,  and  in  some  instances  repeatedly,  failed  in  procuring  them. 
This  is  his  apology,  for  the  non-appearance  of  many  names  in  that  department,  which  are 
entitled  to  a  distinguished  place  in  the  annals  of  Kentucky. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  work,  one  design  of  the  Author  has  been  to  preserve,  in  a  durable 
form,  those  rich  fragments  of  local  and  personal  history,  many  of  which  exist,  at  present, 
only  in  the  ephemeral  form  of  oral  tradition,  or  are  treasured  up  among  the  recollections  of 
the  aged  actors  in  the  stirring  scenes,  the  memory  of  which  is  thus  perpetuated.  These 
venerable  witnesses  from  a  former  age,  are  rapidly  passing  away  from  our  midst,  and  with 
them  will  be  buried  the  knowledge  of  much  that  is  most  interesting  in  the  primitive  history 
of  the  commonwealth.  It  is  from  sources  such  as  we  have  mentioned,  that  the  materials 
for  the  future  historian  are  to  be  drawn ;  and,  like  the  scattered  leaves  of  the  Sybil,  these 
frail  mementos  of  the  past  should  be  gathered  up  and  preserved  with  religious  veneration. 
If  the  Author  shall  have  succeeded,  in  thus  redeeming  from  oblivion  any  considerable  or 
important  portion  of  the  early  history  of  the  State,  his  design  will  be  fully  accomplished,  and 
his  labor  amply  rewarded. 

Of  all  the  members  of  this  great  republican  confederacy,  there  is  none  whose  history  is 
more  rich  in  the  variety,  quality,  and  interest  of  its  materials.  The  poet,  the  warrior,  and 
the  statesman  can  each  find  subjects,  the  contemplation  of  which  will  instruct  him  in  his  art; 
and  to  the  general  reader,  it  would,  perhaps,  be  impossible  to  present  a  field  of  more  varied 
and  attractive  interest. 

It  is  proper  that  the  Author  should  state  that  he  has  received  the  assistance  of  many  able 
pens,  in  the  preparation  of  the  work.  The  "  Outline  History,"  embracing  about  eighty 
pages,  was  written  by  John  A.  M'Clung,  Esq.,  of  Washington.  William  P.  Conwell,  Esq., 
of  Maysville,  has  rendered  important  aid,  particularly  in  the  biographical  department.  He 
is  the  writer  of  the  Sketches,  among  others,  of  the  Hon.  Henry  Clay,  Gen.  George  Rogers 
Clark,  Col.  Daniel  Boone,  and  Gen.  Z.  Taylor.  The  author  is  also  greatly  indebted  to  Col. 
Charles  S.  Todd,  of  Shelby  county  ;  Henry  Waller,  R.  H.  Stanton,  and  William  H.  Wads- 
worth,  Esqrs.,  of  the  city  of  Maysville;  Noble  Butler,  Esqr.  (author  of  a  late  and  excellent 

(a) 


IV  PREFACE. 

work  on  English  Grammar),  of  the  city  of  Louisville;  Bruce  Porter,  Esq.,  of  the  town  of 
Flemingsburg ;  Thomas  W.  Riley,  Esq.,  of  Bardstown  ;  and  Professor  0.  Beatty,  of  Centre 
College,  Danville,  for  valuable  contributions.  Col.  Todd  furnished  some  seven  or  eight 
biographical  sketches;  among  them,  those  of  Gov.  Shelby  and  Judge  Innes.  Mr.  Waller 
prepared  the  whole  of  the  county  of  Mason,  Mr.  Butler  a  large  portion  of  the  county  of 
Jefferson,  Mr.  Porter  a  portion  of  the  county  of  Fleming,  Mr.  Riley  a  portion  of  the  county 
of  Bullitt,  and  Mr.  Beatty  the  article  on  the  Geology  of  Kentucky.  A  distinguished  citizen 
of  the  State  contributed  the  interesting  Sketch  of  the  Court  of  Appeals. 

The  Historical  Sketches  of  the  several  religious  denominations,  were  prepared  by  the 
following  gentlemen :  Rev.  John  L.  Waller,  editor  of  the  Western  Baptist  Review,  Frank- 
fort, of  the  Baptist  church ;  Rev.  W.  W.  Hill,  editor  of  the  Presbyterian  Herald,  Louisville, 
of  the  Presbyterian  church ;  Rev.  George  W.  Smiley,*  of  the  Northern  Kentucky  Confer- 
ence, of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  ;  Rev.  James  Shannon,  president  of  Bacon  College, 
HarroJshurg,  of  the  Christian  Church  ;  Rt.  Rev.  B.  B.  Smith,  D.D.,  bishop  of  the  Diocese 
of  Kentucky,  of  the  Episcopal  church  ;  Rev.  Rich.  Beard,  D.D.,  president  of  Cumberland 
College,  Princeton,  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church  ;  and  Rev.  M.  J.  Spalding,  D.D., 
Vicar-General  of  Kentucky,  Louisville,  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church. 

He  also  acknowledges  his  indebtedness  to  the  following  gentlemen,  for  information  con- 
cerning their  counties,  for  incidents  connected  with  the  early  settlement  of  the  State,  or  for 
biographical  sketches,  &c.,  viz  : 

James  W.  Carter,  Esqr.,  of  Adair  county ;  W.  F.  Evans,  Esqr.,  of  Allen ;  J.  W.  Crock- 
ett, and  J.  H.  Stovall,  Esqrs.,  of  Ballard ;  B.  N.  Crump,  Esqr.,  of  Barren  ;  James  M.  Pres- 
ton, Esqr.,  of  Boone ;  Hon.  Garrett  Davis,  Dr.  Joseph  H.  Holt,  Dr.  Wilham  M.  Garrard, 
and  William  C.  Lyle,  John  G.  Scrogin,  and  W.  G.  Talbot,  Esqrs.,  of  Bourbon ;  Rev.  J. 
C  Young,  D.D.,  president  of  Centre  College,  of  Boyle ;  General  John  Payne,  of  Bracken; 
John  Hargis,  Esq.,  of  Breathitt ;  Hon.  John  Calhoun,  Jo.seph  Smith,  Joseph  Allen,  and 
Francis  Peyton,  Esqrs.,  of  Breckinridge ;  W.  T.  Samuels,  and  Michael  0.  Wade,  Esqrs., 
of  Bullitt;  B.  J.  Burke,  and  L.  W.  Moore,  Esqrs.,  of  Butler;  Charles  B.  Dallam,  and 
Marcus  M.  Tyler,  Esqrs.,  of  Caldwell ;  E.  H.  Curd,  Esqr.,  of  Calloway ;  Gen.  James 
Taylor,  and  S.  D.  Smalley,  Esqr.,  of  Campbell ;  David  Owen,  Esq.,  of  Carroll ;  G.  W. 
Crawford,  Esqr.,  of  Carter;  Daniel  H.  Harrison,  A.  G.  Stites,  and  R.  R.  Lansden,  Esqrs., 
of  Christian  ;  W.  Flanagan,  and  Willis  Collins,  Esqrs.,  of  Clarke  ;  Dougherty  White,  and 
William  Woodcock,  Esqrs.,  of  Clay  ;  R.  Maxcy,  and  E.  Long,  Esqrs.,  of  Clinton  ;  R.  L. 
Bigham,  and  H.  R.  D.  Coleman,  Esqrs.,  of  Crittenden ;  E.  B.  Gaither,  and  Th.  T.  Alex- 
ander, Esqrs.,  and  Dr.  David  R.  Haggard,  of  Cumberland;  John  P.  Devereaux,  Esqr.,  of 
Daveiss;  A.  M.  Barrett,  Esqr.,  of  Edmonson;  Robert  Clarke,  Esqr.,  of  Estill;  Hon.  George 
Robertson,  Gen.  Leslie  Combs,  Gen.  John  M.  M'Calla,  Col.  Richard  Spurr,  Hon.  Robert 
Wickliffe,  Rev.  Robert  J.  Breckinridge,  D.D.,and  John  C.  Breckinridge,  William  S.  Waller, 
John  Bradford,  James  Logue,  Samuel  D.  M'Cullough,  and  Fielding  R.  Bradford,  Esqrs.,  of 
Fayette;  C.  C.  Lane,  and  W.  S.  Botts,  Esqrs,  of  Fleming;  Edwin  Trimble,  and  Daniel 
Hager,  Esqrs.,  of  Floyd;  Gov.  William  Owsley,  Hon.  Benjamin  Monroe,  Hon.  James 
Harlan,  Gen.  Peter  Dudley,  Col.  James  Davidson,  Orlando  Brown,  John  W.  Finnell,  Wil- 
liam D.  Reed,  H.  L  Bodley,  and  A.  S.  Mitchell,  Esqrs.,  of  Franklin ;  Major  J.  W.  Gibson, 
and  R.  A.  Hatcher,  Esqr.,  of  Fulton;  Rev.  Benjamin  Fuller,  of  Gallatin;  A.  J.  Brown, 
E.sqr.,  of  Garrard;  John  W.  M'Cann,  Esqr.,  of  Grant;  Jack  Thomas,  Esqr.,  of  Grayson; 
G.  W.  Montague,  E.sqr.,  of  Greene;  W.  L.  Poagc,  E.sqr.,  of  Greenup;  D.  L.  .^dair,  Esqr., 
of  Hancock ;  Dr.  Sanmel  B.  Young,  and  Thomas  D.  Brown,  Esqr.,  of  Hardin ;  E.  V. 
TJnthank,  Esqr.,  of  Harlan ;  Gen.  L.  B.  Desha,  and  J.  V.  Bassett,  Esqr.,  of  Harrison ; 


*  It  is  due  to  Mr.  Smiley  to  state,  that  the  Sketch  of  the  Methodist  Ejjiscopal  Church,  was  prepared 
by  liim  upon  a  few  days'  notice. 


PREFACE.  V 

Robert  D.  Murray,  and  John  Bowman,  Esqrs.,  of  Hart ;  Dr.  Owen  Glass,  O.  H.  Hillyer, 
and  J.  E.  M'Callister,  Esqrs.,  of  Henderson ;  W.  B.  Edmunston,  and  N.  E.  Wright, 
Esqrs.,  of  Hickman ;  Samuel  Woodson,  Esqr.,  of  Hopkins ;  Hon.  Henry  Pirtle,  Tal.  P. 
ShafTner,  Esqr.,  and  Dr.  Bullitt,  of  Jefferson  ;  R.  E.  Woodson,  Esqr.,  of  Jessamine  :  Johu 
House,  Esqr.,  of  Johnson  ;  Hon.  James  T.  Morehead,  and  J.  W.  Menzies,  Esqr.,  of  Ken- 
ton ;  B.  H.  Ohler,  Esqr.,  of  Knox ;  John  Duncan,  and  William  Beelar,  Esqrs.,  of  Larue ; 
G.  F.  Hatcher,  Esqr.,  of  Lawrence ;  W.  B.  Hampton,  Esqr.,  of  IjCtcher ;  R.  G.  Carter, 
Esqr.,  of  Lewis  ;  J.  Campbell,  Esqr.,  of  Lincoln;  William  Gordon,  Esqr.,  of  Livingston; 
M.  B.  Morton,  and  Albert  G.  Rhea,  Esqrs.,  of  Logan :  Abner  Oldham,  Esqr.,  Col.  John 
Speed  Smith,  and  Col.  David  Irvine,  of  Madison  ;  Nicholas  S.  Ray,  Esqr.,  and  Captain 
Edmund  A.  Graves,  of  Marion  ;  Henry  Hand,  Esqr.,  of  Marshall ;  William  Fairleigh, 
Esqr.,  of  Meade ;  Hon.  Adam  Beatty,  Col.  James  C.  Pickett,  Dr.  J.  M.  Duke,  R.  H.  Col- 
lins,  and  Joseph  B.  Boyd,  Esqrs.,  of  Mason ;  William  H.  Jones,  Esqr.,  of  M'Cracken ; 
Gen.  Robert  B.  M  'Afee,  Captain  Samuel  Daveiss,  Dr.  C.  Graham,  and  James  M  'Afee, 
Esqr.,  of  Mercer;  William  Butler,  Esqr.,  of  Monroe  ;  Richard  Apperson,  Esqr.,  of  Mont- 
gomery;  James  Elliott,  Esqr.,  of  Morgan  ;  Charles  F.  Wing,  Esqr.,  of  Muhlenburg  ;  Hon. 
Charles  A.  Wickliffe,  G.  Clayton  Slaughter,  and  A.  G.  Botts,  Esqrs.,  of  Nelson  ;  Charles 
Henderson,  H.  D.  Taylor,  and  Stephen  Stateler,  Esqrs.,  of  Ohio  ;  G.  Armstrong,  Esqr., 
of  Oldham ;  J.  W.  Bacon,  Esqr.,  of  Owen  ;  William  Williams,  Esqr.,  of  Owsley ;  S, 
Thoznas  Hauser,  Esqr.,  of  Pendleton ;  John  D.  Mims,  Esqr.,  of  Pike ;  E.  Kelley,  Esqr., 
of  Pulaski ;  Col.  Elisha  Smith,  of  Rockcastle ;  Joseph  T.  Rowe,  Esqr.,  of  Russell ;  John 
T.  Steppe,  Esqr.,  and  Rev.  Howard  Malcom,  D.D.,  of  Scott;  Thomas  J.  'I'hroop,  L 
Shelby  Todd,  and  John  H.  Todd,  Esqrs.,  and  Rev,  .Abraham  Cook,  of  Shelby  ;  John 
Hoy,  Esqr.,  of  Simpson;  Ralph  Lancaster,  Esqr.,  of  Spencer;  W.  H.  Wells,  and  R.  E. 
Glenn,  Esqrs.,  of  Todd  ;  Kain  A.  M'Caughan,  and  Robert  Baker,  Esqrs.,  of  Trigg ;  W. 
Samuels,  Esqr.,  of  Trimble ;  J.  W.  Cromwell,  Esqr.,  of  Union ;  Hon.  A.  W.  Graham, 
Hon.  Joseph  R.  Underwood,  and  Loyd  Berry,  Esqr.,  of  Warren  ;  W.  B.  Booker,  Esqr., 
of  Washington;  W.  Simpson,  Esqr.,  of  Wayne;  W.  S.  Cooke,  and  Squire  Gatliffe, 
Esqrs.,  of  Whitley ;  Major  Herman  Bowmar,  of  Woodford. — Also,  to  Thomas  B.  Steven- 
son, Esqr.,  Dr.  J.  R.  Buchanan,  and  Rev.  Thornton  A  Mills,  of  Cincinnati. 


INDEX  TO   THE    OUTLINE   HISTORY. 


Page. 

Adaik.  Gen.,  at  the  battle  of  New  Orleans-  -59,  84 
Adams.  John,  second  President,  very  odious 

in  Kenlueky 54 

Adams  and  Jackson,  presidential  contest  be- 
tween    93 

Alien  and  sedition  laws  condemned 55 

Allen,  Col.,  killed 71 

Annexation,  first  step  in  territorial 57 

of  Texas,  and  its  effects 97 

Bank,  first  chartered  in  Kentucky 56 

of  Kentucky  chartered 65 

,  forty  independent,  chartered 88 

,  Commonwealth's,  chartered 88 

,  Branch  of  U.  S.,  in  Kentucky 95 

of  Kentucky 95 

,  Norlhern,  of  Kentucky 95 

of  I/OuisviUe 95 

Bird,  Col.,  expedition  against  Kentucky 24 

Blannerhasset,  the  victim  of  Burr 59 

Blue  Licks,  Upper,  defeat  of  Capt.  Holder's 

party  at - 25 

Blue  liicks.  Lower,  disastrous  battle  at 25 

Board  of  AVar,  in  Kentucky 43 

Boone,  Mrs.,  and  daughters,  first  white  wo- 
men on  Kentucky  river 19 

Boonsborough,  founded,  and  fori  built 19 

,  attacked  by  the  Indians 19 

Bowman,  Col.,  expedition  against  Chillicothe,  23 

Boyle,  John,  chief  justice  of  the  old  court-  -  •  90 
Bradford,  John,  establishes  first  newspaper 

in  Kentucky 36 

Breckinridge,  Robert,  first  speaker  of  the  H. 

of  R. 45 

Brown,  James,  first  secretary  of  state 45 

,  John,  first  delegate  to  Congress 36 

, ,  letters  of,  on  the  independence 

oi  Kentucky 37 

Brown,  John,  first  senator  to  Congress 45 

, ,  implicated  in  the  Spanish  in- 
trigue    60 

Brown,  John,  President  Madison's  letter  in 

defence  of • 99 

Bryant's  station,  attack  on 25 

Bullitt,  Capt.  Thomas,  surveying  at  the  Falls,  18 

,  Alexander,  first  speaker  of  the  senate,  45 

Burr,  Aaron,  arrives  in  Kentucky 57 

,  defeated  for  the  governorship  of  New 

York 57 

Burr,  kills  Hamilton  in  a  duel 58 

,  conceives  a  plan  of  an  empire 58 

,  his  character  and  intrigues 59 

,  his  project  developed.  &c. 60 

,  Daveiss' motion  against,  overruled- •••  60 

,  offers  Daveiss  opportunity  to  prove  his 

charge 61 

Burr,  his  trial  postponed 61 

,  his  public  defence 61 

,  his  trial  again  postponed 62 

,  acquitted  by  the  grand  jury 63 

,  disavows  to  Mr.  Clay  any  improper  de- 
sign    63 

Burr,  his  real  altitude  at  this  time 64 

,  his  project  unfolded 64 

,  his  letters  lo  Wilkinson  and  Eaton 64 

,  his  project  denounced  and  broken  up-  •  64 

Calloway,  Col.  Richard,  moves  to  Boonsbo- 
rough    19 

Canada,  union  with  Kentucky  suggested- •••  41 
(vi) 


Page. 
24 


19 


Cannon,  first  employed  in  Kentucky 

Caroline,  schooner,  at  the  battle  of  New  Or- 
leans   

Chesapeake,  attacked  by  the  Leopard 

Clark.  Gen.  George  Rogers,  first  appearance 

in  Kentucky 

Clark,  expedition  against  Kaskaskia  and  Vin- 

cennes 21 

Clark,  expedition  against  the  Ohio  Indians-  -     24 

,  expedition  from  the  moulh  of  Licking,    27 

expedition  to  the  Wabash 33 

,  appointed  generalissimo  of  French  le- 
gions      47 

Clarke.  Judge,  decides  the  relief  law  unconsli- 

tutional 89 

Clarke,  Judge,  his  trial  before  the  legislature-     90 

,  ,  elected  governor 97 

Clay,  Henry,  and  Daveiss,  intelleclual  com- 
bat between 62 

Clay,  requires  of  Burr  a  disavowal  of  trea- 
sonable designs 63 

Clay  and  Jackson,  presidential  contest  be- 
tween       94 

Clay  and  Polk,  presidential  contest  between,    97 

Combs,  Capl.  Leslie,  gallantry  of 73 

Congress,  old,  relers  the  admission  of  Ken- 
tucky to  the  new 37 

Constitution,  federal,  unpopular  in  Kentucky,    33 

,  first,  lis  features 

new,  formed  and  adopted 


44 
56 
Convention,  first,  on  the  proposed  separation 

from  Virginia 30 

Convention,  second 31 

,third 31 

,  fourth 32 

,  filth 36 

,  sixth 38 

,  seventh 39 

,  eighth 41,  42 

,  ninth,  and  last 44 

,  to  revise  the  constitution 54,  55 

Corn,  first  raised  in  Kentucky 19 

Counties,  Kentucky  divided  into  three 24 

Courts,  first  established 20 

,  of  common  law  and  chancery 24 

,  U.  S.,  for  the  district  of  Kentucky,  es- 
tablished    23 

Courts,  jurisdiction  under  the  first  constitu- 
tion    45 

Courts,  changes  in  the  system  of 51 

,  district,  abolished 66 

,  circuit,  established 56 

,  contest  between  the  Old  and  New-  91 

,  New,  organized 92 

Crockett,  Col.,  remonstrance  of •  40 

Croghan,  Col.,  del'eiiee  of  Fort  Stephenson  75 

Crows,  required  to  be  killed 51 

Danville,  the  scat  of  the  Conventions 30,  36 

Daveiss,  Col.  Jo.  Hamilton,  moves  against 

Burr 60 

Daveiss,  intellectual  combat  with  Henry  Clay  62 

Democratic  societies,  their  spirit  and  object-  47 

Depeau,  Charles,  a  French  emissary,  letter  of,  48 

Desha,  Gen.  Joseph,  elected  governor 91 

DuQuesne,  invades  Kentucky 20 

Edwards,  John,  senator  in  Congress 45 

England  and  France,  before  the  war  of  1S12,  68 

English  spy  in  Kentucky 41 


INDEX  TO  THE  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 


Vll 


P»ge. 

Erie,  Lake,  decisive  victory  upon 76 

Estill,  Capt.,  defeat  of 24 

Excise  law,  odious  in  Kentucky 46,  47 

Fayette  county,  competes  for  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment   45 

Federal  government,  disaffection  towards-  -46,  47 

Finley,  John,  visits  Kentucky 18 

Fort,  look  for  the  proper  name  of  each — 

France  and  England,  their  last  great  strugg-Ie,  68 
Frankfort,  how  chosen  as  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment    45 

French  revolution,  how  regarded 46 

emissaries  in  Kentucky 48 

Frenchtown,  battle  of 70 

Garrard,  James,  governor  of  the  State 55 

Genet,  citizen,  his  projects  and  conduct 47 

,  recalled,  and  his  acts  disavowed ■  50 

Governor,  how  chosen  under  the  old  consti- 
tution    45 

Greenup,  Christopher,  elected  governor 57 

Hardin,  Col.  John,  murdered  by  the  Indians-  45 

Harmar,  Gen.,  disastrous  expedition  of 43 

Harrodsburg,  founded 18 

Harrison,  Gen.,  marches  against  Canada 70 

,  defence  of  Fort  Sleigs 73 

,  defeats  Proctor  at  the  Thames 78 

Henderson's  purchase  from  the  Cherokees--  18 

Holder,  Capt.,  deleat  of 25 

Hopkins,  Gen.,  expedition  against  the  Illinois 

Indians 69 

Hull,  Gen.,  surrender  of 68 

Impressment  of  American  seamen 67 

Independence  of  Kentucky  agitated-  -  -  -37,  50,  53 
Iiinis.  judge,  connected  with  the  Spanish  in 

trigue • - 

Jnnis,  overrules  the  motion  against  Burr 

,  tried  and  acquitted 

Insurance  company  at  Lexington  chartered' 

Jackson,  Gen.  Andrew,  at  New  Orleans 

and  Adams,  contest  between 

and  Clay,  contest  between 


Jay,  John,  odium  against,  in  Kentucky 

— ,  his  treaty  with  England,  how  regarded 

Jefferson,  Thomas,  elected  President 56,57 

Johnson,  Col.  Richard  M.,  at  the  battle  of  the 

Thames 78 

Kaskaskia.  surrenders  to  Gen.  Clark 22 

Kenton,  Simon,  settles  in  Mason  county 19 

Kentuckians.  dratted ^,  50 

Kentucky,  explored  by  the  Anglo-Saxons-  -  •  17 
,  traces  of  the  earlier  occupants  of-  17 

river,  ascended  by  the  McAfees--  18 

,  first  log  cabin  erected  in IS 

"Gazette,"  printed  at  Lexington- -  36 

,  admitted  into  the  Union 42 

Knox,  Col.  James,  leads  the  "  Long  Hunters  " 

to  Kentucky  -  -  • 18 

Land  law,  unt'ortunate  operation  of 23 

Letcher,  Robert  P.,  elected  g'overnor 97 

Lewis,  Col.,  taken  prisoner 71 

Lexington,  first  blockhouse  built 23 

Limitation  in  actions  of  ejectment,  changed-  65 

Logan's  fort,  erected  and  settled 19 

Louisiana,  ceded  to  France 56 

,  purchased  by  the  general  govern- 
ment    57 

Louisville  settled 22 

Madison,  George,  elected  governor 87 

,  President,  letter  vindicating  Hon. 

James  Brown 98 

Marshall,  Col.  Thomas 39 

,  Humphrey,  elected  U.  S.  senator-  •  51 

Martin's  station  destroyed 24 

MaysviUe,  blockhouse  erected 28 

Meigs,  fort,  attacked 73,  75 

Mercer  county,  competes  for  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment    45 

Metcalfe,  Gen.  Thomas,  elected  governor---  93 

Michigan,  effect  of  the  loss  of 68 

Mills,  Judge  Benjamin,  and  the  old  court-  •-  •  90 
Mississippi,  proposed    to   cede   the   naviga- 

Uon  of 34,  40 

Mississippi,   circular  of   Muter,  Innis,   and 

others 34 

Mississippi,  negotiations  upon  the  subject-  -  -  35 


Kige. 

Mississippi,  its  navigation  secured  by  treaty,  52 
Murray,  William,  opposes  the  states'  rights 

movement 55 

Muter,  Judge  George,  attempt  to  remove 51 

,  his  letter  against  an  independent  gov- 
ernment    39 

New  Orleans,  right  of  deposit  at,  conceded-  52 

,  this  right  suspended 56 

,  preparations  for  its  defence--  79 

,  engagement  of  the  24th  De- 
cember      80 

New  Orleans,  brilliant  victory  of  the  8th  of 

January 84 

New  Orleans,  numbers  engaged 86 

Nicholas,  George,  in  the  ninth  convention-  -  -  44 

,  first  attorney  general 45 

,  connected  with  the  Spanish  intrigue  53 

Nullification,  in  the  legislature 55 

Owsley,  Judge  William,  and  the  old  court-  -  90 

, ,  elected  governor-  •-  97 

Perry,  lieutenant,  brilliant  victory  of 76 

Polk,  James  K.,  and  Henry  Clay,  contest  be- 
tween    97 

Power,  Thomas,  a  Spanish  messenger 53 

Relief  and  anti-relief  excitement 89 

laws  decided  unconstitutional 90 

excitement  in  1S42 96 

Replevin,  extended  conditionally 89 

Revolution,  French,  how  regarded 46 

,  the  age  of  startling,  not  passed-  •  58 

Ruddell's  station  destroyed 24 

Scott,  Gen.  Charles,  Indian  expedition 43 

,  joins  Wayne  with  1,500  men --  50 

,  elected  governor 65 

Sebastian,  Judge  Benj.,  attempt  to  remove--  51 

,  interview  with  the  Spanish  agent-  52 

,  pensioned  by  Spain 53 

,  implicated  with  Burr 60 

,  inquiry  into  his  conduct 65 

Senators,  how  chosen  under  the  old  constitu- 
tion     •  •  45 

Separation  from  Virginia  and  the  Union,  agi- 
tated    37 

Shelby,  Isaac,  first  governor 45 

,  reply  to  Depeau 49 

Slaughter,  Gabriel,  first  lieutenant  and  acting 

governor 87 

Spain,  resents  the  purchase  of  Louisiana-- •  57 

Spanish  intrigues  in  Kentucky 52 

Specie  payments  suspended 95,  96 

Squirrels,  law  requiring  to  be  killed 51 

St.  Clair.  Gen.,  campaign  of 43 

Stephenson,  fort,  gallant  defence  of- 75 

Stuart,  James,  killed  by  the  Indians 18 

Taxes,  upon  what  imposed 45 

Tecumseh,  his    generous    conduct    at    Fort 

Meigs 74 

Tecumseh,  killed  at  the  Thames 78 

Thames,  river,  victory  at  the 78 

Treaty  of  1783,  imperfectly  observed 28 

with  the  Indians 51 

Trimble,  Lieutenant  David 73 

Vincennes,  surrenders  to  Gen.  Clark 22 

Virginia,  action  upon  the  proposed  separa- 
tion by  Kentucky - 41 

AValker,  Dr.,  visits  Kentucky 18 

War  of  1812,  causes  of 66 

feeling  in  Kentucky  and  New  England,  63 

Washington,  Gen.,  elected  President  of  the 

United  States 41 

Wayne,  Gen.,  defeats  the  Indians  at  the  Ra- 
pids    50 

'■Western  World,"  newspaper  at  Frankfort-  60 

,  develops  Burr's  project.  &c.  (iO 

Wilkinson,  Gen.  James,  settles  in  Lexington,  29 

,  his  voyage  to  New  Orleans 30 

,  his  tobacco  privileges 38 

,  accompanies  St.  Clair 43 

,  commissioned  under  Wayne-  -  -  •  45 

,  how  he  regarded  the  Spanish  in- 
trigue    53 

Wilkinson,  commands  the  U.  S.  troops  in 

Louisiana 57 

AVilkinson,  co-operates  with  Burr 59,  60 

Winchester,  Gen.,  at  the  river  Raisin  71 


INDEX  TO   COUNTIES,   CITIES,   TOWNS, 
AND  VILLAGES. 


The  names  of  the  Counties  are  in  Small  Capitals. 


FSge. 

Adair 164 

Adairville 411 

Albany 246 

Alexandria 2*25 

Allen 166 

Allensville 535 

Anderson 168 

Ashbysburg 351 

Athens 267 

Augusta 209 

Ballard 171 

BallardsviUe 488 

BarboursviUe  ••••  396 

Bardstown 474 

Barren 174 

Bath 177 

Bear  Wallow  •  •  •  •  344 

Bedford 538 

Belleview 232 

Benton 427 

Bethel 177 

Big  Spring 447 

Blandville 171 

Bloomficld   475 

Bon  Harbor 250 

Boone 179 

Boonsborough  •  •  •  •  416 

Boston 550 

BouRiiON 192 

JJowling-Green  ■  •  •  540 

Boyle 204 

Bracken 209 

Bradl'ordsville 426 

Brandenburg 447 

Breathitt 210 

Breckinridge 212 

Breedings 165 

BrooksviUe 210 

Brownsborough  •  •  48S 

Brownsville 253 

Bryantsvilie 322 

Bullitt 216 

Burk-sville 249 

Burlington 160 

Butler 221 

Cadiz 537 

Cairo 346 

Caldwell  222 

Calloway 223 

Campbell 224 

Campbellsville 328 

Canton 537 

Carlisle 480 

Carroll 228 

Carrollton 228 

Cartek i 230 

Casey 230 

Casey ville 539 

Catlettsburg a32 

Centre  Point 467 

Centreville 193 

Cliaplin 475 

Chapline 451 

Ohaplinton 174 

Christian 231 

ChristiansbuTg 618 

<'lark 234 

<  larksburg 401 

(viu) 


Page. 

Clay 243 

Claysville 341 

Clay  Village 518 

Clementsburg 247 

Clinton 245 

Clinton 350 

Clintonville 193 

Cloverport 212 

ColbysviUe 2:34 

Colemansville  •  •  •  •  341 

Columbia 164 

Concord 401 

Concordia 447 

Constantine 212 

Cornishville 451 

Covington 380 

Crab  Orchard 402 

Creel  sburg 502 

Crittenden 247 

Crittenden 325 

Cumberland 249 

Cynthiana 340 

Danville 204 

Daveiss 250 

Dover 4;30 

DowningviUe 325 

EddyviUe 223 

Edmonson 253 

Edmonton 174 

Elizabethtowii-  •  •  •  3o'5 

ElizaviUe 296 

Elkton 535 

Estill 261 

Fairfield 475 

Fairview 535 

Falmouth 494 

Farmington 327 

Fayette 263 

Ferry  Corner 537 

Fitchport 322 

Fleming 296 

Flemingsburg 296 

Florence 180 

Floyd 302 

Floydsburg 488 

Francisville 180 

Frankfort 304 

Franklin 303 

Franklin 531 

Franklinton 348 

Frederick 174 

Fredericktown  •  •  •  545 

Fredonia 222 

Fulton 318 

Gallatin 320 

GarnetsviUe 448 

Garrard 322 

Garrettsburg 232 

Georgetown 504 

Germanlown,  Brack- 
en Co. 210 

Germantown,  Ma- 
son Co. 430 

Ghent 22S 

Glasgow 174 

Grahampton 447 

Grant 325 

Graves 326 


Page. 

Grayson 230 

Grayson 327 

Great  Crossings  •  •  508 

Greene 328 

Greeneville 472 

Greensburg 328 

Greenup 331 

Greenupsburg  •  •  •  •  3;U 

Hamilton 180 

Hancock 333 

Hardin 335 

Hardinsburg 212 

HardinsviUe 518 

Harlan 539 

Harrison 340 

Harrisonville 518 

Harrodsburg 449 

Hart 344 

Hartford 486 

Havilandsville- ••  •  341 

HawesviUe 334 

Haydensville 535 

Hazard 496 

Hazle-Green 472 

Hazlepatch 398 

Helena 430 

Henderson 346 

Henderson 346 

HendersonviUe  -  •  •  348 

Henry 348 

Hibbardsville 346 

Hickman 318 

Hickman 350 

Hillsborough 296 

HodgenviUe 397 

Hoi'KiNs 350 

Hopkinsville 232 

HudsonviUe 212 

Hustonville 402 

Independence  382 

Irvine 262 

Jackeysburg 212 

Jackson 211 

Jacksonville 193 

Jamestown 502 

Jefferson 354 

JefTersonville 469 

Jessamine 375 

Johnson 376 

Keasburg 411 

Kenton 380 

Kidd ville 2.34 

Knox 395 

Lafayette 232 

Lagrange  .........  48i§ 

Lancaster 322 

Larue 397 

Laurel 398 

Lawrence 398 

Lawrenceburg  •  •  •  109 

Lebanon 426 

Leesburg 341 

Leesville   344 

Letcher 4(X) 

Levelwood 397 

Lewis 4U1 

Lewisburg,  Mason 
Co 430 


Page. 
Lewisburg,    Muli- 

lenburg  Co. 473 

Lewisport ;j.34 

Lexington 263 

Liberty 230 

Lincoln 402 

Linn '332 

Litchfield 327 

Livingston 409 

Loekport.  Butler  C.  222 
Lockport,  IlenryC.  348 

Logan 410 

London 398 

Louisa 3!)9 

Louisville 355 

Lovelaceville 171 

Lower  Blue  Licks  4S0 

Lucto 4.51 

Madison 416 

Madisonville 351 

Manchester 243 

Marion 425 

Marion,  Crittenden 

Co. 247 

Marion,  Owen  Co.  490 
Marion^  Scott.  Co.-  SOS 

Marshall 427 

Mason 4().S 

Ma.wiUe .545 

Mayfield '.i'M 

Mavslick 430 

Maysville 430 

M'Cracken 446 

Meade    447 

Mercer 449 

Middleburg 401 

Midway 053 

Milbourn 171 

Millersburg 193 

Millerstown 328 

Milton 538 

Minerva 430 

Monroe 467 

Montgomery 468 

Monticello 54S 

Moorefield 460 

Morgan 471 

Morganfield 539 

Morgantown 222 

Mortonsville 554 

Moscow 350 

Mount  Carmel 296 

Mount  Eden 532 

Mount  Gilead  430 

Mount  Pleasant  •  ■  340 
Mount  Sterling  •  •  •  468 
Mount  Vernon  •  •  •  •  500 
Mount  Washington  216 

MUIILENBURG 472 

Munfordville .344 

Murpliysville 430 

Murray 224 

Napoleon 321 

Neatsville 165 

Nelson 473 

New  Castle 348 

New  Concord  •  •  •  227 
New  Haven  ■    •  •  •     475 


INDEX  TO  COUNTIES,  ETC.— GENERAL  INDEX. 


IX 


F»ge. 
New  Liberty  •  •    •  •  490 

New  Market 426 

Newport 220 

Newtown 508 

Nicholas 479 

Nicholasville----     376 

North  Liberty 376 

North  Middleton-  •  193 

Nottsville 250 

Oaktowii 2:32 

Ohio 486 

Oldham 488 

Orangeburg 430 

Oregon 451 

Owen 4S9 

Owenborough  •  •  •  •  250 

Owonton 490 

Owingsville 177 

Owsley 491 

Owsley  C.  H.   492 

Paducah 446 

Paintville 376 

Pahnyra 538 

Paris   192 

Pendleton 493 

Perry 495 

Perryville 205 

Petersburg 180 

Pike 497 

Pikeville 498 

Pittstown 216 


Page. 

Pleasant  Hill 451 

Pleasuresviile    •••  348 

Poplar  Flat 401 

Poplar  Plains 297 

Port  Oliver 166 

Port  Royal 34S 

Powersvillc 210 

Preston 22S 

Prestonsburg 303 

Princeton 222 

Proctor 492 

Providence 351 

Pulaski 498 

Raleigh 540 

Ray  wick 426 

Red  Mill 335 

Richmond 416 

Rockcastle 500 

Rockcastle 537 

Rock-Hiiven 448 

Roduster    222 

Ruddell's  Mills    .  .  193 

Rumsey 473 

Russell  501 

Russellville 410 

Salem 410 

Saloma 328 

Salvisa 451 

Sardis 430 

SchoUviUe 234 

Scott 504 


Page. 

Scottsville 166 

Seventy -Six 246 

Sharpsburg   177 

Shelby 517 

Shelby ville    517 

Shepherdsville  .     .  216 

Sherburn    217 

Simpson 531 

Simpsonville    518 

SkilesviUe 473 

Smithland 410 

Somerset    499 

Somerville 328 

South  CarroUton  .  .  473 

South  Union 411 

Spencek 532 

Springfield 545 

Springtown 180 

Springville 332 

Stamping  Ground  .  509 

Stanford 402 

Steamport 346 

Stephensburg  ....  335 
Stephensport  ....  212 

Taylorsville 532 

Tetersville 322 

Todd 534 

Tompkinsville  .  . .  467 

Trenton 535 

Trigg 536 

Trimble 538 


Page. 

Union 180 

Union 539 

Uniontown ,'540 

Union  Village.    ..451 

Vanceburg 401 

Verona 180 

Versailles 553 

Wadesborough .  .  .  224 
Waitsborough  .  .  .  499 

Wallonia 537 

Walnut  Flat 402 

Walton 180 

Warren 540 

Warsaw 320 

AVashington 429 

AVashington  ....  546 

Wayne 543 

Waynesburg  ....  402 

Webster 2.34 

West  Liberty  ....  472 

West  Point 335 

West  Port 488 

Whitesbiirg 400 

Whitley 547 

Williamsburg ....  550 
Williamstown  .  .  .  325 

Winchester 234 

Woodford 552 

Woodsonville ....  552 

Wyoming 177 

Yelvington 250 


GENE  R  AL    INDEX. 


Face. 

AccFF,  Rev.  Francis 129 

Adair.  Gen.  John 165 

Adoption,  Indian  mode  of 546 

Allen,  Rev.  Carey  H. 135 

"      Col.John 168 

"      Judge  John 2a3 

Allan,  Hon.  Chilton 235 

Almanac,  first,  printed  in  Kentucky 273 

Anderson,  jr  ,  Richard  C. 169 

"  Col.  Richard  C. 366 

Appeals,  Court  of,  sketch  of. 1 01 

Arnold,  Capt.  John 554 

Artillery  used  against  Ruddell's  station 342 

Artist,  remarkable  escape  of  an 451 

Asbury,  Bishop  Francis 125 

Ashland,  residence  of  Henry  Clay 292 

Ash  tree  four  hundred  years  old 295 

Asylum  for  the  Blind 356 

"  "    "Deaf  and  Dumb 205 

"  "     "    Insane 267 

Audubon,  the  Ornithologist 347 

Augusta  college 210 

Bacon  College,  at  Harrodsburg 114,  450 

Badm,  Rev.  Stephen  Theodore 140 

Baker,  adventures  of,  with  Ward  and  Kenton,  440 
"      Capt.  Isaac,  escape  from  the  Indians-  442 

Ballard,  Capt.  Bland 171 

Bank  Lick 394 

"      of  Kentucky,  its  constitutionality 103 

"      U.  S.,  re-charter  agitated 283 

Baptist  Church,  historical  sketch  of 108 

"  established 108 

"  associations  organized 108 

"  Bracken  association 108 

"  the  "great  revival" 108 


Page. 
Baptist  Church,  Regulars  and  "  Separatists  "•  110 

"  the  '' Reslrictionists" Ill 

"  the ''Emancipators" Ill 

"  schism  caused   by   a  negro 

trade Ill 

Baptist  Church,  the  ''  Re  formation  " Ill 

"  early  ministers 112 

"  number  of  members ■•  112 

Baptist  Theological  College,  at  Covington-.  •  380 

Barbour,  Maj.  Philip  N. 347 

Barnet's  station,  waylaid 4&0 

Barry,  Maj.  AVm.  Taylor 277 

Battle  of  Saline  Creek 213 

"      on  Salt  river,  disastrous 217 

"      near  Four-mile  Bar 225 

"      in  Cumberland  county 2,30 

Basin,  natural  rock 213 

Bear  wallow 344 

Bedinger,  Maj.  George  M. 4S5 

Bell,  at  the  Mammoth  Cave 257 

Ben,  a  negro,  anecdote  of- ' 300 

Benham,  Capt.  Robert,  remarkable  escape. .  227 

Betrayal  of  two  Indians 197 

Bibb,  Judge  George  M. 555 

Big  Bone  Lick ISO,  454 

Birchett.  Rev.  Henry : 126 

Blackburn.  Rev.  Gideon- 137 

Bledsoe,  Judge  Jesse 203 

Blind,  asylum  for  the 356 

Blue  Licks  Springs 480 

"  batlle  of.  detailed  account 481 

Blythe,  D.  D.,  Rev.  James 137 

Boat,  the  last  assailed  by  the  Indians  . ..  513 

Bones,  large,  discovered 180,  195 

Boone,  Col.  Daniel 181 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Page. 

Boone,  his  life  saved  by  Kenton 366 

"        winters  in  a  cave 452 

"        captured,  while  making  salt 4~1 

"        his  remains  re-intrrred ^07 

"        and  Calloway,  misses,  rescue  of- •  ■  •  184 

Boonsborougli,  history  of •  •  lb5,  385,  418,  421 

Botanic  garden  and  nursery 232 

Bowman's.  Col.,  expedition 412.460 

Bowmar,  Maj.  1 1.,  recolkclioas  of 554 

Bough,  Frederick,  adventure  ol" 337 

Boy,  rencounter  of  a,  with  Indians 337 

"      remarkable  fortitude  of  a 513 

Boyle,  chief  justice  John 207 

Bradford,  John 270 

Breathitt,  Gov.  John 211 

Breckinridge,  D.  D.,  Rev.  John 138 

'•  Hon.  John 214 

"  Joseph  Cabell 280 

Bridge.  Natural 233 

Brodhead,  Daniel,  seils  goods  at  Louisville-  •  362 

Brown,  Hon.  John 308 

"         Hon.  James 309 

"        Dr.  Samuel 309 

"        Dr.  Preston  W. 310 

Bryant's  station,  expedition  from 267 

"  attack  on 269 

Buchanan,  Dr. 559 

Buena  Vista,  battle  of 375 

Bullitt's  Lick,  salt  first  made  at 217 

Bullitt,  Col.  Alex.  Scott 241 

"        Capt.  Thomas 360,  453 

"        Thomas  and  Cuthbert 366 

Burke,  Rev.  William 128 

Burrows,   Nathan,  manufactures   hemp  and 

mustard 276 

Burying  grounds,  ancient 180,  209,  334 

Butler,  Gen. 222 

Byrne,  Rev.  William 143 

Cabinet  officers,  from  Kentucky 150 

Caha's  escape  from  the  Indians 479 

Cahokia,  surrender  of 240 

Caldwell,  Gen.  John 223 

"  Dr.  Charles 558 

Calloway,  Col.  Richard 224 

"  and  Boone,  misses,  rescue  of 184 

Calvin,  Capt.  Luther,  adventures  of 438 

Cameron,  Rev.  Archibald 136,  519 

Campbell,  Rev.  Alexander 111,116,  117 

"  Rev.  John  Poage 135 

"  Col.  John 227 

Carroll,  Charles,  of  Carrollton 229 

Casey,  Col.  William 231 

Cassiday,  Michael,  adventures  of 298 

Cat,  wild,  adventure  with  a 295 

Cave,  Mammoth 254 

"      where  Boone  wintered 452 

Caves  in  Allen  county 167 

"        Barren 177 

"        Bourbon 195 

"        Breckinridge 213 

"        Christian 233 

"        Edmonson 254 

"        Hart 345 

"        Knox 396 

"        Meade 448 

"        Mercer 466 

"        Rockcastle 501 

"        Union 540 

"        Warren 541 

"        AVayne 548 

"        Whitley 550 

Cemetery  of  giants 253 

Centre  college,  at  Danville 206 

Chambers,  Gov.  John 443 

Charges  d'Affaires,  from  Kentucky 150 

Charity,  Sisters  of,  established 143 

Chasm,  singular 180 

Chillicothe,  expedition  against 412,  460 

Christian,  Col.  William B21,  233 

"  Church,  sketch  of 114 

"  "        number  of  members- • -115,  118 

"  "        mode  of  government 116 

"  '•        views  of 116,117 

"  "        union  between  Stone  and 

Campbell 1-,J0 

Church,  Baptist 108 


Church,  Christian 114 

"        Cumberland  Presbyterian 121 

"        Episcopal 122 

"         Methodist  Episcopal 124 

"         Presbyterian 132 

"         Roman  Catholic 139 

"         in  the  Mammoth  Cave 254 

Cincinnati,  adventure  of  hunters  at 514 

Clark,  Gen.  George  Rogers  .236,  385,  457,  459,  460 

Clarke,  Gov.  James 235 

Clay,  Gen.  Green 243 

"     Hon.  Henry 280 

"     jr.,  Lieut.  Col.  Henry 294 

Clelland,  D.  D,  Rev.  Thomas 138 

Cliffs  on  Kentucky  river 466 

Clinton,  Gov.  De  Witt 246 

Coal,— see  each  county 158,  491,  498,  499,  500 

Coburn,  Judge  John 444 

Collins  found  in  a  mound 167 

Cofrman,^Mrs.,  anecdote  of 169 

College,  Centre,  at  Danville 206 

"        Augusta 210 

"        Cumberland,  at  Princeton 223 

"        St.  Mary's,  at  Lebanon 420 

"        Bacon,  at  Harrodsburg 450 

"        St.  Joseph's,  at  Bardstown 474 

"        Masonic,  at  Lagrange 488 

"        Georgetown 505 

'•        Shelby,  at  Shelbyville 517 

Colleges,  Presidents  of,  from  Kentucky 151 

Combs,  Gen.  Leslie 277 

Compromise  Act 289 

Conch  shells  in  Lincoln  county 408 

Congress,  list  of  senators 144 

"         representatives 145 

Continental  money,  heavy  discount 362 

Contract,  singular 176 

Conventions,  list  of  members  of  the  several, 
to  erect  a  State  government,  &c.  •  -146,  147,  148 

Cook  family,  remarkable  defence  of 306 

Coomes,  Wm.,  first  school  teacher 140 

"  escape  from  the  Indians-  -458.  460 

Copperas  bed,  in  Lewis  county 401 

Corn,  first  planted  in  Kentucky 429 

•'      first  raised  in  Kentucky 452 

"      sold  for  mo  per  bushel 456 

Corwin,  Hon.  Thomas 200 

Corwine,  Aaron  H. 545 

Cosby,  Fortunatus  and  Robert  T. 358.  366 

Court  of  Appeals,  sketch  of 101 

"  its  design  and  safeguards-  102 

"  judges  increased 105 

"  judges  reduced 106 

"  •'       catalogue  of 106 

"  reports  of 106 

"  jurisdiction  of 106 

Courts,  Old  and  New,  history  of 102 

"        in  Jefferson  county 362 

Craig,  Rev.  Lewis 112 

Craighead,  Rev.  Thomas  B. 134 

Crawford,  Rev.  James 133 

"  Capt.  John  A. 469 

Creek,  Sinking,  great  curiosity 213 

Crepps,  Christian,  remarkable  escape  of-  •  •  •  219 
Crist,  Henry,  desperate  rencounter  with  In- 
dians  : 217 

Cross  and  image,  copper 37G 

Crouch  and  Mayes,  hung  without  triiil 320 

Cruise,  Capt. 38? 

Cumberland  falls 246,  550 

"  college,  at  Princeton 223 

"  Presbyterian  Church,  sketch  of,  121 

•'  river,    passage    through     Pine 

Mountain 396 

Cunningham,  Capt.  Isaac 234 

Curiosities,  natural 233 

Dancing  school,  first,  at  Lexington 273 

Daniel,  Walker 207 

Daveiss,  Col.  Joseph  Hamilton 251 

"         Mrs.,  intrepidity  of 404 

"  Samuel,  recaptures  his  family 404 

"         Capt.  Samuel 464 

David,  Rev.  Mr. 143 

Davidson,  Col.  James 352 

Dead  Sea,  in  the  Mammoth  Cave 260 

Deaf  and  Dumb  Asylum 205 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


XI 


Desha,  Gen  Joseph 515 

"  Devil's  Pulpit,"  on  the  Kentucky  river 466 

Doj,  remarkable  instance  of  fidelity 298 

Dogs,  two  cur,  defeat  two  Indians 550 

Donaldson,  Israel,  teaches  school  at  Mays- 

viUe-... 431 

Douglass,  James,  visits  Big  Bone  Lick 181 

Downing,  Francis,  incident  of 178 

Col.  Timothy,  adventure  of 437 

Drake,  Dr.  Daniel 557 

Drennon's  Lick 349 

Dry  goods  first  sold  in  Louisville 3(J2 

•'    creek,  singular  fact  concerning 382 

Dudley,  Col.  William 294 

Dr.  Beiiiamin  W. 557 

Duke,  Dr.  Basil 442 

Durlnn,  D.  D.,  Rev.  John  P. 200 

Earthquakes,  dreadful 363 

Edmonson,  Capt.  John 261 

Elder,  Rev.  G.  A.  M. 143 

Emancipators,  in  the  Baptist  Church Ill 

Episcopal  Church,  sketch  of 122 

Estill,  Capt.  James 262,  470 

Estill's  station,  attack  on 422 

Executions,  criminal,  in  Jefferson  county- ••  362 

Falls,  Cumberland 246 

"       Little  Renick's  creek 250 

"       of  the  Ohio,  canal  around 365 

Falmouth,  landing  of  the  British  at 495 

False  news,  divulging,  punished 363 

Female  courage 269,  306.  404,  475,  501 

"        magnanimity 487 

"        Seminary, — see  the  counties  •3S2,  507, 518 

Fever,  fatal  prevalence  of 364 

Filson's  description  of  Kentucky 154 

Findlay,  John,  first  pioneer  of  Kentucky-  •  •  ■  182 

First  grist  mill  in  Kentucky 273 

"     paper"    "  "         510 

"     successful  steamboat 273 

Fitch,  John 479 

Flaget,  Rt.  Rev.  Dr.,  bishop  of  Kentucky 142 

Fleming,  Col.  John 299 

Flint  arrow  heads 295 

Floyd,  Col.  John 303,  .362,  366,  518 

"        Col.  G.  R.  Clark 366 

Fortifications,  ancient,  in  Allen  county 167 

"  "  Boone       "      ISO 

"  "  Bourbon  "      193 

"  "  Carroll      «      229 

«  "  Fayette     "      294 

"  "  Greenup  "      332 

"  natural,  in  Hancock"      334 

"  ancient,  in  Hopkins  "      351 

"  "  Knox        "      336 

"  "  Larue       "      397 

"  "  Mercer     "      452 

"  "  Montgomery 462 

"  "  Pendleton       494 

"  "  Warren    "      542 

Four-mile  bar,  battle  near 225 

Fournier,  Rev.  M. 141 

Franklin,  Benjamin 317 

Fulgurites,  found  in  Fleming  county 297 

Fulton,  Robert 319 

Gallatin,  Albert 321 

Gano,  Rev.  John 113 

Garrard,  Gov.  James 110,200,322 

"  Capt.  William,  his  troop 199 

Gauntlet,  running  the 200 

"Gazette,  Kentucky,"  established 265 

Geiger,  Col. 366 

Geological  formations  of  Kentucky 155 

George,  a  negro 536 

Georgetown  College 505 

Girty,  Simon 271 

Gold  found  in  Bracken  county 210 

Governor,  a  Baptist  minister  elected 110 

Governors,  list  of 144 

"  of  other  States,  from  Kentucky-  •  149 

"  Lieutenant,  list  of 144 

"  "  of  other  States  from 

Kentucky 150 

Grain,  rude  mills  for  grinding 457 

Grant,  Col.  John 320 

«      Samuel 326 

Graves,  Maj.  Benjamin 327 


Graves,  ancient,  in  Bourbon  county 194 

"  "       in  Warren  county 542 

Grayson,  Col.  William 3-28 

"Great  Revival" 119,  130 

Greathouse,  Capt. 511 

Greene,  Gen.  Nathaniel 329 

Greenup,  Gov.  Christopher ' 332 

Greene ville,  Gen.  Adair  defeated  at 165 

"  Groves,"  in  Meade  county 448 

Grundy,  Judge  Felix 547 

Hail-storm,  remarkable 408 

Haggard,  Rev.  David 126 

Hancock,  John 334 

Hardin,  Capt.  William 213,  a39,  479 

"        Col.  Jolui 338 

"        Gen.  Martin  D. 547 

"        Hon.  Benjamin 478 

Hargrove,  Capt.,  rencounter  with  Indians-  -  ■  •  499 

Harlan,  Maj.  Silas 340 

Harney,  Dr. 558 

Harrison,  Col.  Benjamin 344 

"  fort,  brilliant  defence  of -368 

Harpe's  Head,  legend  of  the 352 

Harpe,  "  Big"  and  "Little,"  freebooters S-V^ 

Harrod.  James 459,  462 

Harrodsburg  Springs 449 

"  history  of 452 

Hart,  Dr.,  first  physician  in  Kentucky 140 

"      Silas,  or  "  Sharp  Eye  " 337 

"     Nathaniel,  the  elder 422 

"     Capt.  Nathaniel  T.  G. 345 

"      Henry  Clay 345 

Haw,  Rev.  James 126 

Hays,  John,  brilliant  oratory  of 47G 

Hazle-Patch,  attack  on  emigrants  near 408 

Hemp  manufactories 265,  276 

Henderson,  Col.  Richard •  -  347 

Henry,  Patrick 349 

Hickman,  Rev.  AVilliam 112 

"  Gen.  Richard 235 

"  Capt.  Paschal 350 

Higgins'  blockhouse,  adventure  at 343 

"  Hill,  Indian,"  a  natural  curiosity 2.54 

Hinckston,  Capt.  John 342 

Historical  Society,  Kentucky 356 

Holder,  Capt.,  pursues  Indians 4sl 

Hopkins,  Gen.  Samuel 347,  359 

Horse-stealing •  3S6 

Hospital,  Marine 3-56 

Howard,  John 234 

"  Benjamin 276 

Howe,  Rev.  Joseph  P. 136 

"        Rev.  John 136 

Hubbell's,  Capt.  Wm.,  boat  attacked 510 

Imlay's  description  of  Kentucky 153 

Incident,  singular 197 

"  romantic 325 

Indian  ornaments 194 

"       villages 194 

"       singular  maniEuvre  of  an 510 

Indians,  manners  and  customs,  &c. 201 

"         attack  on  emigrants 227 

"         last  expedition  into  Kentucky-  -  -391,  556 

"         cruelty  to  prisoners 217,  513 

Innis,  Judge  Harry 313 

Internal  improvement  system 28<) 

Iron  mountain 472 

Irvine,  Capt.  Christopher 423 

"       Col.  William 423 

Jackson,  Cien.  Andrew 288 

Jefferson,  Thomas •  • -373 

Jessamine  creek,  origin  of  its  name 376 

Johnson,  Tom.  the  poet 207 

Col.  Richard  M. 377 

"         Col.  Robert 515 

"         Col.  James 515 

'•         Maj.  John  T. 515 

"         Mrs.,  narrow  escape  of 550 

Judiciary,  its  independence  secured 101 

Judges,  how  to  be  removed 101 

"        of  high  courts,  from  Kentucky 150 

"  Jump  Off" 490 

Kaskaskia  captured 240 

Keiinan,  AVilliam,  adventure  of 300 

Kennedy,  Peter,  narrow  escape  of 336 

Kemou,  Gen.  Simon 382,  438,  440 


xu 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Pife. 
Kentucky,  situalion,  boundaries  and  extent-  •  153 

'•         face  of  the  country 153 

"  Imlay's  description  of 153 

"         Filson's  description  of 154 

"  statistics  of ."....  144 

"         organic  remains IGO 

"         soil 161 

"         early  manners  and  customs 161 

"         wedding  ceremonies 162 

'•         building  cabins 164 

"         population,  from  1790  to  1840 153 

"         principal  rivers 154 

"         geological  formations 154 

"         river,  settlements  at  its  mouth  •  •  •  •  2"2S 

Kincheloc's  station,  attack  upon 533 

King's  Mountain,  victory  at 526 

Knob  Lick,  near  Danville 403 

Knobs,  in  Meade  county 448 

Knoll,  in  Larue  county 397 

Knox,  Gen.  Henry 396 

La  Fayette,  Gen. 263 

Laiicasler,  John,  adventures  of 545 

Larue,  John 307 

Lawrence,  James 309 

Law  schools 265,  3.56 

Lead  and  lead  ore 159,446 

Lee,  Gen.  Henry 442 

"     Rev.  Wilson 127 

Leeper,  Capt.  John 353 

Legislature,  first  held  in  the  West 347 

Letcher.  Gov.  Robert  P. 400 

Lewis,  Capt.  Meriwether 401 

Lexington  Light  Infantry -•■  345 

Lick,  knob 403 

"      White,  a  great  curiosity 322 

Lillard,  Rev.  Joseph 127 

Lime,  hydraulic,  in  Estill  county 262 

Limestone  formations 155,  156,  157 

Lincoln.  Gen.  Benjamin 409 

Little  river,  sinks  and  re-appears 2:33 

'•      Turtle,  Indian  chief 165,  4bS 

Livingston,  capture  and  rescue 496 

RobertR, 410 

Logan,  Gen.  Benjamin 403,  41 1 

Col.  John 408 

"       Judge  William 519 

"       an  Indian 415 

Logan's  fort,  defence  of- 403 

Logslon,  Big  Joe.  adventures  of 329 

Long  Run,  defeat  on 172 

Loretlo.  sisterhood  of 141 

Louisville,  view  of 358 

•'  established  as  a  town 360 

Love  adventure  of  Kenton 383 

Lunatic  Asvlum.  at  Lexington 267 

Lyle,  Rev.  John 136 

Lythe,  Rev.  John 122 

Madison,  Gov.  George 302,  310 

"         James 425 

Magna  charla,  Kentucky 347 

Mammoth  Cave 2.54 

Marion.  Gen.  Francis 426 

Marshall,  Rev.  Robert 134 

''  Humphrey 317 

"  Chief  Justice  John 427 

"  Col.  Thomas 433 

«  Capt.  Thomas 437,442 

"  Alexander  K. 442 

Martin's  station,  surrender  of 342 

Mason,  the  outlaw 354 

"        George 428 

"       county,  first  settled  by  Kenton 384 

"            "        scene  of  last  Indian  expedi- 
tion    391 

Massie,  Rev.  Peter 126 

May.  John 4.35 

Mayes  and  Couch,  hung  without  trial 326 

Maysville,  settled  in  1784 430 

'•  partiality  of  the  Indians  towards-  431 

McAfee  family  visit  Kentucky 4.53 

"  '■        providential  escape  of 4.56 

"        Gen.  Robert  H. 4S4 

"        Samuel 461,  4(i2 

"        Robert 401 

"        William 4r,2 

"        George,  sen. 402 


Page. 

McAfee,  James 462 

"        Jane.  sen. 462 

McCalla.  Andrew 276 

McChord,  Rev.  James 137 

McClelland's  station,  defeat  at 385 

'•  "        attacked 509 

McClung,  Judge  William 333,  442 

McClure,  Rev.  Andrew 134 

"  Mrs.,  rescue  of 551 

"         Davis  and  Caffce,  adventures  of-  -  -  407 

'■         Lieut.  Nathan 499 

McConnell,  Alexander,  adventure  of 272 

McCraeken,  Capt.  Virgin 389,  446 

McFadin's  station,  anecdote  of- 542 

McFarland.  Rev.  John 137 

McGary,  Maj.  Hugh 459,461,  463 

McGreedy,  Rev.  James 347 

Mc Henry,  Rev.  Barnabas 127 

McKee,  Col.  William  R. 294 

McKendree,  Bishop  William 130 

McKinley's  adventure  with  a  cat 295 

McMurtries,  Dr.,  sketches  of  Louisville 364 

Meade,  Capt.  James 448 

Medical  colleges 265,  356 

Menifee,  Richard  H. 294 

Mercer,  Gen.  Hugh 465 

Merrill,  Mrs.,  attacked  by  Indians 475 

Metals  and  other  minerals 159 

Metcalfe,  Gov.  Thomas -, 484 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  sketch  of 124 

"  •'  "         statistics  of- -•  •  129 

Military  Institute,  Western 508 

Mills,  first,  in  Kentucky 273,  510 

"       used  by  the  pioneers 457 

"      Judge  Benjamin    202 

Ministers,  Foreign,  from  Kentucky 150 

Mississippi  river,  navigation  of 528 

Missouri  question 287 

Montgomery  family,  attack  on  405 

"  Gen.  Richard     471 

Monroe,  James 467 

Monterey,  capitulation  of 374 

Moore,  Rev.  James 123 

Morehead,  Hon.  James  T. 395 

Morgan,  Gen.  Daniel 472 

Morgan's  station  captured 470 

Morrison,  Col.  James 277 

Mounds 167, 176,  397,  469,  533,  542 

Mountains,  in  Harlan  county 3-39 

Muhlenburg,  Gen.  Peter 438 

Mummies  found  in  Mammoth  Cave 256 

Musgrove's  mill,  battle  at 525 

Nail  cutting,  invented 273 

Natural  Bridge 233 

Nelson,  Rev.  David 137 

"        Thomas 478 

Nerinckx,  Rev.  Charles 141 

Newspapers,  oldest  in  the  State 192 

"  in  Louisville 338 

Nicajack  expedition 552 

Norlhcott,  Rev.  Benjamin 128 

Oak  pole  found  in  the  Mammoth  Cave 259 

O'Cull,  Rev.  James 128 

Ogden,  Rev.  Benjamin 127 

Oil  well,  in  Cumberland 247 

Okeechobee,  battle  of 371 

Oldham,  Col.  William 488 

Ormsby,  Judge  Stephen 366 

Orr,  Col   Alexander  D. 442 

Owen,  Col.  Abraham 490,517 

Owsley.  Gov.  William 492 

Pacolet  river,  fort  on,  captured 524 

Pago,  Rev.  John 128 

Palo  Alto,  decisive  victory  at 372 

Paper  mill,  first  in  Kentucky 372 

Patent  of  John  Fox,  oldest  in  Kentucky 399 

Patterson,  Col.  John 275,  509 

Payne,  Col.  Devall 44-3 

Peers,  Rev.  Benjamin  Orr 123 

Pendleton,  Edmund 495 

Penitentiary,  at  Frankfort 305 

Pr.rry,  Com.  Olivi-r  Hazard 407 

Philips,  Philip 307 

Philosophy  of  Edmund  Rogers 176 

Pig,  remarkable  slorv  of  a 465 

Pike,  Gun.  Zebulon  M. 498 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


XIU 


P>«e. 

Pioneers  of  North  Kentucky 384 

'•        injustice  done  ihem 392 

Pit,  Bottomless,  in  the  Mammoth  Cave 260 

Plaster  of  Paris,  in  Clinton  county 246 

"  Point  of  Rocks  " 490 

"Pond  Branch" 490 

Pope,  Col.  William 366 

"      Gov.  John • 547 

Poplar  mountain,  beautiful  view  from 246 

Population  of  the  State,  1790  to  1840 151 

"  of  counties    and   county    towns, 

1840 151 

"  of  the  principal  towns,1810tol840  153 

Port  William,  laid  out- 229 

Poythress.  Rev.  Francis 125 

Prather,  Thomas 30fi 

Prentice,  George  D. 358 

Presbyterian  Church,  Cumberland,  sketch  of,  121 

"  "         sketch  of 132 

"  "         early  ministers-  ■  •  -132,  133 

Prisoners  whipped  to  death  by  Indians 217 

Proctor.  Rev.  Joseph 262 

Protective  policy,  Henry  Clay's  course 2?3 

Pulaski.  Count  Joseph 499 

Race,  foot,  extraordinary 301 

Rankin.  Rev.  Adam 134 

Rannells.  Rev.  Samuel 1-35 

Ray,  Rev.  John 128 

"     Gen.  James,  succession  of  adventures,  458 

Red  river  iron  ■works 202 

Relics,  ancient 542 

Representatives  in  Congress,  list  of 145 

"  in  Virg:mia  legislature- •■147,  458 

"  under  first  constitution 148 

Replevins,  retrospective,  unconstitutional- •  -  103 

Resaea  de  la  Palma.  victory  at 373 

"  Revival,  the  great " 119,  130 

Rhodes,  Beacham,  escape  of 297 

Rice,  Rev.  David 1.3:? 

Ridge,  Dry 326 

Rivers,  principal,  in  Kentucky 154 

"       in  the  Mammoth  Cave 261 

Robertson.  Chief  Justice  George 104,  322 

Rockcastle  river 500 

Rocks,  remarkable 230,  233,  254.  540 

Rogers,  Kdmund 175 

Roman  Catholic  Church,  sketch  of 139 

"  "         statistics  of 141 

Rowan  and  others,  providential  escape 365 

"       Judge  John 366 

Ruddell's  station,  surrender  of 343 

Russell,  Col.  William 502 

Saint  Joseph's  College,  at  Bardstown 474 

Saline  creek,  fierce  battle  of 213 

Salmon,  Rev.  M. 141 

Salt,  first  made 217 

"    statistics  of.  &c. 154,401,499 

"    river,  boat  attacked  upon 217 

Saltpetre  made 501 

Sandusky,  James 545 

"  Jacob 545 

Scenery  on  Kentucky  and  Dick's  rivers 451 

School  notice 275 

Scott  county,  Indian  incursions  into 510 

"  "       State  first  settled  in 510 

"     Gen.  Charles 516 

Secretaries  of  State,  list  of 144 

Senate,  electors  of  for  1792 148 

Senators  in  Congress,  list  of 144 

"         U.S.,ofotherSlates,froinKentucky  150 

Shakers 451 

Shanks,  widow,  adventure 195 

Sharp,  Col.  Solomon  P. 311 

Shelby,  Gov.  Isaac 523 

"        College 517 

Shelby ville  laid  out 517 

Silver  ore.  in  McCracken  county 446 

Simpson.  Capt.  John 531 

Sinking  creek 213 

Sinks,  remarkable,  in  the  earth 345 

Slate  or  shell  formation 156 

Slaughter.  Gov.  Gabriel 463 

Slavery  questions,  cau-ses  two  schisms Ill 

Smith,  Col.  James 200 

"        Col.  John  Speed 424 

Snelling,  Rev.  Benjamin 127 


•  Psge. 
Society,  for  promoting  useful  knowledge  -  •  • .  274 

Spanish  intrigues 528 

Spencer,  Capt.  Spear 534 

Spring  burning,  m  Floyd  county 302 

"        warm,  in  Grayson 327 

"        tar,  in  Hancock 334 

"  "     in  Union 540 

Springs,  mineral 160 

"  see  each  county,  174.  181.  193.  216,  246, 
251,  296,  302.  .326,  327,  334,  .345,  349,  382, 
401,  410,  447,  449,472,  480,  489,  495,  501, 
504,  505,  540,  553. 

Stegall  family,  murdered 353 

Statistics,  miscellaneous 144 

State  House 304 

Steam,  first  applied  successfully  to  boats-  --  -  273 

Steamboats  in  the  west 356 

Stephenson's  house,  attack  on 422 

Stockton,  Robert- ■■ 297 

George 297 

Stone,  Rev.  Barton  W. 118 

Stoner.  battle  on 195 

Strode's  station,  attack  on 234 

Stewart,  Rev.  Robert 136 

Sturgus'  station,  Indians  pursued  from- 227 

Sudduth.  Col.  William 235 

Talbot,  Hon.  John .312 

Tar  springs 3-34,  540 

Taylor,  Rev.  John 113 

"         Hubbard 2-35 

"         Gen.  James 227 

"         Mrs. 227 

"         Col.  Richard 366.368 

"         Commodore 305 

"         Maj.  Gen.  Zachary 368 

Tecumseh,  engaged  with  whites  from  Mason 

county 440.  441 

Templin.  Rev.  Terah 1.^3 

Texas,  annexation  of 290 

Thames,  victory  of  the 378 

Thayer.  Rev.  Mr. 141 

Tick  creek,  fort  on,  attacked 173 

Todd,  I,evi 274 

"      Chief  Justice  Thomas 314 

"      Col.  John 4S0.  .535 

"      Col.  Charles  S. 521 

Towns,  Indian 194,398.  452 

"  Trappists  "    142 

Transylvania  Seminary 272  274 

"  University 265 

Tree,  ancieui  marks  on 167,  176.  541 

Trigg.  Col.  Stephen 5.3T 

Trimble.  Judge  Robert 538 

Tucker.  Rev.  Samuel 125 

"         Rev.  John  and  wife,  murdered 231 

Tunnel,  natural 475 

Turtle,  Little,  the.  Indian  chief 165.  489 

Tye,  John,  singular  escape  of 550 

Underwood,  Judge  Joseph  R. 542 

Union,  progress  of  the,  in  greatness 290 

University,  Transylvania 265 

"  of  Louisville .356 

Vancouver's.  Charles,  settlement 399 

Vannade,  Martin,  escape  of 487 

Vincennes,  surrenders  twice 240,  241 

Ward,  Capt.  James,  adventures  ol' 434.  441 

"       Capt.  Charles,  adventure  of 4.38 

Warren.  Gen.  .loseph 544 

Washington,  Gen.  George .548 

"  surveys  in  Kentucky 309 

"  town  of  settled ' 390.  429 

"  "  expedition  from 390 

"             fort,    detachment    from,   toma- 
hawked    513 

Waterworks  at  Frankfort 305 

Wayne,  Gen.  Anthony 549 

Wedding  ceremonies 162 

AVelby,  Mrs.  Amelia  B. .3.'58 

Welch.  Rev.  .lames 136 

Wells.  Capt.  Samuel 519 

Whelan.  Rev.  Mr. 140 

AVhipped  to  death  by  Indians 917 

AVhitley,  William 5rA 

Whittaker,  Capt..  rencounter  with  Indians-     •''60 

AVickliffe,  sen.,  Robert 277 

"  Hon.  Charles  A. 476 


.r. 


XIV 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Page. 

"Williams,  Zadock,  killed  by  Indians 298 

Williams.  E.  E.,  adventures  of 343,  382 

Wilson,  Rev.  Robert 136 

"         Lieut.  Singleton 490 

Windows,  glass  first  used  in 363 

Winter  of  1779-80,  remarkable  severity  of-  •  456 


P»ge, 

Wisconsin,  battle  of 370 

Wood-choppers,  attack  on 450 

Woodford,  Gen.  William 556 

"           county,  Indian  excursions  into-    •  554 

Woods,  Mrs.,  adventure  with  Indians 408 

Yates,  escape  of 178 


A   CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLE 

OF  IMPORTANT  EVENTS  IN  THE   HISTORY  OF  KENTUCKY. 


1750 — Dr.  Walker,  of  Virginia,  visits  the  north- 
eastern portion  of  Kentucky.  Another  ac- 
count saySj  that  it  was  in  1758;  and  a  third, 
places  it  in  1747,  and  says,  he  visited  the 
eastern  and  south-eastern  pans. 

1751 — Christopher  Gist  sent  out,  by  the  Ohio  Com- 
pany, to  explore  the  Western  Company,  de- 
scends the  Ohio  river  to  the  Falls. 

17G5,  June  8 — Col.  George  Croghan,  a  British  offi- 
cer, in  descending  the  Ohio  I'rom  Fort  Pitt,  is 
taken  prisoner  by  the  Indians,  below  the 
Wabash. 

170G — Col.  James  Smith  visits  Kentucky. 

1767 — John  Finley  visits  Kentucky  on  a  trading 
expedition. 

1769 — Finley  again  in  Kentucky,  accompanied  by 
Daniel  Boone,  and  others.  This  party  built 
a  wigwam,  to  shelter  them  from  the  storms, 
and  remained  two  years,  traversing  the  north- 
ern and  middle  regions. 

December  22 — Boone  and  Stuart  taken  pri- 
soiieis  by  the  Indians. 

1770— The   -Long  Hunters,"    from   Holston,   on 

Clinch  river,  led  by  Col.  James  Knox,  explore 

the  middle  and  southern  regions  of  the  State. 

Gen.  Washington  descends   the   Ohio,  as 

far  as  the  north-eastern  part  of  Kentucky. 

1773,  Sept.  25 — Boone,  and  others,  start  to  settle 
Kentucky.  Oct.  10 — Are  attacked  by  Indians, 
and  turn  back. 

May29  — Capt.  Thomas  Bullitt,  and  the 
M'Afees,  descend  the  Ohio  river.  Bullitt  and 
others  proceed  to  the  Falls,  and  survey  land 
below  the  Falls  to  Salt  river,  and  up  the 
same  to  Bullitt's  lick. 

July  16 — The  .M'Afees,  and  others  of  the 
company,  separated  from  Bullitt  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Kentucky  river;  which  they  ascended 
as  far  as  where  Frankfort  now  stands,  and 
surveyed  six  hundred  acres  there. 

Gen.  Thompson,  of  Pennsylvania,  makes 
some  surveys  upon  the  north  fork  of  Licking 
river. 

1774 — Jarnes  Harrod,  late  in  the  spring,  ascended 
llie  Kentucky  river,  and  built  the  first  cabin 
in  the  Stale,  on  the  spot  where  Harrodsburg 
now  .stands. 

1775,  .March  17— Col.  Richard  Henderson.  Natha- 
niel Hart,  and  others,  conclude  the  Wataga 
treaty  with  the  Cherokees,  by  which,  for 
£10.000  sterling,  they  acquired  the  territory 
between  the  Ohio,  the  Kentucky,  or  Louisa 
river,  the  Cumberland  mountains,  and  the 
Cumlii-rlan<l  river.  Virginia  refused  to  recog- 
nize the  purchase,  but  compromised  it  by 
grants  iif  land. 

Lord  Dmnnore  issues  a  proclamation  against 
the  Transylvania  Company  of  purchasers. 
April  1 — Fort  at  Boonsborough  begun,  and 


finished  June  14th.  Settlements  made,  and 
stations  built,  also,  at  Harrodsburg,  at  the 
Boiling  Spring,  and  at  St.  Asaph's,  in  Lincoln 
county. 

May  23 — Pursuant  to  a  call  by  Henderson, 
representatives,  chosen  by  the  people  of 
Transylvania,  met  at  Boonsborough.  agreed 
upon  a  proprietary  government,  and  passed 
nine  laws.  They  adjourned  to  meet  again  in 
September,  but  never  met. 

September — Boone,  and  others,  bring  their 
wives  and  children  to  Kentucky. 

George  Rogers  Clark  visits  Kentucky,  but 
returns  hefore  winter. 

Simon  Kenton   builds  a  cabin,  and  plants 
corn,  near  where  Washington  stands,  in  Ma- 
son county. 
1776 — Clark  moves  to  Kentucky  early,  this  year. 

June  6 — At  a  general  meeting  at  Harrods- 
burg, Clark  and  Gabriel  Jones  were  chosen 
members  of  the  Virginia  Assembly,  and  re- 
quired to  present  the  petition,  drawn  up, 
asking  admission  as  citizens,  and  efficient 
protection. 

August  23  —  Clark  procures  five  hundred 
pounds  of  powder  from  the  Council  of  Vir- 
ginia, which  he  takes  from  Pittsburgh,  down 
the  Ohio,  to  Limestone. 

December  6 — Kentucky  county  established 
out  of  Fincastle  county,  by  Virginia. 

December  25  —  Col.  John  Todd,  and  his 
party,  while  on  their  way  to  Limestone,  for 
the  powder  secreted  there,  defeated  near  the 
Blue  Licks,  and  Gabriel  Jones  killed.  Clark 
lakes  the  powder,  in  safety,  to  Harrodsburg. 

December  29  —  M'Clellan's  Fort,  on  Efk- 
horn,  attacked  by  Indians. 

1777,  March  7  —  Harrodsburg  attacked  by  the 
savages, 

April  15 — First  attack  on  Boonsborough. 

Burgesses  chosen  to  represent  the  county 
of  Kentucky  in  the  legislature  of  Virginia. 

May — Logan's  station  attacked. 

Major  Clark's  spies  in  the  Illinois  country. 

September — First  court  at  Harrodsburg. 

October  1 — Clark  starts  to  Virginia. 

December  10  —  Clark  opens  his  plan,  for 
conquering  Illinois,  to  Gov.  I'atrick  Henry. 

1778,  January  2 — Col.  Clark  appointed  to  lead  an 
expedition  against  the  British  posts  in  Illinois. 

February  7 — Boone  taken  prisoner  at  the 
Blue  Licks. 

May  25 — Disastrous  attack,  by  Indians,  on 
a  boat  ascending  Sail  river. 

June  24 — Col.  Clark  established  a  fort  on 
Corn  Island,  before  leaving  the  Falls  of  the 
Ohio,  for  Illinois. 

July  4 — Clark  took  Kaskaskia,  and,  two 
days  after,  Cahokia. 


CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLE. 


XV 


August  1 — Vinceimes  voluntarily  submitted 
to  the  Americans. 

Aug:ust  8 — Boonsborough  besieged.  ' 

October — Louisville  settled. 

Virginia  grants  Henderson  and  Company 
200,000  acres  on  the  Ohio,  below  Green 
river. 

December — Governor  Hamilton  took  Vin- 
ceimes. 
1779,  Feb.  24 — Vincennes  surrendered  to  Colonel 
Clark. 

April  1 — Blockhouse  built  at  Lexington. 

July — Col.  Bowman's  expedition  against 
Chillicothe. 

October — Col.  Rogers  and  Captain  Benham 
defeated  by  Indians,  near  the  mouth  of  Lick- 
ing. 

Virginia  land  commissioners    open   their 
session  at  St.  Asaph's. 
1780j  January — The  "hard  winter;"  game  frozen 
m  the  forest,  and  cattle  around  the  stations. 
Corn  sold  at  $50  to  S175. 

May — Virginia  grants  land  in  Kentucky  for 
educational  purposes. 

June  22 — Col.  Byrd,  of  the  British  army, 
with  six  field-pieces,  and  six  hundred  Cana- 
dians and  Indians,  compels  the  surrender 
of  Ruddell's  station;  and,  immediately  after, 
of  Martin's  station. 

July— Gen.  Clark,  at  the  head  of  1000  men, 
destroyed  the  Piqua  towns  on  the  Miami. 

November  1 — The  county  of  Kentucky  di- 
vided into  the  three  counties  of  Lincoln,  Fay- 
ette, and  Jefferson. 

1781  —  County  lieutenants  and  surveyors 
appointed. 

1782,  March  22 — Desperate  battle  near  the  Little 
Mountain,  known  as  Estill's  defeat. 

August  14 — Bryant's  station  besieged  by 
five  hundred  Indians,  under  Simon  Girty. 

August  19 — The  disastrous  battle  of  Blue 
Lick,  in  which  one  hundred  and  sixty,  or  one 
hundred  and  eighty-two  white  men  vv'ere 
defeated  by  tlie  Indians,  with  the  loss  of  sixty 
killed  and  seven  taken  prisoners. 

September  —  Another  expedition  of  Gen. 
Clark  against  the  Miami  towns.  No  large 
body  of  Indians  thenceforward  invaded  Ken- 
tucky. 

1783.  March — Kentucky  formed  into  one  district, 
and  a  District  Court  established. 

Danville  founded. 

A   store  opened,  at  Louisville,  by  Daniel 
Brodhead. 
1784j  Feb. — Gen.  James  Wilkinson  came  to  Lex- 
ington, as  the  leader  of  a  large  commercial 
company,  formed  in  Philadelphia. 

An  informal  meeting  of  the  people,  held  at 
Danville,  on  the  state  of  the  district. 

Dec.  27  —  First  Convention  held  at  Dan- 
ville; separation  from  Virginia  discussed,  but 
referred  to  a  second  convention. 

Blockhouse  erected  at  Limestone,  or  Mays- 
ville. 
1785,  May  23  —  Second  convention  adopted  an 
address  to  the  Assembly  of  Virginia,  and  one 
to  the  people  of  Kentucky,  together  with 
strong  resolutions  in  favor  of  separation. 

Aug.  8 — Third  convention  assembled,  and 
adopted  two  new  addresses,  conceived  in 
bolder  terms  than  before. 
1736,  January — First  act  of  Virginia  favoring  a 
separation  by  Kentucky,  on  certain  condi- 
tions. 

September  —  Fourth  convention  met,  but 
without  a  quorum,  and  continued  its  meetings 
by  adjournment,  until  January,  1787;  when 
a  quorum  attended,  expressed  their  leelings 
in  favor  of  separation,  and  called  another 
convention,  to  be  held  in  the  fall. 

October — Expedition  of  Gen.  Clark  against 
the  Wabash  Indians;  returns  without  efTect- 
ing  anything. 

Second  actof  Virginia,  postponing  the  sepa- 
ration of  Kentucky  until  Jan.  1st,  l7bt). 

Col.  Logan's  expedition  against  the  Shawa- 
nese. 


Gen.  Clark's  seizure  of  Vincennes,  and 
other  movements  against  the  Spaniards. 

1787,  May — Meeting  at  Danville,  in  relation  to  the 
navigation  of  the  Mississippi. 

June — Gen.  Wilkinson  descends,  with  the 
first  cargo  from  Kentucky,  to  New  Orleans, 
and  obtained  a  permit  to  import  tobacco  for 
the  Spanish  king's  stores. 

August  18 — The  Kentucky  Gazette  estab- 
Ushed  at  Lexington. 

Sept.  17  —  Fifth  convention  unanimously 
decided  in  favor  of  separation,  on  the  terras 
offered  by  Virginia. 

1788,  June  28 — Convention  of  Virginia  decided, 
by  a  vote  of  eighty-eight  to  seventy-eight,  iu 
favor  of  adopting  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States ;  the  Kentucky  delegation 
voting  eleven  against  it,  and  three  in  its  favor. 

July  ;3 — Congress  ret'ers  the  subject  of  the 
admission  of  Kentucky  into  the  Union  to  the 
new  government. 

July  28— Sixth  convention  meets,  and  ad- 
journs without  other  action  than  calling  an- 
other convention,  w^ith  lull  discretionary 
powers. 

Spanish  intrigues,  in  Kentucky,  during  this 
year. 

Nov.  4 — Seventh  convention  meets. 

Dr.  Connolly  in  Kentucky,  as  a  British 
agent. 

Dec.  24 — The  founders  of  Cincinnati  leave 
Maysville. 

Dec.  27 — Third  act  of  Virginia  in  favor  of 
separation. 

1789,  Jan. — No  votes  given,  for  electors  of  Presi- 
dent and  Vice-president  of  the  United  Slates, 
in  the  District  of  Kentucky. 

Feb.  12 — Correspondence  between  Gen. 
George  Washington  and  Col.Thos.  Marshall, 
respecting  British  and  Spanish  intrigues  in 
Kentucky. 

July  20 — Eighth  convention  assembled,  and 
remonstrated  against  the  conditions  of  sepa- 
ration contained  in  the  third  act  of  Virginia. 

Dec.  18 — Fourth  act  of  separation  passed 
by  Virginia,  complying  with  the  wishes  of 
Kentucky. 

1790,  July  26 — Ninth  convention  assembled,  ac- 
cepted the  terms  of  Virginia,  and  fixed  June 
1st,  1792,  for  the  independence  of  the  State  of 
Kentucky. 

Oct. — Colonel  Trotter  leads  the  Kentuckians, 
at  Harmar's  defeat. 

Dec.  —  Kentuckians  petition  Congress  to 
fight  Indians  in  their  own  way. 

Local  Board  ofWarappoinled  in  Kentucky 

1791,  Feb.  4 — Congress  agree  to  admit  Kentucky 
on  the  1st  of  June.  1792. 

May  2:3 — Gen.  Scou's  expedition  against 
the  Indians  on  the  Wabash. 

Augustl — Gen.  Wilkinson  marched  against 
the  Eel  river  Indians. 

1792,  April  3 — Convention  met  to  draft  the  first 
Constitution  of  Kentucky. 

May — Colonel  John  Hardin,  and  Major 
Trueman,  killed  by  the  Indians,  while  on  a 
peace  mission  to  them. 

Nov.  6 — Major  John  Adair  attacked,  near 
Fort  St.  Clair,  by  Little  Turtle. 

Frankfort  chosen  as  the  capital  of  the 
State. 

1793,  Oct.  24 — Gen.  Scott  joins  Gen.  Wayne,  near 
Fort  Jefferson,  with  1000  mounted  volunteers 
from  Kentucky. 

Nov.  1 — Genet,  the  French  minister,  sent 
agents  to  Kentucky,  to  organize  an  expedition 
against  New  Orleans,  and  the  then  Spanish 
possessions 

Democratic  societies  established  in  Ken- 
tucky. 

1794,  July  26  —  Gen.  Scott  again  joins  Wayne, 
with  IGOO  men,  from  Kentucky. 

August  20 — Gen.  Wayne  defeated  the  Ca- 
nadians and  Indians,  at  the  battle  of  the 
Fallen  Timber,  with  very  gratifying  effect. 

1795,  July — Thomas  Power  sent,  by  Gov.  Caron- 
delet,  of  Louisiana,  to  concert  with  the  people 


XVI 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE. 


of  Kentucky,  a  commeicial  treaty  for  the 
uavieauonof the  Mississippi;  inconsequence 
of  which.  Judge  Sebaslian  met  Col.  Gayoso 
at  New  JVIadrid  The  agreement  was,  how- 
ever, defeated  by  the  Spanisli  treaty. 

1796,  August — First  paper-iniU  in  the  west. 

1797,  July  12 — Thomas  Power  sent,  by  Gov.  Ca- 
roudeiet.to  concert  a  separation  of  Kentucky 
from  the  Union. 

Oct. — Occupying  claimant  law  passed. 

1798,  Nov.  16 — Nullify mg resolutions  passed,  with 
regard  to  the  Alien  and  Sedition  laws. 

Death,   except    for    murder,   abolished  in 
Kentucky. 

1799,  July  2'2 — Convention  assembled  for  forming 
a  new  constitution. 

Internal  improvements  talked  of. 
Nov.  14 — The  nullilying  resolutions  of  last 
year  affirmed. 

1800,  June  1 — The  present  Constitution  goes  into 
operation. 

1801 — Circuit  Court  system  established. 
1802,  January  —  An    Insurance   Company,  with 
banking  powers,  chartered. 

The   right  of  deposit,  for  American  pro- 
duce, at  New  Orleans,  suspended. 
1805 — Aaron  Burr  twice  visits  Kentucky. 
1806,  Nov.  11 — Burr  brought  before  the  District 
Court  of  Kentucky,  but  for  want  of  testimony, 
the  grand  jury  was  dismissed. 

Dec.  2  —  Burr  is  indicted,  but  the   grand 
jury  return,  ''not  a  true  bill." 

Dec.  6 — Judge  Sebastian  convicted  of  being 
a  pensioner  of  Spain;  resigns  his  office. 
1807 — Bank  of  Kentucky  chartered. 
180!) — The  limitation  in  actions  in  ejectment,  pro- 
longed from  seven  to  twenty  years. 
1811,  Nov.  7 — Battle  of  Tippecanoe,  in  which  Col. 
Jo.  Hamilton  Daveiss,  and  other  distinguished 
Kentuckians,  lell. 
1812 — Gen.  Harrison  appointed  major-general  of 
the  Kentucky  troops. 

Oct. — Gen.  Hopkins'  expedition  against  the 
Indians  on  the  Wabash. 
Dec. — Battle  of  Mississiniway. 


1813.  Jan.  10 — The  Kentuckians,  uuder  General 
Winchester,  reach  the  Muumee. 

Jan.  18 — British  defeated  at  Frenchtown. 

Jan.  22 — Disastrous  battle  of  the  river  Rai- 
sin, and  massacre  of  the  Americans. 

May  5— Gen.  Clay  reaches  Fort  Meigs; 
eight  hundred  Kentuckians,  under  General 
Dudley,  killed  or  taken  prisoners. 

July  31 — Fort  Stephenson  besieged. 

Oct.  5 — Victory  of  the  Thames. 

Nov.  25  —  The  capitol,  at  Frankfort,  con- 
sumed by  fire. 
1815,  Jau  8 — Victory  at  New  Orleans. 

April  6 — The  Ohio  river  higher  than  it  had 
been  since  1793. 

Oct.  15 — A  steamboat  built  at  Louisville. 
ISlOj  Oct.  14 — Gov.  Madison  died,  soon  after  his 
inauguration. 

1817,  July — Much  excitement  in  reference  to  the 
succession  of  the  Lieut.  Governor,  in  case  of 
the  death  of  the  governor. 

Dec.  12  —  Shock    of   an    earthquake    felt 
throughout  the  State. 
1817-18 — ^Forty  independent  banks  chartered. 

1818,  Feb. — Gen.  George  Rogers  Clark  died,  near 
Louisville. 

Oct.  19 — A  treaty  with  the  Chickasaw  In- 
dians, for  all  their  claims  in  Tennesisee  and 
Kentucky,  containing  about  7,000.000  acres, 
for  an  annuity  of  .$20,000  for  fifteen  years. 

1819-20 — Right  of  replevin  extended  from  three 
to  twelve  months. 
The  relief  excitement  commenced. 

1S20-21 — Commonwealth's  bank  chartered. 

The  Legislature  controlled  the  directors 
of  the  old  Bank  ot  Kentucky. 

1823 — The  Court  of  Appeals  decided  the  reple- 
vin laws  unconstitutional. 

1824-25 — New  Court  of  appeals  oriranized. 

1833-34 — Bank  of  Kentucky,  Northern  Bank  of 
Kentucky,  and  Bank  of  Louisville  chartered. 

1835,  February  —  Internal  improvement  system 
adopted. 

1837 — Banks  suspend  specie  payments. 

1839 — Second  suspension  of  specie  payments. 

1842 — Relief  excitement. 


OUTLINE  HISTORY. 


CHAPTER   I. 


Kentucky  was  first  explored  by  the  Anglo-Saxon  race,  about 
the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  It  then  formed  a  vast 
hunting-ground,  upon  which  the  savage  tribes  of  the  south  and 
of  the  north  killed  the  elk  and  bufl'alo,  and  occasionally  encoun- 
tered each  other  in  bloody  conflict.  No  permanent  settlements 
existed  within  its  borders.  Its  dark  forests  and  cane  thickets 
separated  the  Cherokees,  Creeks,  and  Catawbas  of  the  south, 
from  the  hostile  tribes  of  Shawanees,  Delawares,  and  Wyandots 
of  the  north.  Each,  and  all  of  these  tribes,  encountered  the 
Anglo-American  pioneer,  and  fiercely  disputed  the  settlement  of 
the  country. 

It  is  certain,  however,  that  these  were  not  the  original  occu- 
pants of  the  country  lying  between  the  Alleghany  mountains  and 
the  Mississippi  river.  Geological  monuments  of  deep  interest, 
but  as  yet  imperfectly  investigated,  speak  in  language  not  to  be 
mistaken,  of  a  race  of  men  who  preceded  the  rude  tribes  encoun- 
tered by  Boone  and  Finley.  Their  origin,  language,  and  history, 
are  buried  in  darkness  which,  perhaps,  may  never  be  dispelled ; 
but  the  scanty  vestiges  which  they  have  left  behind  them,  enable 
us  to  afiirm,  with  confidence,  that  they  far  surpassed  the  rude 
tribes  which  succeeded  them,  in  arts,  in  civilization,  and  in  know- 
ledge. They  had  certainly  worked  the  copper  mines  of  the  west, 
and  were  in  possession  of  copper  tools  for  working  in  wood  and 
stone.  Their  pipes,  and  household  utensils  elaborately  fashioned, 
of  clay,  are  far  above  the  rade  and  clumsy  contrivances  of  their 
successors ;  while  their  large  fortifications,  constructed  of  solid 
masonry,  and  artificially  contrived  for  defence  and  convenience, 
show  that  they  had  foes  to  resist,  and  that  they  had  made  con- 
siderable progress  in  the  military  art. 

How  long  they  occupied  the  country,  whence  they  came, 
whither  they  have  gone,  or  whether  they  perished  within  the 
crumbling  walls  which  alone  speak  of  their  existence,  the  present 
state  of  our  knowledge  does  not  enable  us  to  decide.  The  his- 
torical facts  with  certainty  to  be  inferred  from  the  data  which  exist, 
2  (17) 


18  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

are  few  and  meagre.  In  relation  to  time,  we  can  only  affirm 
that  the  fortifications  and  cemeteries,  which  have  been  examined, 
are  certainly  more  than  eight  hundred  years  old,  but  how  much 
older  they  may  be  can  only  be  conjectured.  Time,  and  futuife 
investigation,  may  throw  some  additional  light  upon  the  histor}' 
of  this  ancient  race ;  but  at  present  we  can  only  say  that  they 
lived,  that  they  struggled  against  enemies,  that  they  made  pro- 
gress in  arts  and  civilization,  and  that  the  places  which  once 
knew  them,  now  know  them  no  more. 

Neglecting  the  obscure  visit  of  Dr.  Walker  to  the  north-east- 
ern portion  of  Kentucky  in  1758,  and  the  equally  obscure,  but 
more  thorough  examination  of  the  country  by  Finley  in  1767, 
we  may  regard  the  company  headed  by  Daniel  Boone  in  1769,  and 
by  Knox  in  1770,  as  the  earliest  visits  to  Kentucky  worthy  of 
particular  attention.  Boone's  party  remained  two  years  in  the 
State,  and  traversed  its  northern  and  middle  regions  with  great 
attention.  The  party  led  by  Colonel  James  Knox,  called  the 
Long  Hunters,  came  one  year  later,  and  remained  about  the 
same  time.  Both  parties  were  in  the  country  together,  but  never 
met.  Boone  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  but  had  emigrated  to 
North  Carolina.  Knox's  party  was  from  Holston,  on  Clinch  river, 
and  thoroughly  explored  the  middle  and  southern  regions  of 
Kentucky.  Boone's  party  was  harassed  by  the  Indians,  and  one 
of  their  number,  James  Stuart,  was  killed.  Boone  himself  at  one 
time  fell  into  their  hands,  but  escaped.  In  1771,  they  returned 
from  their  long  hunting  excursion,  and  spread  throughout  the 
western  settlements  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  the  most 
glowing  accounts  of  the  inexhaustible  fertility  of  the  soil. 

The  bounty  in  lands,  which  had  been  given  to  the  Virginia 
troops  who  had  served  throughout  the  old  French  war,  were  to 
be  located  upon  the  ^vestern  waters,  and  within  less  than  two 
years  after  the  return  of  Boone  and  Knox,  surveyors  were  sent 
out  to  locate  these  lands  upon  the  Ohio  river.  In  1773,  Captain 
Thomas  Bullitt,  who  had  distinguished  himself  in  the  expedition 
against  fort  Du  Quesne,  led  a  party  of  surveyors  down  the  Ohio 
to  the  Falls,  where  a  camp  was  constructed  and  roughly  fortified 
to  protect  them  from  the  Indians.  During  this  expedition  many 
surveys  were  executed  in  Kentuck}^  and  large  portions  of  the 
country  explored  with  a  view  to  future  settlement.  Three  bro- 
thers from  Virginia,  James,  George  and  Robert  M'Afee,  accompa- 
nied Bullitt  to  the  mouth  of  Kentucky  river.  There  they  left 
him,  and  in  company  with  several  others  ascended  the  Kentucky 
to  the  forks,  exploring  the  country  and  making  surveys  in  various 
places. 

In  the  summer  of  1774,  other  parties  of  sur%'eyors  and  hunters 
followed;  and  during  this  year  James  Harrod  erected  a  log  cabin 
upon  the  spot  where  Harrodsburg  now  stands,  which  rapidl}' 
grew  into  a  station,  probably  the  oldest  in  Kentucky.  During 
this  year,  Colonel  Richard  Henderson  purchased  from  the  Chero- 
kee Indians  the  whole  country  south  of  Kentucky  river.      His 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  19 

purchase  was  subsequently  declared  null  and  void  by  the  legisla- 
ture of  Virginia,  which  claimed  the  sole  right  to  purchase  land 
from  the  Indians  within  the  bounds  of  the  royal  charter;  but 
gi-eat  activity  was  displayed  by  Henderson  in  taking  possession 
of  his  new  empire,  and  granting  land  to  settlers,  before  the  act 
of  the  Virginia  legislature  overturned  all  his  schemes.  Daniel 
Boone  was  employed  by  him  to  survey  the  country,  and  select 
favorable  positions  ;  and,  early  in  the  spring  of  1775,  the  foun- 
dation of  Boonsborough  was  laid,  under  the  title  of  Henderson. 
From  the  22d  of  March  to  the  14th  of  April,  Boone  was  actively 
engaged  in  constructing  the  fort,  afterwards  called  Boonsborough, 
during  which  time  his  party  was  exposed  to  four  fierce  attacks 
from  the  Indians.  By  the  middle  of  April  the  fort  was  comple- 
ted, and  within  two  months  from  that  time  his  wife  and  daughters 
joined  him,  and  resided  in  the  fort, — the  first  white  women  who 
ever  stood  upon  the  banks  of  the  Kentucky  river.  From  this 
time,  Boonsborough  and  Harrodsburg  became  the  nucleus  and 
support  of  emigi-ation  and  settlement  in  Kentucky.  In  1775,  the 
renowned  pioneer,  Simon  Kenton,  erected  a  log  cabin,  and  raised 
a  crop  of  corn  in  the  county  of  Mason,  upon  the  spot  where  the 
town  of  Washington  now  stands,  and  continued  to  occupy  the 
spot  until  the  fall  of  that  year,  when  he  removed  to  Boonsbo- 
rough. The  limits  allotted  to  this  Historical  sketch  will  not 
admit  of  details  of  individual  adventures  ;  these  may  be  found 
under  their  appropriate  heads  in  other  portions  of  the  work. 

In  the  month  of  September  of  this  year,  and  three  months  after 
the  arrival  of  Mrs.  Boone  and  her  daughters,  the  infant  colony 
was  enriched  by  the  arrival  of  three  more  ladies,  Mrs.  Denton, 
Mrs.  M'Gary,  and  Mrs.  Hogan,  who,  with  their  husbands  and 
children,  settled  at  Harrodsburg.  Early  in  the  spring  of  1776, 
Colonel  Richard  Calloway  brought  his  wife  and  two  daughters  to 
Boonsborough,  and  in  March  of  the  same  year,  Colonel  Benjamin 
Logan  brought  his  wife  and  family  to  Logan's  fort,  about  one 
mile  west  of  the  present  town  of  Stanford,  in  Lincoln  county, 
where  he,  with  a  few  slaves,  had  raised  a  crop  of  corn  in  1775. 

During  this  summer,  an  incident  occurred  which  powerfully 
impressed  upon  the  minds  of  the  women  of  Kentucky  the  dangers 
which  beset  them  in  their  frontier  home  :  "while  a  daughter  of 
Daniel  Boone  and  two  of  the  Miss  Calloways  were  amusing 
themselves  within  a  short  distance  of  the  fort,  a  party  of  Indians 
suddenly  rushed  upon  them,  and  bore  them  off"  as  captives.  They 
were  rapidly  pm-sued  by  Colonel  Floyd  and  Daniel  Boone,  with  a 
party  of  eight  men,  and  at  the  distance  of  forty  miles  from  the  fort, 
were  overtaken,  dispersed,  and  the  girls  recovered.  During  this 
summer.  Colonel  George  Rogers  Clark  for  the  first  time  made  his 
appearance  in  Kentucky.  He  visited  the  different  stations,  but 
made  no  location;  he  spent  much  of  his  time  in  the  woods, 
alone  and  hunting,  and  encouraged  the  young  pioneers  much  by 
his  presence  and  example. 

In  the  winter  of  this  year,  Kentucky  was  formed  into  a  county 


20  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

by  the  legislature  of  Virginia,  and  thus  became  entitled  to  a 
separate  county  court,  to  justices  of  the  peace,  a  sheriff,  consta- 
bles, coroner,  and  militia  officers.  Law,  with  its  imposing  para- 
pharnalia,  (upon  a  small  scale,)  for  the  first  time  reared  its  head 
in  the  forests  of  Kentucky.  In  the  spring  of  1777,  the  court  of 
quarter  sessions  held  its  first  sitting  at  Harrodsburgh,  attended 
by  the  sheriff  of  the  county  and  its  clerk,  Levi  Todd.  The  first 
court  of  Kentucky  was  composed  of  John  Todd,  John  Floyd, 
Benjamin  Logan,  John  Bowman,  and  Richard  Calloway. 

They  had  scarcely  adjourned  when  the  infant  republic  was 
rocked  to  its  centre  by  an  Indian  invasion.  Harrodsburg, 
Boonsborough,  Logan's  fort  were  all  in  succession  furiously  as- 
sailed. The  hunters  and  surveyors  were  driven  in  from  the 
woods,  and  compelled  to  take  refuge  within  the  forts.  Much  in- 
jury was  done  ;  but  the  forts  withstood  their  utmost  efforts,  and 
after  sweeping  through  Kentucky  like  a  torrent  for  several  weeks, 
the  angry  tide  slowly  rolled  back  to  the  north,  leaving  the  agi- 
tated settlers  to  repair  their  loss  as  they  best  could.  They  were 
reinforced  during  the  summer  by  forty-five  men  from  North  Caro- 
lina, and,  in  September,  by  one  hundred  more  under  Colonel  Bow- 
man, from  Virginia.  During  this  summer,  Colonel  Benjamin 
Logan  distinguished  himself  by  a  display  of  the  most  noble  and 
elevated  qualities  of  the  human  heart.  Details  will  be  found  in 
another  part  of  this  work  ;   our  limits  forbid  them  here. 

The  year  1778  was  rendered  memorable  in  Kentucky  by  two 
great  military  events,  in  which  she  was  deeply  interested.  The 
one,  was  the  invasion  of  the  country  by  an  army  of  Indians  and 
Canadians,  under  the  command  of  Captain  DuQuesne,  a  Canadian 
officer ;  the  other,  was  the  brilliant  expedition  of  Colonel  George 
Rogers  Clark  against  the  English  posts  of  Vincennes  and  Kas- 
kaskias.*    We  will  give  a  brief  summary  of  each  in  their  order. 

In  the  month  of  February,  Boone,  at  the  head  of  thirty  men, 
was  at  the  lower  Blue  Licks,  engaged  in  making  salt,  when  he 
was  surprised  by  two  hundred  Indians,  on  their  march  to  attack 
Boonsborough,  and  himself  and  party  taken  prisoners.  They 
surrendered  upon  terms  of  capitulation,  which  were  faithfully  ob- 
served by  the  Indians,  and  were  all  carried  to  Detroit.  Here 
his  companions  were  delivered  up  to  the  English  commandant, 
but  Boone  was  reserved  by  the  Indians  and  taken  to  Chillicothe. 
His  captors  treated  him  with  great  kindness,  and  permitted  him 
to  hunt,  with  but  little  restraint  upon  his  motions.  While  at 
Chillicothe,  he  saw  three  hundred  and  fifty  Indians  assembled, 
armed  and  painted,  for  a  hostile  expedition  against  Boonsbo- 
rough, which  had  only  been  suspended,  not  relinquished,  by  his 
capture  in  the  spring.  He  immediately  effected  his  escape,  and 
lost  no  time  in  returning  to  Boonsborough,  where  he  gave  the 
alarm  throughout  all  Kentucky.  Instant  preparations  were  made 
to  receive  the  enemy ;  the  distant  settlements  were  abandoned, 
the  forts  were  put  upon  the  war  establishment,  and  all  anxiously 
expected  the  approach  of  the  enemy.     The  escape  of  Boone, 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  21 

however,  had  disconcerted  the  enterprise,  and  it  was  delayed  for 
several  weeks. 

Impatient  of  the  slow  advance  of  the  enemy,  Boone,  at  the 
head  of  thirty  men,  of  whom  Simon  Kenton  was  one,  projected 
an  expedition  against  one  of  the  Indian  towns  on  Paint  Creek; 
and  while  in  the  enemy's  country,  he  obtained  certain  informa- 
tion that  the  Indian  army  had  passed  him,  and  was  already  on  its 
march  to  Boonsborough.  Countermarching  with  gi-eat  rapidity, 
he  halted  not,  day  or  night,  until  he  reached  Boonsborough  with 
his  men;  and  scarcely  had  he  done  so,  when  Captain  Du  Quesne 
made  his  appearance  at  the  head  of  five  hundred  Indians  and 
Canadians.  This  was  such  an  army  as  Kentucky  had  never  yet 
.beheld,  and  it  produced  an  immense  sensation.  The  garrison  of 
Boonsborough  consisted  of  fifty  men ;  Harrodsburg  and  Logan's 
fort  were  strongly  menaced  by  detachments,  and  could  afford 
them  no  assistance.  The  attack  commenced;  and  every  artifice 
was  resorted  to  in  order  to  deceive,  to  intimidate,  or  subdue  the 
garrison,  but  all  proved  ineffectual.  The  attack  continued  during 
nine  days,  and  was  resisted  with  steady  fortitude.  On  the  tenth 
day  the  enemy  decamped,  having  lost  thirty  men  killed  and  a 
much  greater  number  wounded.  The  garrison  sustained  a  loss 
of  two  killed  and  four  wounded;  the  loss  of  the  country,  however, 
in  stock  and  improvements,  was  great. 

The  expedition  of  Colonel  George  Rogers  Clark  belongs  more 
properly  to  the  history  of  the  United  States  than  to  that  of  Ken- 
tucky; it  will  be  referred  to,  therefore,  with  great  brevity. 
When  Clark  was  in  Kentucky,  in  the  summer  of  1776,  he  took 
a  more  comprehensive  survey  of  the  western  country  than  the 
rude  pioneers  around  him ;  his  keen  military  eye  was  cast  upon 
the  northwestern  posts,  garrisoned  by  British  troops,  and  affording 
inexhaustible  supplies  of  arms  and  ammunition  to  the  small 
predatory  bands  of  Indians  which  infested  Kentucky.  He  saw 
plainly  that  they  were  the  true  fountains  from  which  the  thou- 
sand little  annual  rills  of  Indian  rapine  and  murder  took  their 
rise,  and  he  formed  the  bold  project  of  striking  at  the  root  of  the 
evil. 

The  revolutionary  war  was  then  raging,  and  the  western  posts 
were  too  remote  from  the  great  current  of  events  to  attract, 
powerfully,  the  attention  of  either  friend  or  foe  ;  but  to  Kentucky 
they  were  objects  of  capital  interest.  He  unfolded  his  plan  to 
the  executive  of  Virginia,  awakened  him  to  a  true  sense  of  its 
importance,  and  had  the  address  to  obtain  from  the  impoverished 
legislature  a  few  scanty  supplies  of  men  and  munitions  for  his 
favorite  project.  Undismayed  by  the  scantiness  of  his  means,  he 
embarked  in  the  expedition  with  all  the  ardor  of  his  character. 
A  few  State  troops  were  furnished  by  Virginia,  a  few  scouts  and 
guides  by  Kentucky,  and,  with  a  secrecy  and  celerit}''  of  move- 
ment never  surpassed  by  Napoleon  in  his  palmiest  days,  he 
embarked  in  his  daring  project. 

Having  descended  the  Ohio  in  boats  to  the  Falls,  he  there 


22  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

landed  thirteen  families  who  had  accompanied  him  from  Pitts- 
burgh, as  emigrants  to  Kentucky,  and  by  whom  the  foundation 
of  Louisville  was  laid.  Continuing  his  course  down  the  Ohio, 
he  disembarked  his  troops  about  sixty  males  above  the  mouth  of 
that  river,  and,  marching  on  foot  through  a  pathless  wilderness, 
he  came  upon  Kaskaskias  as  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  as  if  he 
had  descended  from  the  skies.  The  British  officer  in  command, 
Colonel  Rochdublare,  and  his  garrison,  surrendered  to  a  force 
which  they  could  have  repelled  with  ease,  if  warned  of  their 
approach ;  but  never,  in  the  annals  of  war,  was  surprise  more 
complete.  Having  secured  and  sent  off  his  prisoners  to  Vir- 
ginia, Clark  was  employed  for  some  time  in  conciliating  the 
inhabitants,  who,  being  French,  readily  submitted  to  the  new 
order  of  things.  In  the  meantime,  a  storm  threatened  him  from 
Vincennes.  Governor  Hamilton,  who  commanded  the  British 
force  in  the  northwest,  had  actively  employed  himself  during  the 
fall  season  in  organizing  a  large  army  of  savages,  with  whom, 
in  conjunction  with  his  British  force,  he  determined  not  only  to 
crush  Clark  and  his  handful  of  adventurers,  but  to  desolate 
Kentucky,  and  even  seize  fort  Pitt.  The  season,  however,  be- 
came so  far  advanced  before  he  had  completed  his  preparations, 
that  he  determined  to  defer  the  project  until  spring,  and  in  the 
meantime,  to  keep  his  Indians  employed,  he  launched  them 
against  the  frontiers  of  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  intending  to 
concentrate  them  early  in  the  spring,  and  carry  out  his  grand 
project. 

Clark  in  the  meantime  lay  at  Kaskaskias,  revolving  the  diffi- 
culties of  his  situation,  and  employing  his  spies  diligently  in 
learning  intelligence  of  his  enemy.  No  sooner  was  he  informed 
of  the  dispersion  of  Hamilton's  Indian  force,  and  that  he  lay  at 
Vincennes  with  his  regulars  alone,  than  he  determined  to  strike 
Vincennes  as  he  had  struck  Kaskaskias.  The  march  was  long, 
the  season  inclement,  the  road  passed  through  an  untrodden 
wilderness,  and  through  overflowed  bottoms;  his  stock  of  provi- 
sions was  scanty,  and  was  to  be  carried  upon  the  backs  of  his 
men.  He  could  only  muster  one  hundred  and  thirty  men  ;  but, 
inspiring  this  handful  with  his  own  heroic  spirit,  he  plunged 
boldly  into  the  wilderness  which  separated  Kaskaskias  from 
Vincennes,  resolved  to  strike  his  enemy  in  the  citadel  of  his 
strength,  or  perish  in  the  effi)rt.  The  difficulties  of  the  march 
were  great,  beyond  what  even  his  daring  spirit  had  anticipated. 
For  days  his  route  led  through  the  drowned  lands  of  Illinois ;  his 
stock  of  provisions  became  exhausted,  his  guides  lost  their  way, 
and  the  most  intrepid  of  his  followers  at  times  gave  way  to  de- 
spair. At  length  they  emerged  from  the  drowned  lands,  and 
Vincennes,  like  Kaskaskias,  was  completely  surprised.  The 
governor  and  garrison  became  prisoners  of  war,  and,  like  their 
predecessors  at  Kaskaskias,  were  sent  on  to  Virginia.  The 
Canadian  inhabitants  readily  submitted,  the  neighboring  tribes 
were  overawed,  and  some  of  them  became  allies,  and  the  whole 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  23 

of  the  adjacent  country  became  subject  to  Virginia,  which  em- 
ployed a  regiment  of  State  troops  in  maintaining  and  securing 
their  conquest.  A  portion  of  this  force  was  afterwards  perma- 
nently stationed  at  Louisville,  where  a  fort  was  erected,  and 
where  Clark  established  his  head-quarters. 

The  year  1779  was  marked,  in  Kentucky,  by  three  events  of 
unequal  importance.  About  the  1st  of  April  a  solitary  block- 
house, with  some  adjacent  defences,  the  forlorn  hope  of  advancing 
civilization,  was  erected  by  Robert  Patterson,  upon  the  spot  where 
tlie  city  of  Lexington  now  stands  ;  the  singularly  unfortunate 
expedition  of  Colonel  Bowman,  against  the  Indian  tow^n  of  Chilli- 
cothe,  was  undertaken  and  carried  out ;  and  the  celebrated  land 
law  of  Kentucky  was  passed  by  the  Virginia  legislature. 

Bowman's  expedition  consisted  of  the  flower  of  Kentucky. 
Colonel  Benjamin  Logan  was  second  in  command,  and  Harrod, 
Bulger,  Bedinger,  and  many  other  brave  officers,  held  subordinate 
commands.  The  march  was  well  conducted,  the  surprise  was 
complete,  the  plan  of  attack  well  concerted,  and  the  division  led 
by  Logan  performed  its  part  well.  Yet  the  whole  failed  by 
reason  of  the  hesitation,  the  imbecility,  or  the  panic  of  the  com- 
mander-in-chief. Logan's  division,  left  unsupported  by  Bowman, 
was  compelled  to  make  a  disorderly  retreat  to  the  main  column, 
and  the  rout  quickly  became  general.  All  would  have  been  lost 
but  for  the  daring  bravery  of  some  of  the  subordinate  officers, 
who  charged  the  enemy  on  horseback,  and  covered  the  retreat ; 
but  the  failure  was  as  complete  as  it  was  unexpected  and  dis- 
graceful. 

Our  limits  forbid  an  analysis  of  the  land  law.  It  was  doubtless 
well  intended,  and  the  settlement  and  pre-emption  features  were 
just  and  liberal.  The  radical  and  incurable  defect  of  the  law, 
however,  was  the  neglect  of  Virginia  to  provide  for  the  general 
survey  of  the  country  at  the  expense  of  government,  and  its  sub- 
division into  whole,  half,  and  quarter  sections,  as  is  now  done  by 
the  United  States.  Instead  of  this,  each  possessor  of  a  warrant 
was  allowed  to  locate  the  same  where  he  pleased,  and  was  re- 
quired to  survey  it  at  his  own  cost ;  but  his  entry  was  required 
to  be  so  special  and  precise  that  each  subsequent  locator  might 
recognize  the  land  already  taken  up,  and  make  his  entry  else- 
where. To  make  a  good  entry,  therefore,  required  a  precision 
and  accuracy  of  description  which  such  men  as  Boone  and  Kenton 
could  not  be  expected  to  possess ;  and  all  vague  entries  were 
declared  null  and  void.  Unnumbered  sorrows,  lawsuits,  and 
heart-rending  vexations,  were  the  consequence  of  this  unhappy 
law.  In  the  unskillful  hands  of  the  hunters  and  pioneers  of 
Kentucky,  entries,  surveys,  and  patents,  were  piled  upon  each 
other,  overlapping  and  crossing  in  endless  perplexity.  The  full 
fruits  were  not  reaped  until  the  country  became  more  thickly 
settled. 

In  the  meantime  the  immediate  consequence  of  the  law  was  a 
flood  of  immigration.     The  hunters  of  the  elk  and  buffalo  were 


24  OUTLINE   HISTORY. 

now  succeeded  by  the  more  ravenous  hunters  of  land ;  in  the 
pursuit,  they  fearlessly  braved  the  hatchet  of  the  Indian  and  the 
privations  of  the  forest.  The  surveyor's  chain  and  compass  were 
seen  in  the  woods  as  frequently  as  the  rifle ;  and  during  the  years 
1779-80-81,  the  great  and  all-absorbing  object  in  Kentucky  was  to 
enter,  survey,  and  obtain  a  patent,  for  the  richest  sections  of  land. 
Indian  hostilities  were  rife  during  the  whole  of  this  period,  but 
these  only  formed  episodes  in  the  great  drama. 

The  year  1780  was  distinguished  by  the  vast  number  of  emi- 
grants who  crowded  to  Kentucky  for  the  purpose  of  locating 
land  warrants  ;  Indian  hostility  was  proportion  ably  active,  and  a 
formidable  expedition,  consisting  of  Indians  and  English,  under 
Colonel  Bird,  threatened  Kentucky  with  destruction.  For  the 
first  time,  cannon  were  employed  against  the  stockade  forts  of 
Kentucky ;  and  Ruddle's  and  Martin's  stations  were  completely 
destroyed,  and  their  garrisons  taken.  The  impatience  of  the  In- 
dians then  compelled  the  colonel  to  retire,  without  pushing  his 
successes  further. 

In  the  fall  of  this  year.  Colonel  Clark,  at  the  head  of  his  State 
troops  stationed  at  Louisville,  reinforced  by  all  the  disposable 
force  of  Kentucky,  invaded  the  Indian  country  in  Ohio,  and 
having  defeated  the  Indians  in  a  pitched  battle,  laid  waste  their 
villages  and  destroyed  their  corn  fields,  with  inexorable  severity, 
in  retaliation  of  Bird's  expedition  in  the  spring. 

In  November  of  this  year,  Kentucky  was  divided  into  three 
counties,  to  which  the  names  of  Fayette,  Lincoln,  and  Jefferson 
were  given.  They  had  now  three  county  courts,  holding  monthly 
sessions,  three  courts  of  common  law  and  chancery  jurisdiction, 
sitting  quarter-yearly,  and  a  host  of  magistrates  and  constables. 
No  court,  capable  of  trying  for  capital  offences,  existed  in  the 
country,  or  nearer  than  Richmond.  The  courts  of  quarter-session 
could  take  notice  only  of  misdemeanors. 

The  year  1781  was  distinguished  by  a  very  large  emigration, 
by  prodigious  activity  in  land  speculation,  and  by  the  frequency 
of  Indian  inroads,  in  small  parties.  Every  portion  of  the  country 
was  kept  continually  in  alarm,  and  small  Indian  ambushes  were 
perpetually  bursting  upon  the  settlers.  Many  lives  were  lost, 
but  the  settlements  made  great  and  daily  advances,  in  defiance 
of  all  obstacles.  The  rich  lands  of  Kentucky  were  the  prize  of 
the  first  occupants,  and  they  rushed  to  seize  them  with  a  rapacity 
stronger  than  the  fear  of  death. 

The  year  1782  was  uncommonly  prolific  in  great  events. 
Indian  hostility  was  unusually  early  and  active.  In  the  month 
of  May,  a  party  of  twenty-five  Wyandots  invaded  Kentucky,  and 
committed  shocking  depredations  in  the  neighborhood  of  Estill's 
station.  Captain  Estill  hastily  collected  a  party  of  equal  force, 
and  pursued  them  rapidly.  He  overtook  them  upon  Hinckstone's 
fork  of  Licking,  near  Mount-Sterling,  and  the  best  fought  battle 
of  the  war  there  occurred.  The  creek  ran  between  the  parties, 
forbidding  a  charge  but  at  perilous  disadvantage,  and  the  two 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  25 

lines,  forming  behind  trees  and  logs,  within  half  rifle  shot,  stood 
front  to  front  for  hours,  in  close  and  deadly  combat.  One-third 
on  each  side  had  fallen,  and  the  fire  was  still  vivid  and  deadly, 
as  at  the  opening  of  the  combat.  Estill,  determined  to  bring  it 
to  a  close,  ordered  Lieutenant  Miller  to  turn  their  flank  with  six 
men,  and  attack  them  in  the  rear.  While  Miller  was  making  a 
small  detour  to  the  right,  for  the  purpose,  most  probably,  of  exe- 
cuting his  orders  in  good  faith  (for  there  are  various  constructions 
placed  upon  his  conduct),  the  Indian  commander  became  aware 
of  the  division  of  his  adversary's  force,  and, — with  that  rapid  deci- 
sion which  so  often  flashed  across  Napoleon's  battle-fields,  and 
whether  exhibited  upon  a  great  or  a  small  scale,  mark  the  great 
commander, — determined  to  frustrate  the  plan,  by  crossing  the 
creek  with  his  whole  force  and  overwhelming  Estill,  now  weak- 
ened by  the  absence  of  Miller.  This  bold  thought  was  executed 
with  determined  courage,  and  after  a  desperate  struggle,  Estill 
was  totall}^  overpowered,  and  forced  from  the  ground  with  slaugh- 
ter. Himself,  and  nearly  all  his  officers,  were  killed ;  and  it  was 
but  a  poor  consolation  that  an  equal  loss  had  been  inflicted  on 
the  enemy.  This  brilliant  little  fight  is  deeply  WTitten  in  the 
annals  of  Kentucky,  and  will  long  be  remembered,  for  the  exqui- 
site specimen  of  the  military  art,  exhibited  in  miniature,  by  the 
Indian  commander.  It  created  a  sensation,  at  the  time,  far  be- 
yond its  real  importance,  and  was  rapidly  followed  by  stunning 
blows,  from  the  same  quarter,  in  rapid  succession. 

A  party  of  Wyandots,  consisting  of  twenty  men,  encountered 
Captain  Holder,  at  the  head  of  seventeen  Kentuckians,  neai"  the 
upper  Blue  Licks,  and  defeated  him  with  loss. 

But  these  small  parties  were  the  mere  pattering  drops  of  hail, 
which  precede  the  tempest.  In  the  month  of  August,  an  army  of 
five  hundred  Indian  warriors,  composed  of  detachments  from  all 
the  north-western  tribes,  rapidly  and  silently  traversed  the  north- 
ern part  of  Kentucky,  and  appeared  before  Bryant's  station,  as 
unexpectedly  as  if  they  had  risen  from  the  earth.  The  garrison, 
although  surprised,  took  prompt  measures  to  repel  the  enemy. 
By  the  daring  gallantry  of  the  women,  the  fort  was  supplied  with 
water  from  a  neighboring  spring.  Two  of  the  garrison  bm-st 
through  the  enemy's  lines,  and  gave  the  alarm  to  the  neighboring 
stations,  while  those  who  remained,  by  means  of  a  well-conceived 
and  successful  ruse,  gave  a  bloody  repulse  to  the  only  assault 
which  the  Indians  ventured  to  malce  upon  the  fort.  A  party  of 
sixteen  horsemen,  with  great  gallantry  and  good  fortune,  forced 
their  way  through  the  Indians,  and  entered  the  fort  unhurt.  IMore 
than  double  that  number,  on  foot,  made  a  similar  effort,  but  failed, 
and  sustained  considerable  loss. 

In  the  meantime,  the  garrison  remained  under  cover,  and  kept 
up  a  deliberate  and  fatal  fire  upon  such  Indians  as  showed  them- 
selves. The  enemy  became  discouraged,  and,  apprehensive  of 
bringing  the  whole  force  of  the  country  upon  them,  by  farther 
delay,  broke  up  their  camp,  on  the  second  night  of  the  siege,  and 


26  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

retreated  by  the  buffalo-trace,  leading  to  the  lower  Blue  Lick. 
By  the  next  day,  at  noon,  one  hundred  and  sixty  men  had  assem- 
bled at  Bryant's  station,  burning  with  eagerness  to  encounter  the 
invaders.  Colonels  Todd,  Trigg,  and  Daniel  Boone  ;  majors 
Harland,  M' Bride,  and  Levi  Todd;  captains  Bulger  and  Gordon, 
with  forty-five  other  commissioned  officers,  including  the  cele- 
brated M'Gary,  assembled  in  council,  and  hastily  determined  to 
pursue  the  enemy,  without  waiting  for  Colonel  Logan,  who  was 
known  to  be  collecting  a  strong  force  in  Lincoln,  and  who  might 
be  expected  to  join  them  in  twenty-four  hours. 

If  Major  M'Gary  is  to  be  believed,  he  remonstrated  against 
this  rash  precipitation,  and  urged  a  delay  of  one  day  for  rein- 
forcements, but  so  keen  was  the  ardor  of  officer  and  soldier, 
that  his  dissent  was  drowned,  in  an  impatient  clamor  for  in- 
stant battle;  and  in  an  evil  hour,  on  the  18th  of  August,  the  line 
of  march  was  taken  up,  and  the  pursuit  urged  with  a  keenness 
which  quickly  brought  them  up  with  the  retreating  foe.  Before 
noon,  on  the  19th,  they  reached  the  southern  bank  of  Licking,  and 
for  the  first  time  beheld  their  enemy.  A  few  Indians  were  care- 
lessly loitering  upon  the  rocky  ridge,  which  bounded  the  prospect 
to  the  north.  These  warriors  seemed  nowise  disconcerted  by  the 
presence  of  so  large  a  body  of  Kentuckians,  but  after  gazing 
upon  them  for  a  few  moments  with  cool  indifference,  very  leis- 
urely disappeared  beyond  the  ridge. 

This  symptom  "was  not  to  be  mistaken  by  the  youngest  woods- 
man in  the  ranks.  The  enemy  was  before  them  in  force,  and  a 
battle  against  fearful  odds,  or  a  rapid  retreat,  became  inevitable. 
A  dozen  officers  rode  to  the  front  and  exchanged  opinions. 
Boone,  who  was  best  acquainted  with  the  ground,  declared  with 
confidence  that  the  Indian  army  lay  in  ambuscade  about  one  mile 
beyond  the  river,  which  there  ran  in  an  irregular  ellipsis,  and  of- 
fered peculiar  advantages  to  the  Indians,  if  the  Kentuckians  should 
advance  by  the  buffalo  trace.  He  advised  either  a  retreat  upon 
Logan,  or  a  division  of  their  force,  for  the  purpose  of  making  a 
flank  attack  upon  each  wing  of  the  Indian  army,  of  whose  posi- 
tion he  had  no  doubt.  All  further  deliberation,  however,  was 
broken  up  by  M'Gary,  who  suddenly  spurred  his  horse  into  the 
stream,  waved  his  hat  over  his  head,  and  shouted  aloud,  "  Let  all 
who  are  not  cowards  follow  me."  Of  the  gallant  band  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty,  there  was  not  one  who  could  endure  this 
taunt.  The  electric  cord  was  struck  with  a  rude  hand,  and  the 
shock  was  as  universal  as  it  was  violent.  The  horsemen  dashed 
tumultuously  into  the  stream,  each  striving  to  be  foremost.  The 
footmen  were  mingled  with  them  in  one  rolling  and  irregular 
mass.  They  struggled  through  a  deep  ford  as  they  best  could, 
and  without  stopping  to  reform  their  ranks  on  the  northern  shore, 
pressed  forward  in  great  disorder,  but  in  a  fierce  mood,  to  close 
with  their  concealed  enemy.  The  stinging  taunt  of  M'Gary  had 
struck  deep,  and  every  thought  save  that  of  confronting  death 
without  fear^  was  for  the  moment  banished  from  their  minds. 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  27 

M'Gary  still  led  the  van,  closely  followed  by  Boone,  Harland  and 
M'Bride.  Suddenly  a  heavy  fire  burst  upon  them  in  front,  and 
the  van  halted  and  endeavored  to  obtain  cover  and  return  the 
fire.  The  centre  and  rear  hurried  up  to  support  their  friends, 
and  the  bare  and  rocky  ridge  was  soon  crowded  with  the  com  • 
batants.  The  ravines  flanked  them  on  each  side,  from  which 
came  a  devouring  fire,  which  rapidly  wasted  their  ranks.  There 
was  no  cover  for  the  Kentuckians,  and  nearly  one  half  of  their 
force  was  on  horseback.  The  Indians  had  turned  each  flank,  and 
appeared  disposed  to  cut  off"  their  retreat.  The  rear  fell  back 
to  prevent  this,  the  centre  and  van  followed  the  movement,  and  a 
total  rout  ensued.  The  pm-suit  was  keen  and  bloody,  and  was 
pressed  with  unrelenting  vigor.  Todd,  Trigg,  Harland,  M'Bride, 
Bulger,  and  Gordon,  were  killed  on  the  field  of  battle.  M'Gary, 
although  more  deeply  involved  in  the  ranks  of  the  enemy  than 
any  other  officer,  was  totally  unhurt ;  sixty  officers  and  men  were 
killed  in  the  battle  or  pursuit,  and  seven  prisoners  were  taken. 
The  number  of  wounded  was  never  ascertained.  Some  of  the 
fugitives  reached  Bryant's  station  on  the  night  after  the  battle, 
and  were  there  met  by  Colonel  Logan,  at  the  head  of  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  men.  Logan  remained  at  Bryant's  until  the  last  of 
the  survivors  had  arrived,  and  then  continued  his  march  to  the 
battle  ground.  The  bodies  of  the  dead  were  collected  and  in- 
terred, and  having  satisfied  himself  that  the  Indians  had  crossed 
the  Ohio  and  were  beyond  his  reach,  he  returned  to  Bryant's  sta- 
tion and  disbanded  his  troops. 

It  was  an  established  custom  in  Kentucky  at  that  time,  never 
to  suffer  an  Indian  invasion  to  go  unpunished,  but  to  retaliate 
upon  their  villages  and  corn  fields,  the  havoc,  which  their  own 
settlements  had  experienced.  Colonel  George  Rogers  Clark, 
stationed  permanently  at  Louisville,  declared  that  he  would  lead 
his  regiment  of  State  troops  against  the  Indian  villages  in  Ohio, 
and  invited  the  militia  of  Kentucky  to  accompany  him.  The 
call  was  promptly  answered.  One  thousand  riflemen  rendez- 
voused at  the  mouth  of  Licking,  and  under  the  command  of 
Clark,  penetrated  into  the  heart  of  the  Indian  country.  No  re- 
sistance was  offered.  Their  towns  were  reduced  to  ashes,  their 
corn  cut  up,  and  the  whole  country  laid  waste  with  unsparing 
severity.  Having  completely  destroyed  every  thing  within  their 
reach,  the  detachment  returned  to  Kentucky. 


28  OUTLINE   HISTORY 


CHAPTER   II. 

The  certainty  that  actual  hostilities  between  Great  Britain  and 
America  had  ceased,  and  that  a  treaty  of  peace  would  be  for- 
mally ratified  in  the  spring,  led  to  an  universal  expectation  that 
Indian  hostilities  would  cease,  and  in  expectation  of  that  event, 
there  was  a  vast  accession  of  emigrants  in  the  fall  of  1782. 
Peace  followed  in  1783,  as  was  expected,  and  Indian  hostilities 
for  a  time  were  suspended;  but  an  unhappy  failure  on  both  sides 
fully  and  fairly  to  execute  the  treaty,  finally  resulted  in  the  re- 
newal of  the  Indian  war  with  treble  violence. 

By  the  terms  of  the  treaty,  England  was  bound  to  carry  away 
no  slaves,  and  to  surrender  the  north-western  posts  in  her  posses- 
sion within  the  boundaries  of  the  United  States.  On  the  other 
hand.  Congress  had  stipulated,  that  no  legal  impediments  should 
be  opposed  to  the  collection  by  British  merchants,  of  the  debts 
due  them  from  citizens  of  the  United  States.  None  of  these 
stipulations  were  faithfully  executed,  as  they  were  understood  by 
the  parties  severally  interested.  Slaves  taken  during  the  war 
were  removed  by  the  British  fleet.  Virginia  became  indignant 
and  passed  a  law  which  prohibited  the  collection  of  British  debts, 
and  England  refused  to  deliver  up  the  western  posts,  until  the 
obnoxious  laws  were  repealed.  Congress,  in  helpless  imbecility, 
was  unable  to  control  the  sovereign  States,  and  the  posts  were 
withheld  until  Jay's  treaty,  more  than  ten  years  after  peace  had 
been  ratified. 

The  Indians  at  first,  however,  assumed  a  pacific  attitude,  and 
the  year  1783  passed  away  without  hostilities.  In  the  meantime, 
the  settlements  advanced  with  great  rapidity.  Simon  Kenton, 
after  an  interval  of  nine  years,  reclaimed  his  settlement  at  Wash- 
ington, and  in  1784  erected  a  block  house  where  Maysville 
now  stands,  so  that  the  Ohio  river  became  the  northern  frontier 
of  Kentucky.  The  general  course  of  emigration  henceforth  was 
down  the  Ohio  to  Maysville,  and  thence  by  land  to  the  interior. 

In  the  spring  of  1783,  Kentucky  was  erected  into  a  district, 
and  a  court  of  criminal  as  well  as  civil  jurisdiction,  coextensive 
with  the  district,  was  erected.  The  court  held  its  first  session  in 
Harrodsburg,  in  the  spring  of  1783,  and  was  opened  by  John 
Floyd  and  Samuel  M'Dowell,  as  judges,  John  May  being  clerk, 
and  Walker  Daniel  prosecuting  attorney.  Seventeen  culprits 
were  presented  by  the  grand  jury;  nine  for  keeping  tippling 
houses,  and  eight  for  fornication.  From  these  presentments,  we 
may  form  some  opinion  of  the  vices  most  prevalent  in  Kentucky 
at  that  time.  During  the  summer,  a  log  court-house  and  jail, 
"  of  hewed  or  sawed  logs  nine  inches  thick,"  was  erected  on  the 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  29 

spot  where  Danville  now  stands  ;  during  this  summer,  a  retail 
store  of  dry  goods  was  opened  at  Louisville,  and  the  tone  of 
society  became  visibly  more  elevated. 

In  1784,  General  James  Wilkinson  emigrated  to  the  country, 
and  settled  in  Lexington.  This  gentleman  occupied  a  distin- 
guished position  in  the  early  civil  conflicts  of  Kentucky,  and 
became  the  leader  of  a  political  party;  he  had  distinguished 
himself  in  the  war  of  independence,  and  was  aid-de-camp  to 
Gates  at  Saratoga.  For  distinguished  services  in  that  campaign, 
and  upon  the  particular  recommendation  of  Gates,  he  had  been 
promoted  by  Congress  to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general.  Friends 
and  enemies  have  agreed  in  ascribing  to  him  the  qualities  of 
courage,  energy,  address,  and  eloquence;  of  a  somewhat  mere- 
tricious and  inflated  character.  A  graceful  person,  amiable 
manners,  liberal  hospitality,  with  a  ready  and  popular  elocution, 
when  added  to  his  military  fame,  ensm-ed  him  popularity  with 
the  mass  of  the  people.  He  came  to  Kentucky  with  the  avowed 
object  of  improving  his  circumstances,  which  were  somewhat 
embarrassed  ;  he  was  understood  to  be  connected  with  an  eastern 
mercantile  company,  and  not  to  be  averse  to  any  speculation 
which  might  improve  his  fortune.  He  soon  became  deeply 
involved  in  the  fiercest  political  controversies  of  the  day,  and  has 
left  his  countrymen  divided  in  opinion  as  to  whether  he  acted 
from  patriotic  and  honorable  motives,  or  was  a  selfish  and 
abandoned  adventurer,  ready  to  aid  any  project  which  promised 
to  advance  his  interests. 

In  the  summer  of  1784,  some  depredations  were  committed  by 
the  Indians  upon  the  southern  frontier,  and  Colonel  Benjamin 
Logan  had  received  intelligence  that  a  serious  invasion  was 
contemplated,  and  publicly  summoned  such  citizens  as  could 
conveniently  attend,  to  meet  at  Danville  on  a  particular  day,  and 
consult  as  to  what  measures  should  be  taken  for  the  common 
defence. 

The  alarm  in  the  end  proved  unfounded;  but  in  the  meantime 
a  great  number  of  the  most  distinguished  citizens  assembled  at 
Danville,  under  a  belief  that  Indian  hostilities  upon  a  large  scale 
were  about  to  be  renewed,  and  would  continue  until  the  north- 
western posts  were  surrendered  by  the  British.  Upon  an  exami- 
nation of  the  laws  then  in  existence,  their  most  eminent  lawyers 
decided  that  no  expedition  could  lawfully  and  effectually  be 
carried  out  against  the  Indian  tribes ;  the  power  of  impressment 
had  ceased  with  the  war,  and  in  a  state  of  peace  could  not  legally 
be  exercised.  Nor  was  there  any  power  known  to  the  law  ca- 
pable of  calling  forth  the  resources  of  the  country,  however 
imminent  the  danger ;  all  of  their  legislation  came  from  Rich- 
mond, distant  many  hundred  miles,  and  separated  from  Kentucky 
by  desert  mountains  and  interminable  forests  traversed  by  roving 
bands  of  Indians. 

The  necessity  of  a  government  independent  of  Virginia  was 
deeply  and   almost   unanimously  felt.      But  how  was  this   to 


30  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

be  accomplished?  It  is  interesting  to  trace  the  originj  progress, 
and  consummation  of  independence  in  this  infant  community — 
the  first  established  west  of  the  mountains ;  and  when  we  reflect 
upon  the  bloodshed  and  violence  which  has  usually  attended  such 
political  changes  in  the  old  world,  we  are  profoundly  struck  with 
the  good  sense,  moderation,  and  patience,  under  powerful  temp- 
tation, which  marked  the  conduct  of  Kentucky. 

The  first  step  taken  marks  the  simplicity  and  integi'ity  of  the 
movers.  The  assembly,  having  no  legal  authority,  published  a 
recommendation,  that  each  militia  company  in  the  cUstrict  should 
on  a  certain  day  elect  one  delegate,  and  that  the  delegates  thus 
chosen  should  assemble  in  Danville,  on  the  27th  December,  1784. 
The  recommendation  was  well  received,  the  elections  held,  and 
the  delegates  assembled.  Samuel  M'Dowell  was  elected  presi- 
dent, and  Thomas  Todd,  clerk.  A  great  number  of  spectators 
were  in  attendance,  who  maintained  the  most  commendable 
order,  and  the  convention,  as  they  styled  themselves,  debated  the 
question  of  separation  from  the  parent  State  with  all  the  gravity 
and  decorum  of  a  deliberative  body. 

A  division  of  opinion  was  manifest,  but  none,  save  legal  and 
constitutional  means,  were  even  hinted  at  by  the  warmest  advo- 
cate for  separation ;  order  and  law  reigned  without  a  rival.  A  very 
great  majority  were  in  favor  of  a  petition  to  the  legislature  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  through  them  to  Congress,  for  the  passage  of  an  act,  in 
the  manner  provided  by  the  constitution,  by  which  Kentucky  might 
become  an  independent  member  of  the  confederacy.  A  resolu- 
tion was  passed,  by  a  large  majority,  declaratory  of  the  views 
of  the  convention.  But  as  no  clear  determination,  upon  that 
subject,  had  been  expressed  by  the  people  previous  to  their  elec- 
tion, they  did  not  consider  themselves  authorized  to  take  any 
steps  to  carry  their  resolution  into  effect,  further  than  to  recom- 
mend that,  in  the  spring  election  of  delegates,  from  the  several 
counties,  to  the  Virginia  legislature,  the  people  should  also  elect 
twenty-five  delegates  to  a  convention,  to  meet  at  Danville,  in 
May,  1785,  and  finally  determine  whether  separation  was  expe- 
dient. They  also  apportioned  the  delegates  among  the  several 
counties,  with  great  fairness,  according  to  the  supposed  popula- 
tion. The  people  peaceably  conformed  to  the  recommendation 
of  their  delegates,  and  elected  the  members  as  prescribed  by  the 
convention. 

In  the  meantime,  the  subject  was  gravely  and  earnestly  dis- 
cussed in  the  primary  assemblies,  and,  in  some  parts  of  the 
country,  with  passionate  fervor.  A  great  majority  were  in  favor 
of  constitutional  separation — none  other  was  then  thought  of. 
On  the  23d  of  May,  1785,  this  second  convention  assembled  and 
adopted  five  resolutions.  They  decided  that  constitutional  sepa- 
ration from  Virginia  was  expedient, — that  a  petition  to  the  legis- 
latm-e  be  prepared, — that  an  address  to  the  people  of  Kentucky 
be  published,  and  that  delegates  to  another  convention  be  elected 
in  July,  and  assemble  at  Danville  in  August  following,  to  whom 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  31 

the  petition,  address,  and  proceedings  of  the  present  convention 
be  referred  for  final  action. 

The  people,  thus  involved  in  a  labyrinth  of  conventions,  to 
which  no  end  could  be  seen,  nevertheless  quietly  conformed, 
elected  a  new  batch  of  delegates  in  July,  who  assembled  in  Au- 
gust, being  the  third  convention  which  had  already  assembled, 
while  scarcely  any  progress  had  been  made  in  carrying  into  effect 
the  object  of  their  meeting.  In  the  meantime,  Indian  hostility 
became  more  frequent,  and  the  exasperation  of  the  people  daily 
increased.  The  petition  and  address,  with  the  other  proceedings 
of  the  convention  of  May,  were  referred  to  the  present,  and  under- 
went considerable  change.  The  petition  was  drawn  in  language 
less  simple,  the  address  to  the  people  of  Kentucky  was  more 
exciting,  impassioned,  and  exaggerated.  No  printing  press,  as 
yet,  existed  in  the  country,  but  copies  of  the  address  and  petition 
were  zealously  multiplied  by  the  pen,  and  widely  dispersed  among 
the  people.  The  chief-justice  of  the  District  Court,  George  Muter, 
and  the  attorney-general,  Harry  Innis,  were  deputed  to  present 
the  petition  to  the  legislature  of  Virginia.  This  was  accordingly 
done,  and  in  January,  1786,  the  legislature  passed  an  act,  with 
great  unanimity,  in  conformity  to  the  wishes  of  Kentucky,  annex- 
ing, however,  certain  terms  and  conditions  sufficiently  just  and 
fair,  but  which  necessarily  produced  some  delay.  They  required 
a  fourth  convention,  to  assemble  at  Danville  in  September,  1786, 
who  should  determine  whether  it  were  the  will  of  the  district  to 
become  an  independent  State  of  the  confederacy,  upon  the  con- 
ditions in  the  act  enumerated,  and  well  known  under  the  denomi- 
nation of  the  Compact  with  Virginia.  And  if  the  convention 
should  determine  upon  separation,  they  were  required  to  fix  upon 
a  day  posterior  to  the  1st  of  September,  1787,  on  which  the  au- 
thority of  Virginia  was  to  cease  and  determine  forever  ;  provided, 
however,  that  previous  to  the  1st  day  of  June,  1787,  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States  should  assent  to  said  act,  and  receive  the 
new  State  into  the  Union. 

The  great  mass  of  the  citizens  of  Kentucky  received  this  act 
with  calm  satisfaction,  and  were  disposed  peaceably  to  conform 
to  its  provisions.  But  two  circumstances,  about  this  time,  oc- 
curred, which  tended  to  create  unfavorable  impressions,  in  Ken- 
tucky, towards  the  government  of  the  Union.  The  one  was  the 
utter  inability  of  Congress  to  protect  them  from  the  north-western 
tribes,  by  compelling  a  sm-render  of  the  posts,  or  otherwise.  The 
other  was  a  strong  disposition,  manifested  by  the  delegates  in 
Congress  from  the  seven  north-eastern  States,  to  yield,  for  twenty 
years,  the  right  to  navigate  the  Mississippi  to  the  ocean.  The 
one  inspired  contempt;  the  other  awakened  distrust,  which  might 
rapidly  ripen  to  aversion.  Hostilities  had  ceased  with  Great 
Britain,  but  hatred  and  resentment  blazed  as  fiercely  between  the 
people  of  the  two  nations,  as  if  the  war  was  still  raging.  The 
retention  of  the  posts  kept  alive  Indian  hostility  against  Ken- 
tucky, while  the  eastern  States  enjoyed  profound  peace. 


32  OUTLINE   HISTORY. 

Congress  had,  after  long  delay,  made  treaties  with  the  Indians, 
which  were  totallj-  disregarded  by  the  latter,  as  far  as  Kentucky 
was  concerned,  and  the  violation  of  which  the  former  was  totally 
unable  to  chastise.  Repeated  efforts  were  made  by  General 
Henry  Lee,  of  Virginia,  to  obtain  a  continental  force  of  seven 
hundred,  or  even  three  hundred  men,  to  protect  the  western  fron- 
tier; but  the  frantic  jealousy  of  the  central  power  cherished  by 
the  sovereign  States,  at  a  time  when  that  central  power  grovelled 
in  the  most  helpless  imbecility,  peremptorily  forbade  even  this 
small  force  to  be  embodied,  lest  it  might  lead  to  the  overthrow 
of  State  rights.  In  the  meantime,  Kentucky  was  smarting  under 
the  scourge  of  Indian  warfare  ;  had  no  government  at  home,  and 
their  government  beyond  the  mountains,  however  sincerely  dis- 
posed, was  totally  unable  to  protect  them,  from  a  radical  and 
incurable  vice  in  its  constitution. 

To  this  cause  of  dissatisfaction  came  the  astounding  intelli- 
gence, in  the  succeeding  year,  that  several  States  in  Congi-ess 
had  voted  to  barter  away  the  right  to  navigate  the  Mississippi, 
in  consideration  of  commercial  advantages  to  be  yielded  by  Spain 
to  the  eastern  States,  in  which  Kentucky  could  have  no  direct 
interest.  There  was  neither  printing  press  nor  post  office  in 
Kentucky,  and  the  people  were  separated  by  an  immense  wil- 
derness from  their  eastern  brethren.  Intelligence  came  slowly, 
and  at  long  intervals.  In  passing  through  so  many  hands,  it  was 
necessarily  inaccurate,  exaggerated  and  distorted,  according  to 
the  passions  or  whims  of  its  retailers.  Never  was  harvest  more 
ripe  for  the  sickle  of  the  intriguer ;  and  it  soon  became  manifest, 
that  schemes  were  in  agitation  which  contemplated  a  severance 
of  Kentucky  from  Virginia  by  other  than  constitutional  means, 
and  which  vaguely,  and  cautiously,  seemed  to  sound  the  way  for 
a  total  severance  of  Kentucky  from  the  Union. 

In  the  elections  which  took  place  in  the  spring  of  1786,  for  the 
fourth  convention,  directed  by  the  legislature  of  Virginia,  General 
James  Wilkinson  became  a  candidate  to  represent  the  county  of 
Fayette.  With  all  the  address,  activity,  and  eloquence  of  which 
he  was  master,  he  strove  to  ripen  the  public  mind  for  an  imme- 
diate declaration  of  independence,  without  going  through  the  slow 
formalities  of  law,  which  the  exigencies  of  the  country,  in  his 
opinion,  would  not  permit  them  to  await.  He  was  the  first  pub- 
lic man  who  gave  utterance  to  this  bold  sentiment ;  and  great 
sensation  was  produced  in  the  county  of  Fayette,  by  its  promul- 
gation. A  violent  opposition  to  his  views  quickly  became  man- 
ifest, and  displayed  such  strength  and  fervor,  as  drew  from  him 
an  explanation  and  modification,  which  lulled  the  force  of  present 
opposition,  but  left  an  indelible  jealousy  in  the  breasts  of  many, 
of  the  general's  ulterior  intentions.  He  was  elected  to  the  con- 
vention. There  was  but  little  excitement  in  the  other  counties, 
who  chose  the  prescribed  number  of  delegates,  with  the  inten- 
tion of  patiently  awaiting  the  formalities  of  law. 

In  the  meantime,  Indian  depredations  became  so  harassing,  that 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  33 

the  people  determined  upon  a  grand  expedition  against  the  In- 
dian towns,  notwithstanding  the  treaties  of  Congress,  and  absence 
of  legal  power,  A  thousand  volunteers  under  General  Clark 
rendezvoused  at  Louisville,  with  the  determination  thoroughly  to 
chastise  the  tribes  upon  the  Wabash.  Provisions  and  ammunition 
were  furnished  by  individual  contribution,  and  were  placed  on 
board  of  nine  keel  boats,  which  were  ordered  to  proceed  to  Vin- 
cennes  by  water,  wliile  the  volunteers  should  march  to  the  same 
point  by  land. 

The  flotilla,  laden  with  provisions  and  munitions  of  war,  en- 
countered obstacles  in  the  navigation  of  the  Wabash,  which  had 
not  been  foreseen,  and  was  delayed  beyond  the  time  which  had 
been  calculated.  The  detachment  moving  by  land  reached  the 
point  of  rendezvous  first,  and  awaited  for  fifteen  days  the  arrival 
of  the  keel  boats.  This  long  interval  of  inaction  gave  time  for 
the  unhealthy  humors  of  the  volunteers  to  ferment,  and  proved 
fatal  to  the  success  of  the  expedition.  The  habits  of  General 
Clark  had  also  become  intemperate,  and  he  no  longer  possessed 
the  undivided  confidence  of  his  men.  A  detachment  of  three 
hundred  volunteers  broke  off"  from  the  main  body,  and  took  up 
the  line  of  march  for  their  homes.  Clark  remonstrated,  en-r 
treated,  even  shed  tears  of  grief  and  mortification,  but  all  in  vain. 
The  result  was  a  total  disorganization  of  the  force,  and  a  return 
to  Kentucky,  to  the  bitter  mortification  of  the  commander-in- 
chief,  whose  brilliant  reputation  for  the  time  suffered  a  total 
eclipse. 

This  expedition  led  to  other  ill  consequences.  The  convention 
which  should  have  assembled  in  September,  was  unable  to  mus- 
ter a  quorum,  the  majority  of  its  members  having  marched  under 
Clark  upon  the  ill-fated  expedition.  A  number  of  the  delegates 
assembled  at  Danville  at  the  appointed  time,  and  adjourned 
from  day  to  day  until  January,  when  a  quorum  at  length  was 
present,  and  an  organization  effected.  In  the  meantime,  how- 
ever, the  minority  of  the  convention  who  had  adjourned  from 
day  to  day,  had  prepared  a  memorial  to  the  legislature  of  Vir- 
ginia, informing  them  of  the  circumstances  which  had  prevented 
the  meeting  of  the  convention,  and  suggesting  an  alteration  of 
some  of  the  clauses  of  the  act,  which  gave  dissatisfaction  to  their 
constituents,  and  recommending  an  extension  of  the  time  within 
which  the  consent  of  Congress  was  required.  This  produced  a 
total  revision  of  the  act  by  the  Virginia  legislature,  whereby  an- 
other convention  was  required  to  be  elected  in  August  of  1787, 
to  meet  at  Danville,  in  September  of  the  same  year,  and  again 
take  into  consideration  the  great  question,  already  decided  by 
four  successive  conventions,  and  requiring  a  majority  of  two- 
thirds  to  decide  in  favor  of  separation,  before  the  same  should  be 
effected.  The  time  when  the  laws  of  Virginia  were  to  cease, 
was  fixed  on  the  1st  day  of  January,  1789,  instead  of  September, 
1787,  as  was  ordered  in  the  first  act;  and  the  4th  of  July,  1788, 
was  fixed  upon  as  the  period,  before  which  Congress  should 
3 


34  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

express  its  consent  to  the  admission  of  Kentucky  into  the 
Union. 

This  new  act  became  known  in  Kentucky  shortly  after  the 
fourth  convention,  after  a  delay  of  three  months,  had  at  length 
rallied  a  quorum,  and  had  with  great  unanimity  decided  upon  se- 
paration. They  then  found  themselves  deprived  of  all  authority, 
their  recent  act  nullified,  their  whole  work  to  begin  anew,  and 
the  time  of  separation  adjourned  for  two  years,  and  clogged  with 
new  conditions.  An  ebullition  of  impatience  and  anger  was  the 
unavoidable  result.  They  seemed,  by  some  fatality,  to  be  invol- 
ved in  a  series  of  conventions,  interminable  as  a  Cretan  labj'rinth, 
tantalizing  them  with  the  prospect  of  fruit,  which  invariably 
turned  to  ashes,  when  attempted  to  be  grasped. 

While  such  was  the  temper  of  the  public  mind,  the  navigation 
of  the  Mississippi  was  thrown  into  the  scale.  Shortly  after  the 
convention  adjourned,  a  number  of  gentlemen  in  Pittsburgh, 
styling  themselves  a  "  committee  of  correspondence,"  made  a 
written  communication  to  the  people  of  Kentucky,  informing 
them,  "  that  John  Jay,  the  American  secretary  for  foreign  affairs, 
had  made  a  proposition  to  Don  Gardoqui,  the  Spanish  minister, 
near  the  United  States,  to  cede  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi 
to  Spain  for  twenty  years,  in  consideration  of  commercial  advan- 
tages to  be  enjoyed  by  the  eastern  States  alone." 

On  the  29th  of  March,  a  circular  letter  was  addressed  to  the 
people  of  Kentucky,  signed  by  George  Muter,  Harry  Innis,  John 
Brown,  and  Benjamin  Sebastian,  recommending  the  election  of 
five  delegates  from  each  county  to  meet  at  Danville  in  May,  and 
take  into  consideration  the  late  action  of  Congress  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  the  Mississippi,  The  letter  contemplated  the  formation 
of  committees  of  correspondence  throughout  the  west,  and  a 
"  decent,  but  spirited,"  remonstrance  to  Congress  against  the 
cession,  which  they  evidently  supposed  in  great  danger  of  being 
consummated.  There  is  nothing  objectionable  in  either  the 
language  or  object  of  this  circular,  and,  considering  the  impression 
then  prevailing  in  the  west  as  to  the  intentions  of  Congress,  it 
may  be  regarded  as  temperate  and  manly  in  its  character.  The 
most  ignorant  hunter  in  the  west  could  not  be  blind  to  the  vital 
importance  of  the  interest  which,  (as  they  supposed,)  was  about 
to  be  bartered  away  for  advantages  to  be  reaped  by  their  eastern 
brethren  alone;  and  although  the  ferment  was  violent  for  a  time, 
yet  regular  and  constitutional  remedies  were  only  proposed  by 
the  circular  or  adopted  by  the  citizens. 

The  delegates  were  elected  as  proposed,  but  before  they  assem- 
bled the  true  state  of  affairs  in  Congress  was  more  accurately 
understood,  and  the  convention,  after  a  brief  session,  and  after 
rejecting  various  propositions,  which  looked  towards  increasing 
and  prolonging  the  excitement  of  the  people  upon  this  agitating 
subject,  quietly  adjom-ned,  without  taking  any  action  whatever 
upon  the  subject. 

This  negotiation  belongs  properly  to  the  history  of  the  United 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  35 

States;  but  it  is  impossible  to  understand  the  early  political 
history  of  Kentucky,  without  briefly  adverting  to  some  of  its  most 
prominent  features.  No  sooner  did  it  become  evident  that  the 
war,  however  protracted,  must  finally  end  in  the  establishment 
of  American  independence,  than  the  friendly  courts  of  France 
and  Spain  began  to  exhibit  the  most  restless  jealousy  as  to  the 
western  limits  of  the  infant  republic.  Spain  was  then  an  im- 
mense land-holder  upon  the  northern  part  of  the  continent, 
claiming  all  east  of  the  Mississippi,  lying  south  of  the  31st  degree 
of  north  latitude,  and  all  west  of  the  Mississippi  to  the  Pacific. 
France  had  large  islands  in  the  West  Indies.  The  object  of  both 
was  to  make  the  Alleghany  the  western  limit,  if  possible  ;  if  not, 
at  least  to  bound  them  by  the  Ohio,  leaving  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, and  Mississippi,  to  indemnify  his  Catholic  majesty  for  the 
expenses  of  the  war. 

These  views  were  early  disclosed  by  the  two  allied  powers, 
and  urged  with  all  the  skill  and  power  of  a  long  practiced  and 
tortuous  diplomacy.  On  the  contrary,  they  were  steadily  and 
manfully  opposed  by  Jay  and  the  elder  Adams,  the  American 
ministers  abroad,  who  succeeded  in  securing  to  their  country  the 
boundary  of  the  Mississippi,  as  far  south  as  latitude  31,  the  full 
extent  of  the  ancient  English  claim.  Baffled  upon  the  subject  of 
boundary,  Spain  still  clung  to  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi, 
and  anxiously  strove  to  retain  the  exclusive  right  to  its  naviga- 
tion, and  to  obtain  from  the  United  States  a  cession  of  all  right 
thereto.  This  was  firmly  resisted  by  Jay  during  the  war,  when 
his  instructions  gave  him  a  large  discretion,  and  when  pecuniary 
aid  was  lavishly  proffered  by  Spain  if  this  right  was  ceded,  and 
no  less  pertinaciously  adhered  to  by  him  after  the  war. 

In  1786,  Don  Gardoqui,the  Spanish  ambassador,  opened  a  nego- 
tiation with  Jay,  the  secretary  for  foreign  affairs,  at  New  York. 
Jay's  instructions  from  Congress  forbade  him  to  make  any  con- 
cessions upon  the  subject  of  the  Mississippi,  and  under  these 
instructions  the  negotiation  began.  Jay  reported  to  Congress 
that  his  opinion  of  the  question  remained  unaltered,  but  that  by 
relinquishing  the  right  for  twenty  years  they  could  obtain  great 
and  important  advantages,  more  than  equivalent  to  the  disad- 
vantages of  the  said  cession,  which,  in  his  opinion,  (so  little  did 
he  anticipate  the  rapid  growth  of  the  west,)  would  be  of  little 
importance  for  twenty  years. 

The  seven  north-eastern  States  voted  to  rescind  the  instructions 
above  alluded  to,  restricting  him  upon  the  subject  of  the  Missis- 
sippi. This  was  violently  opposed  by  Virginia,  and  the  other 
States,  and  as  the  votes  of  nine  States  were  necessary  to  the 
success  of  the  resolution,  and  it  was  obviously  impossible  to 
obtain  so  many  votes  for  the  measure,  the  subject  was  entirely 
relinquished.  Virginia,  in  the  meantime,  by  an  unanimous  vote 
of  her  legislature,  had  instructed  her  delegates  in  Congress  never 
to  accede  to  any  such  proposition  ;  and  she  was  warmly  sup- 
ported by  the  other  non-concuiTing  States.     As  soon  as  these 


36  OUTLINE   HISTORY. 

facts  were  thoroughly  understood  by  the  convention,  they  quietly 
adjourned,  without  action  of  any  kind.  There  M^as  left  upon  the 
public  mind,  however,  a  restless  jealousy  of  the  intentions  of  the 
north-eastern  States,  which  could,  at  any  time,  be  fanned  into  a 
flame,  and  of  which  political  aspirants  eagerly  availed  themselves, 
whenever  it  suited  their  purposes.  The  name  of  Jay  became 
peculiarly  odious  in  Kentucky,  which  odium  was  not  diminished 
by  his  celebrated  treaty,  concluded  many  years  afterwards. 

In  the  meantime,  the  delegates  to  the  fifth  convention,  in  con- 
formity to  the  last  act  of  Virginia,  were  quietly  elected,  and  a 
newspaper,  entitled  the  "  Kentucky  Gazette,"  printed  by  John 
Bradford,  of  Lexington,  having  been  established,  the  pent  up 
passions  of  the  various  political  partisans  found  vent  in  its  pages. 
During  this  summer,  General  Wilkinson  descended  the  Missis- 
sippi with  a  cargo  of  tobacco,  for  New  Orleans,  avowedly  upon 
a  mercantile  adventure  alone.  But  those  who  had  been  startled 
by  the  boldness  of  the  general's  project,  of  separation  from  Vir- 
ginia, coupling  this  trip  with  the  recent  agitation  of  the  question 
of  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  and  the  unsettled  state  of 
the  public  mind  in  relation  to  the  Spanish  pretensions,  did  not 
scruple  to  charge  him  Avith  ulterior  projects,  other  than  commer- 
cial in  their  tendency.  The  delegates,  in  the  meantime,  assem- 
bled in  Danville,  and  again  repeated  the  uniform  decision  of  their 
predecessors,  by  an  unanimous  vote. 

A  copy  of  their  proceedings  was  sent  to  the  executive  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  the  editor  of  the  Gazette  v^^as  requested  to  publish 
them,  for  the  information  of  the  people.  An  address  to  Congress 
was  adopted,  perfectly  respectful  in  its  character,  praying  that 
honorable  body  to  receive  them  into  the  Union.  The  represen- 
tatives from  Kentucky  to  the  Virginia  legislature,  were  also 
requested  to  exert  their  influence  to  have  a  delegate  to  Congress, 
elected  from  the  district  of  Kentucky,  who  should  sit  with  the 
delegation  from  Virginia.  They  decided  that  the  power  of  Vir- 
ginia should  cease  on  the  31st  of  December,  1788,  and  made 
provision  for  the  election  of  still  another  convention — it  was 
hoped  the  last — to  assemble,  in  the  ensuing  year,  at  Danville,  in 
order  to  form  a  constitution.  The  legislature  of  Virginia  cor- 
dially assented  to  the  suggestion  of  the  convention,  in  relation 
to  the  appointment  of  a  delegate  from  Kentucky,  to  Congress, 
and  Mr.  John  Brown,  a  representative  from  Kentucky  to  the 
Virginia  legislature,  was  elected,  by  that  legislature,  a  delegate 
to  Congress,  taking  his  seat  with  the  other  representatives  from 
Virginia.  This  gentleman  was  one  of  the  most  eminent  lawj^ers 
of  Kentucky,  possessed  of  talents,  influence,  and  popularity.  He 
was  charged  with  the  delivery  of  the  petition  of  the  convention 
to  Congi-ess,  and  lost  no  time  in  presenting  himself  before  that 
body. 

The  great  convention,  which  gave  birth  to  the  American  con- 
stitution, had  concluded  their  labors,  in  Philadelphia,  in  September, 
1787,  and  the  public  mind  was  so  much  excited  upon  the  subject 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  37 

of  the  new  constitution,  that  the  old  Congress  could  scarcely  be 
kept  alive  until  the  new  government  should  be  organized.  A 
quorum  of  the  members  could  not  be  rallied,  during  the  winter, 
and  although  the  act  of  the  Virginia  legislatm-e  required  their 
assent  before  the  4th  of  July,  1788,  it  was  not  until  the  3d  of 
July  that  the  question  of  the  admission  of  Kentucky  was  taken 
up.  The  federal  constitution  had  then  been  adopted  by  ten 
States,  and  it  was  certain  that  the  new  government  would  quickly 
go  into  operation.  The  old  Congress  declined  to  act  upon  the 
petition  of  Kentucky,  and  referred  the  question  to  the  new  go- 
vernment, whenever  the  same  should  be  organized. 

Thus  was  Kentucky  again  baffled  in  her  most  ardent  wish,  and 
flung  back  to  the  point  from  which  she  had  started,  more  than 
four  years  before.  Her  long  array  of  conventions  had  in  vain 
decided,  again  and  again,  that  it  was  expedient  to  separate  from 
Virginia,  and  become  an  independent  member  of  the  confederacy. 
Mr.  Brown  communicated  the  intelligence  to  his  constituents  ; 
and  his  own  views  upon  the  subject  are  clearly  contained  in  two 
letters,  the  one  to  Samuel  M' Do  well,  who  had  acted  as  president 
of  nearly  all  the  Kentucky  conventions,  the  other  to  George 
Muter.  In  these  letters  he  attributes  the  refusal  of  Congress,  to 
act  upon  the  petition  of  Kentucky,  to  the  jealousy  of  the  New 
England  States,  of  any  accession  to  the  southern  strength,  in 
Congress,  and  he  inclines  to  the  opinion  that  the  same  causes 
will  have  equal  weight  with  the  new  government.  He  gives  the 
result  of  various  private  interviews  between  himself  and  Don 
Gardoqui,  the  Spanish  minister — speaks  of  the  promises  of  that 
minister,  of  peculiar  commercial  advantages  to  Kentucky,  con- 
nected with  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  if  she  will  erect  Jier- 
self  into  an  independent  government ;  but  these  advantages,  lie  says,  can 
never  he  yielded  to  her  by  Spain,  so  long  as  she  remains  a  member  of 
the  Union  !  He  communicates  this  information  in  confidence,  and 
with  the  permission  of  Don  Gardoqui,  to  a  few  friends,  not  doubt- 
ing that  they  will  make  a  prudent  use  of  it.  He  gives  his  own 
opinion  decidedly  in  favor  of  immediate  independence,  without 
waiting  for  the  result  of  another  application  to  Congress,  under 
the  new  government. 

It  is  worthy  of  observation,  that  in  July  1787,  Harry  Innis, 
attorney-general  of  Kentucky,  wTote  to  the  executive  of  Virginia, 
giving  it  as  his  opinion  that  Kentucky  would  form  an  independent 
government  in  two  or  three  years,  as  Congress  did  not  seem  dis- 
posed to  protect  them,  and  under  the  present  system  slie  coidd  not  exert 
her  strength.  He  adds,  "  I  have  just  dropped  this  hint  to  your  ex- 
cellency for  matter  of  reflection  !"  Coupling  these  passages  with 
the  early  and  bold  declaration  of  Wilkinson  upon  the  same  sub- 
ject, we  cannot  for  a  moment  doubt,  that  the  project  of  unconsti- 
tutional separation  from  Virginia  and  the  union  was  seriously 
entertained  by  some  of  the  statesmen  of  Kentucky,  including 
Wilkinson,  Brown,  and  Innis,  as  the  prominent  and  leading  char- 
acters.    A\lietlier  this  project  was  horrid  and  damnable,  as  char- 


38  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

acterized  by  Marshall,  or  innocent  and  patriotic,  as  esteemed  by 
Mr.  Butler,  may  be  left  to  nice  casuists  in  political  morality  to 
decide.  But  that  the  scheme  was  seriously  entertained  cannot 
fairly  be  denied,  and  truth  and  fidelity  require  that  the  historian 
should  not  attempt  to  conceal  it. 

Before  the  result  of  the  application  to  Congress  could  be  known 
in  Kentucky,  the  public  mind  was  powerfully  directed  to  the  im- 
portance of  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  by  the  return  of 
General  Wilkinson  from  New  Orleans,  and  the  intelligence  that 
he  had  obtained  for  himself  the  privilege  of  shipping  tobacco  to 
New  Orleans,  and  depositing  it  in  the  king's  stores,  at  the  price 
of  ten  dollars  per  hundred  weight.  He  immediately  offered  to 
purchase  tobacco  to  any  amount,  and  dilated  eloquently  upon 
the  advantages  that  would  result  to  Kentucky,  even  from  the 
partial  trade  which  he  had  succeeded  in  opening,  but  explained 
tliat  a  commercial  treaty  might  be  formed  with  Spain,  which 
would  throw  open  their  ports  to  the  whole  western  country,  if 
the  west  were  erected  into  an  independent  government,  capable 
of  treating  with  a  foreign  power.  In  the  meantime  Indian  hos- 
tility never  slumbered,  but  murders  upon  the  frontier  were  inces- 
sant. The  old  confederation  was  about  to  expire,  despised 
abroad  and  scarcely  respected  at  home,  and  early  in  the  spring 
Kentucky  was  called  upon  to  elect  delegates  to  the  Virginia  con- 
vention, which  was  called  to  adopt  or  reject  the  federal  constitu- 
tion. Nearly  every  leading  man  in  Kentucky,  and  an  immense 
majority  of  the  people,  were  warmly  anti-federal;  yet  three  of 
the  Kentucky  delegation,  one  from  Fayette  and  two  from  Jeffer- 
son, voted  in  favor  of  its  adoption.  The  member  from  Fayette 
was  no  other  than  the  veteran  historian  of  Kentucky,  Humphrey 
Marshall,  who  certainly  voted  against  the  opinion  of  a  majority 
of  his  constituents. 

On  the  28th  of  July  the  sixth  convention  assembled  at  Dan- 
ville. But  scarcely  had  they  organized  and  commenced  business 
when  the  intelligence  was  communicated  to  them,  that  Congress 
had  declined  to  act  upon  the  petition  of  Kentucky,  and  had  re- 
ferred the  whole  subject  to  the  new  government.  Anger  and 
disappointment  were  strongly  expressed  in  all  quarters.  The 
party  which  with  invincible  firmness  had  uniformly  adhered  to 
"law  and  order,"  now  received  a  rude  shock.  The  party  which 
vaguely  and  cautiously  advocated  immediate  independence,  con- 
trary to  law,  became  more  bold  and  open  in  urging  their  project. 
The  trade  to  New  Orleans,  recently  opened  by  Wilkinson,  was 
made  to  loom  largely  before  the  public  eye,  and  unfolded  visions 
of  future  wealth  which  dazzled  the  imagination.  The  old  con- 
federation was  contemptible,  from  its  helpless  imbecility,  and  the 
new  government,  yet  in  embryo,  was  odious  and  unpopular.  A 
proposition  to  form  a  constitution  without  further  delay  was 
warmly  advocated,  and  it  was  proposed  in  convention  that  the 
question  should  be  submitted  to  each  militia  company  in  the 
district,  and  that  the  captain  of  said  company  should  report  the 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  39 

result  of  the  vote.  This  proposition  awakened  the  most  passion- 
ate opposition,  and  was  voted  down  by  a  large  majority.  Yet 
the  ambiguous  character  of  the  resolutions  finally  adopted,  dis- 
plays the  balanced  condition  of  parties  in  the  convention,  and 
that  neither  could  fully  carry  out  their  designs.  They  finally 
resolved  that  a  seventh  convention  be  elected  in  October,  and  as- 
semble in  November,  with  general  power  to  take  the  best  steps 
for  securing  admission  into  the  union,  and  also  the  navigation  of  tJie 
Mississippi ;  that  they  have  power  to  form  a  constitution,  and  do 
generally  whatever  may  seem  necessary  to  the  best  interests  of 
the  district.  We  clearly  recognize  the  finger  of  each  party  in 
the  above  resolution,  and  may  infer  that  each  felt  their  inability 
to  carry  out  decisive  measures. 

As  the  time  for  the  election  of  the  seventh  convention  ap- 
proached, a  publication  appeared  in  the  Gazette,  signed  by  George 
Muter,  the  chief  justice  of  the  district  court,  which,  in  a  concise 
and  clear  manner  points  out  the  particular  clauses  in  the  laws  of 
Virginia  and  the  articles  of  confederation,  which  would  be  vio- 
lated by  the  formation  of  an  independent  government,  in  the 
manner  proposed  by  the  party  of  which  Wilkinson  was  the  lea- 
der. This  publication  was  universally  attributed  to  Colonel 
Thomas  Marshall,  of  Fayette,  the  father  of  the  late  chief  justice 
Marshall.  This  gentleman  had  emigrated  with  his  family  to 
Kentucky  in  1785,  had  been  appointed  surveyor  of  Fayette 
county,  and  had  taken  an  active  part  in  the  early  struggle  of 
parties  in  Kentucky.  His  opposition  to  the  project  of  indepen- 
dence, contrary  to  law,  was  early,  decided,  and  uncompromising, 
and  two  tickets  were  now  formed  in  the  county  of  Fayette,  for 
the  approaching  convention.  Colonel  Marshall  was  at  the  head 
of  one,  and  General  Wilkinson  of  the  other.  The  old  English 
party  names  of"  Court,"  and  "  Country,"  were  given  to  them  by 
the  wits  of  the  day,  and  the  canvass  was  conducted  with  a  zeal 
and  fervor  proportioned  to  the  magnitude  of  the  questions  in- 
volved in  the  issue.  The  election  lasted  for  five  days,  and  it 
soon  became  evident,  that  the  ticket  headed  by  Marshall  was 
running  ahead.  During  the  election,  Wilkinson  so  far  modified 
his  tone,  as  to  declare  that  his  action  in  the  convention  should  be 
regulated  by  the  instructions  of  his  constituents ;  and  by  the 
strength  of  his  personal  popularity,  he  was  elected.  Fayette  was 
entitled  to  five  representatives,  of  whom  four  were  elected  from 
the  ticket  headed  by  Marshall,  and  Wilkinson  alone  was  elected, 
of  the  opposite  party. 

In  November  the  delegates  assembled  at  Danville,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  business.  The  resolution  of  Congress,  transmitted  by 
Ml'.  Brown,  was  first  referred  to  the  committee  of  the  whole,  with- 
out opposition.  A  motion  was  then  made  to  refer  the  resolution 
of  the  last  convention,  upon  the  subject  of  the  Mississippi  navi- 
gation, to  the  committee  also,  in  order  that  the  whole  subject 
might  be  before  them.  The  restless  jealousy  of  the  "  law  and 
order  party"  took  alarm  at  this  proposition,  and  a  keen  and  ani- 


40  OUTLINE   HISTORY, 

mated  debate  arose  upon  the  question  of  reference.  Wilkinson, 
Brown,  Innis,  and  Sebastian,  were  in  favor  of  the  reference,  while 
it  was  warmly  opposed  by  Marshall,  Muter,  Crockett,  Allen,  and 
Christian.  The  reference  was  carried  by  a  large  majority. 
Regarding  this  as  an  unfavorable  indication  of  the  temper  of  the 
convention,  Colonel  Crockett  left  his  seat  on  Saturday,  and  on 
Monday  returned,  with  a  remonstrance,  signed  by  nearly  five 
hundred  citizens,  against  violent  or  illegal  separation  from  their 
eastern  brethren.  This  bold  step  undoubtedly  made  a  deep  im- 
pression upon  the  convention,  and  gives  a  lively  indication  of  the 
strong  passions  awakened  by  the  discussion. 

In  the  debate  upon  the  question  of  reference,  Wilkinson  and 
Brown  had  glanced  at  the  project  of  illegal  separation,  in  a  man- 
ner M^hich  showed  that  they  were  doubtful  of  the  temper  of  the 
convention.  General  Wilkinson,  after  dwelling  upon  the  vital 
importance  of  the  navigation  to  Kentucky,  and  the  improbability 
that  Spain  would  ever  grant  it  to  Congress,  concluded,  with  em- 
phasis, "  that  tliere  was  one  way,  and  only  one,  of  obtaining  this  rich 
prize  for  Kentucky,  and  tliat  way  was  so  guarded  by  laws,  andfortijied 
by  constitutions,  that  it  was  difficult  and  dangerous  of  access.''''  He 
added,  "  that  Spain  might  concede  to  Kentucky  alone,  what  she 
would  not  concede  to  the  United  States,"  and  "  that  there  was 
information  within  the  power  of  the  convention,  upon  this  sub- 
ject, of  the  first  importance,  which,  he  had  no  doubt,  a  gentleman 
in  the  convention  would  communicate."  He  sat  down,  and 
looked  at  Mr.  Brown  ;  the  eyes  of  all  the  members  traveled  in 
the  same  direction,  expressive  of  very  different  emotions.  Mr. 
Brown  arose,  and  remarked,  "  that  he  did  not  consider  himself  at 
liberty  to  disclose  the  private  conferences  held  with  Don  Gardo- 
qui,  but  this  much  he  would  say,  in  general,  tliat  provided  they 
were  unanimous,  evei'ything  that  they  could  wish  for  ivas  within  their 
reachy  He  then  resumed  his  seat.  General  Wilkinson  again 
arose,  and  read  a  long  manuscript  essay  upon  the  navigation  of 
the  Mississippi,  giving  the  sheets  to  Sebastian,  as  they  were 
read.  This  essay  was  addressed  to  the  Spanish  intendant.  A 
motion  was  made  to  give  the  thanks  of  the  convention  to  the 
general,  for  the  essay,  which  was  unanimously  concurred  in. 

A  resolution,  offered  by  Edwards,  and  seconded  by  Marshall, 
might  be  regarded  as  a  test  of  the  temper  of  the  convention.  It 
was  "  to  appoint  a  committee  to  draw  up  a  decent  and  respect- 
ful address,  to  the  legislature  of  Virginia,  for  obtaining  the 
independence  of  Kentucky,  agreeably  to  the  late  resolution  and 
recommendation  of  Congi-ess."  No  opposition  was  made,  and 
the  committee  was  appointed,  of  whom  Wilkinson  was  one,  and 
the  only  one  of  his  part}^,  on  the  committee.  In  due  time  the 
committee  reported,  an  amendment  was  moved,  which  resulted 
in  the  postponement  of  the  whole  matter  to  a  future  day.  In  the 
interval.  General  Wilkinson  brought  forward  a  preamble  and 
resolution,  which,  after  lamenting  the  divi^^ions  and  distractions 
which  appeared  in  the  convention,  and  urging  the  necessity  of 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  41 

unanimity,  proposed  the  appointment  of  a  committee  to  draw  up 
an  appeal  to  the  people,  for  instructions  as  to  their  future  action, 
upon  the  great  subjects  before  them.  The  committee  was  ap- 
pointed, of  which  he  was  chairman.  He  quickly  reported  an 
address  to  the  people,  which  was  referred  to  the  committee  of  the 
whole. 

Before  this  was  acted  upon,  the  address  to  the  Virginia  legis- 
lature, which  had  been  postponed,  came  up.  The  address  wag 
temperate,  respectful,  and  clearly  repelled  the  idea  of  any  but 
constitutional  measures.  It  prayed  the  good  offices  of  the  parent 
State,  in  procuring  their  admission  into  the  Union,  and  if  adopted, 
was  decisive  of  the  temper  of  the  convention.  It  was  finally 
adopted.  Wilkinson's  address  to  the  people  was  never  after- 
wards called  up.  The  adoption  of  the  address  to  Virginia  gave 
it  a  quiet  deathblow,  from  which  it  did  not  attempt  to  recover. 
An  address  to  Congress  was  also  voted,  and  was  drawn  up  by 
Wilkinson.  The  convention  then  adjourned,  to  meet  again  at  a 
distant  day. 

In  the  meantime  the  legislature  of  Virginia  assembled,  and, 
ha^'ing  received  information  of  the  refusal  of  Congress  to  act 
upon  the  application  of  Kentucky  for  admission,  they  passed  a 
third  act,  requiring  the  election,  in  Kentucky,  of  a  seventh  con- 
vention, to  assemble  at  Danville,  in  July  1789,  and  go  over  the 
whole  ground  anew.  They  gave  this  convention  ample  powers 
to  provide  for  the  formation  of  a  State  government.  Two  new 
conditions  were  inserted  in  this  act,  which  gave  serious  dissatis- 
faction to  Kentucky;  but,  upon  complaint  being  made,  they  were 
readily  repealed,  and  need  not  be  further  noticed.  In  other  re- 
spects, the  act  was  identical  with  its  predecessors.  An  English 
agent,  from  Canada,  during  this  winter,  visited  Kentucky,  and 
called  upon  Colonel  Marshall,  and  afterwards  upon  Wilkinson. 
His  object  seems  to  have  been  to  sound  the  temper  of  Kentucky, 
and  ascertain  how  far  she  would  be  willing  to  unite  with  Canada, 
in  an}-  contingency  which  might  arise.  The  people,  believing 
him  to  be  a  British  spy,  as  he  undoubtedly  was,  gave  certain 
indications,  which  caused  him  to  leave  the  country,  with  equal 
secrecy  and  dispatch. 

In  the  meantime  the  people  quietly  elected  delegates  to  the 
seventh  convention,  as  prescribed  in  the  third  act  of  separation, 
which,  in  July,  1789,  assembled  in  Danville.  Their  first  act  was 
to  draw  up  a  respectful  memorial  to  the  legislature  of  Virginia, 
remonstrating  against  the  new  conditions  of  separation,  which, 
as  we  have  said,  was  promptly  attended  to  by  Virginia,  and  the 
obnoxious  conditions  repealed  by  a  new  act,  which  required 
another  convention  to  assemble  in  1790.  In  the  meantime  the 
new  general  government  had  gone  into  operation  ;  General  Wash- 
ington was  elected  president,  and  the  convention  was  informed, 
by  the  executive  of  Virginia,  that  the  general  government  would 
lose  no  time  in  organizing  such  a  regular  force  as  would  effec- 
tually  protect    Kentucky   from   Indian   incursions.      This  had 


42  OUTLINE   HISTORY. 

become  a  matter  of  pressing  necessity,  for  Indian  mm'ders  had 
become  so  frequent,  that  no  part  of  the  country  was  safe. 

The  eighth  convention  assembled  in  July,  1790,  and  formally 
accepted  the  Virginia  act  of  separation,  which  thus  became  a 
compact,  between  Kentucky  and  Virginia.  A  memorial  to  the 
President  of  the  United  States  and  to  Congress,  was  adopted, 
and  an  address  to  Virginia,  again  praying  the  good  offices  of  the 
parent  State  in  procuring  their  admission  into  the  Union.  Pro- 
vision was  then  made  for  the  election  of  a  ninth  convention,  to 
assemble  in  April,  1791,  and  form  a  State  constitution.  The 
convention  then  adjom-ned.  In  December,  1790,  President  Wash- 
ington strongly  recommended  to  Congress  to  admit  Kentucky  into 
the  Union.  On  the  4th  of  February,  1791,  an  act  for  that  pur- 
pose had  passed  both  Houses,  and  received  the  signature  of  the 
President. 

"We  have  thus  detailed  as  minutely  as  our  limits  would  permit, 
the  long,  vexatious,  and  often  baffled  efforts,  of  the  infant  com- 
munity of  the  West,  to  organize  a  regular  government,  and 
obtain  admission  into  the  Union.  And  it  is  impossible  not  to  be 
struck  with  the  love  of  order,  the  respect  for  law,  and  the  pas- 
sionate attachment  to  their  kindred  race,  beyond  the  mountains, 
which  characterized  this  brave  and  simple  race  of  hunters  and 
farmers.  The  neglect  of  the  old  confederation,  arose,  no  doubt, 
from  its  inherent  imbecility,  but  never  was  parental  care  more 
coldly  and  sparingly  administered.  Separated  by  five  hundred 
miles  of  wilderness,  exposed  to  the  intrigues  of  foreign  govern- 
ments, powerfully  tempted  by  their  own  leading  statesmen,  repul- 
sed in  every  effort  to  obtain  constitutional  independence,  they 
yet  clung  with  invincible  affection  to  their  government,  and 
turned  a  deaf  ear  to  the  syren  voice,  which  tempted  them  with 
the  richest  gifts  of  fortune,  to  stray  away  from  the  fold  in  which 
they  had  been  nurtured.  The  spectacle  was  touching  and  beau- 
tiful, as  it  was  novel  in  the  history  of  the  world. 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  43 


CHAPTER   III. 


No  sooner  was  the  new  federal  government  organized  than 
its  attention  was  anxiously  turned  to  the  exposed  condition  of 
the  western  frontier.  A  useless  effort  to  obtain  peace  for  Ken- 
tucky, was  quickly  followed  by  a  military  force  such  as  the  west 
had  never  seen  under  the  federal  government,  but  which  was 
still  utterly  inadequate  to  the  wants  of  the  country. 

General  Harmar,  at  the  head  of  three  hundi-ed  and  fifty  regu- 
lars, was  authorized  to  call  around  his  standard  fifteen  hundred 
militia  from  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia.  A  considerable  part  of 
this  force  rendezvoused  at  Cincinnati,  in  September,  1790,  and 
marched  in  hostile  array  upon  the  Miami  towns.  The  result  was 
most  disastrous.  Two  large  detachments,  composed  both  of 
regulars  and  militia,  were  successively  surprised,  and  routed  with 
dreadful  slaughter.  The  regulars  were  absolutely  destroyed,  and 
the  militia  sustained  enormous  loss.  Harmar  returned  with  loss 
of  reputation,  and  the  events  of  the  campaign  were  such  as  to 
impress  Kentucky  with  the  belief  that  regulars  were  totally  unfit 
for  Indian  warfare.  They  zealously  endeavored  to  impress  this 
truth  upon  the  mind  of  the  President,  and  were  not  a  little  discon- 
tented that  he  adhered  to  his  own  opinion  in  opposition  to  theirs. 

To  satisfy  them  as  much  as  possible,  however,  a  local  board  of 
war  was  appointed  in  Kentucky,  composed  of  General  Scott, 
Shelby,  Innis,  Logan,  and  Brown,  who  were  authorized  to  call 
out  the  militia,  into  the  service  of  the  United  States,  whenever 
they  thought  proper,  to  act  in  conjunction  with  regular  troops. 
Under  the  direction  of  this  board,  an  expedition  of  eight  hundred 
mounted  men  under  General  Scott,  under  whom  Wilkinson  served 
as  second  in  command,  was  got  up  against  the  north-western 
tribes.  Some  skirmishing  ensued,  some  prisoners  were  taken, 
and  about  fifty  Indians  killed.  No  loss  of  any  amount  was  sus- 
tained by  the  detachment,  but  no  decisive  or  permanent  impres- 
sion was  made  upon  the  Indians. 

Warned,  by  the  disastrous  campaign  of  Harmar,  of  the  neces- 
sity of  employing  a  greater  force,  the  general  government  em- 
ployed two  thousand  regular  troops,  composed  of  cavalry,  in- 
fantry, and  artillery,  in  the  ensuing  campaign.  The  command 
was  given  to  General  St.  Clair,  the  governor  of  the  north-western 
territory.  This  gentleman  was  old  and  infirm,  and  had  been 
very  unfortunate  in  his  military  career,  during  the  Revolutionary 
war.  He  was  particularly  unpopular  in  Kentucky,  and  no  volun- 
teers could  be  found  to  senx  under  him.  One  thousand  Ken- 
tuckians  were  drafted,  however,  and  reluctantly  compelled  to 
serve  under  a  gouty  old  disciplinarian,  whom  they  disliked,  and 
in  conjunction  with  a  regular  force,  which  they  regarded  as 
doomed  to  destruction  in  Indian  warfai-e.     The  consequence  was 


44  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

that  desertions  of  the  militia  occurred  daily,  and  when  the  battle 
day  came  there  were  only  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  in  camp. 

The  army  left  Cincinnati  about  the  1st  of  October,  and  en- 
camped upon  one  of  the  tributaries  of  the  Wabash  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  3d  of  November.  Encumbered  by  wagons  and  ar- 
tillery', their  march  through  the  wilderness  had  been  slow  and 
painful.  His  Kentucky  force  had  dwindled  at  every  step,  and 
about  the  1st  of  November  a  whole  regiment  deserted.  The 
general  detached  a  regiment  of  regulars  after  them,  to  protect 
the  stores  in  the  rear,  and,  with  the  residue  of  his  force,  scarcely 
exceeding  one  thousand  men,  continued  his  march  to  the  encamp- 
ment upon  the  tributary  of  the  Wabash.  Here  he  was  assailed, 
at  daylight,  by  about  twelve  hundred  Indians,  who  surrounded 
his  encampment,  and,  lurking  under  such  cover  as  the  woods  af- 
forded, poured  a  fij'e  upon  his  men,  more  destructive  than  the 
annals  of  Indian  warfare  had  yet  witnessed.  His  troops  were 
raw,  but  his  officers  were  veterans,  and  strove  for  three  hours, 
with  a  bravery  which  deserved  a  better  fate,  to  maintain  the 
honor  of  their  arms.  Gallant  and  repeated  charges  were  made 
with  the  bayonet,  and  always  with  temporary  success.  But 
their  nimble  adversaries,  although  retreating  from  the  bayonet, 
still  maintained  a  slaughtering  fire  upon  the  regulars,  which 
swept  away  officers  and  men  by  scores  in  every  charge.  A  re- 
treat was  at  length  ordered,  which  quickly  became  a  rout,  and 
a  more  complete  overthrow  was  never  witnessed.  The  remnant 
of  the  troops  regained  fort  Jefferson,  twenty-nine  miles  from  the 
battle  ground,  on  the  night  after  the  battle,  and  thence  retreated 
to  Cincinnati,  in  somewhat  better  order. 

This  dreadful  disaster  produced  great  sensation  throughout  the 
United  States,  and  especially  in  Kentucky.  A  corps  of  mounted 
volunteers  assembled  with  great  alacrity,  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
lieving St.  Clair,  who  was  at  first  supposed  to  be  besieged  in  fort 
Jefferson,  but  upon  the  receipt  of  more  correct  intelligence,  they 
were  disbanded. 

In  December,  1791,  the  ninth  and  last  convention  was  elected, 
who  assembled  at  Danville  in  April  following,  and  formed  the 
first  constitution  of  Kentucky.  George  Nicholas,  who  had  emi- 
nently distinguished  himself  in  the  Virginia  convention  which 
adopted  the  federal  constitution,  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
Kentucky  convention  from  the  county  of  Mercer,  and  took  an 
active  and  leading  part  in  the  formation  of  the  first  constitution. 
This  constitution  totally  abandoned  the  aristocratic  features  of 
the  parent  State,  so  far  as  representation  by  counties  was  con- 
cerned, and  established  numbers  as  the  basis.  Suffi'age  was  uni- 
versal, and  sheriffs  were  elected  triennially  by  the  people. 

But  while  these  departures  from  the  constitution  of  Virginia  dis- 
played the  general  predominance  of  the  democratic  principle  in 
Kentucky,  there  are  strong  indications  that  the  young  statesmen 
of  the  west,  were  disposed  to  curb  the  luxuriance  of  this  mighty 
element,  by  strong  checks.     The  executive,  the  senate,  and  the 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  45 

judiciary,  were  entirely  removed  from  the  direct  control  of  the 
people.  The  governor  was  chosen  by  electors,  who  were  elected 
by  the  people  for  that  purpose  every  fourth  year.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  senate  were  appointed  by  the  same  electoral  col- 
lege which  chose  the  president,  and  might  be  selected  indiffe- 
rently from  any  part  of  the  State.  The  judiciary  were  appointed 
as  at  present,  and  held  their  offices  during  good  behavior. 
The  supreme  court,  however,  had  original  and  final  jurisdiction 
in  all  land  cases.  This  last  feature  was  engrafted  upon  the 
constitution,  by  Colonel  Nicholas,  and  was  most  expensive  and 
mischievous  in  practice.  The  constitution  was  adopted,  and 
the  officers  elected,  in  May,  1792.  Isaac  Shelby  was  elected 
.governor,  a  brave  and  plain  officer,  who  had  gallantly  served  in 
the  Revolutionary  war,  and  distinguished  himself  at  Kings' 
Mountain,  and  Point  Pleasant.  Alexander  Bullitt  was  chosen 
speaker  of  the  senate,  and  Robert  Breckenridge  of  the  house 
of  representatives.  The  governor  met  both  branches  of  the 
legislature  in  the  senate  chamber,  and  personally  addressed 
them  in  a  brief  speech,  in  reply  to  which  they  voted  an  address. 
James  Brown  was  the  first  secretary  of  state,  and  George  Nich- 
olas the  first  attorney-general.  John  Brown  and  John  Edwards 
(heretofore  political  opponents,)  were  elected,  by  joint  ballot, 
senators  to  Congress.  They  fixed  upon  Frankfort  as  the  future 
seat  of  government,  by  a  process  somewhat  singular.  Twenty- 
five  commissioners  were  first  chosen  by  general  ballot ;  then  the 
counties  of  Mercer  and  Fayette,  the  rival  competitors  for  the 
seat  of  government,  alternately  struck  five  names  from  the  list 
until  the  commissioners  were  reduced  to  five.  These  last  were 
empowered  to  fix  upon  the  capital. 

The  legislature  was  busily  engaged,  during  its  first  session,  in 
organizing  the  government.  The  judiciary  and  the  revenue 
principally  engaged  their  attention.  Acts  passed,  establishing 
the  supreme  court,  consisting  of  three  judges,  county  courts,  and 
courts  of  quarter  session,  the  latter  having  common  law  and 
chancery  jurisdiction  over  five  pounds,  and  a  court  of  oyer  and 
terminer  composed  of  three  judges,  having  criminal  jurisdiction, 
and  sitting  twice  in  the  year.  Taxes  were  imposed  upon  land, 
cattle,  carriages,  billiard  tables,  ordinary  licenses  and  retail  stores. 

In  the  meantime  Indian  depredations  were  incessant,  and 
General  Washington,  to  the  infinite  distress  of  Kentucky,  perse- 
vered in  the  employment  of  a  regular  force,  instead  of  mounted 
militia,  in  the  north-west.  St.  Clair  was  superseded  and  Gene- 
ral Wayne  became  his  successor.  A  regular  force,  aided  by 
militia,  was  again  to  be  organized,  and  a  final  effort  made  to 
crush  the  hostile  tribes.  General  Wilkinson  received  a  commis- 
sion in  the  regular  service,  and  joined  the  army  of  Wayne.  In 
December,  1792,  Colonel  John  Hardin,  of  Kentucky,  who  had 
commanded  detachments  under  Harmar,  was  sent  as  a  messen- 
ger of  peace  to  the  hostile  tribes,  and  was  murdered  by  them. 
Boats  were  intercepted  at  every  point  on  the  Ohio,  from  the 


46  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

mouth  of  Kenawha  to  Louisville,  and  in  some  cases  their  crews 
murdered.  Stations  upon  the  frontiers,  were  sometimes  boldly- 
attacked,  and  were  kept  perpetually  on  the  alert.  Yet  the  Pres- 
ident was  compelled,  by  public  opinion,  in  the  east,  to  make  an- 
other fruitless  effort  for  peace  with  these  enraged  tribes,  during 
the  pendency  of  which  effort,  all  hostilities  from  Kentucky  were 
strictly  forbidden.  Great  dissatisfaction  and  loud  complaints 
against  the  mismanagement  of  government  were  incessant.  In 
addition  to  the  Indian  war,  the  excise  law  told  with  some  effect 
upon  the  distilleries  of  Kentucky,  and  was  peculiarly  odious. 
Kentucky  had  been  strongly  anti-federal  at  the  origin  of  the 
government,  and  nothing  had  occurred  since  to  change  this  origi- 
nal bias. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1793,  circumstances  occurred  which  fan- 
ned the  passions  of  the  people  into  a  perfect  flame  of  disaffection. 
The  French  Revolution  had  sounded  a  tocsin  which  reverberated 
throughout  the  whole  civilized  world.  The  worn  out  despotisms 
of  Europe,  after  standing  aghast  for  a  moment,  in  doubtful  inac- 
tivity, had  awakened  at  length  into  ill-concerted  combinations 
against  the  young  republic,  and  France  was  engaged  in  a  life 
and  death  struggle,  against  Britain,  Spain,  Prussia,  Austria,  and 
the  German  principalities.  With  this  war  the  United  States  had, 
strictly,  nothing  to  do,  and  the  best  interests  of  the  country  clearty 
required  a  rigid  neutrality ;  which  President  Washington  had  not 
only  sagacity  to  see,  but  firmness  to  enforce  by  a  proclamation, 
early  in  1793.  The  passions  of  the  people,  however,  far  outran 
all  consideration  of  prudence  or  interest,  and  displayed  them- 
selves in  favor  of  France,  with  a  frantic  enthusiasm  which  threat- 
ened perpetually  to  involve  the  country  in  a  disastrous  war  with 
all  the  rest  of  Europe.  The  terrible  energy  which  the  French 
Republic  displayed,  against  such  fearful  odds,  the  haughty  crest 
\nth  which  she  confronted  her  enemies,  and  repelled  them  from 
her  frontier  on  every  point,  presented  a  spectacle  well  calculated 
to  dazzle  the  friends  of  democracy  throughout  the  world.  The 
horrible  atrocities  which  accompanied  these  brilliant  efforts  of 
courage,  were  overlooked  in  the  fervor  of  a  passionate  sym- 
pathy, or  attributed,  in  part,  to  the  exaggerations  of  the  British 
press. 

The  American  people  loved  France  as  their  ally  in  the  Revo- 
lution, and  now  regarded  her  as  a  sister  republic  contending  for 
freedom  against  banded  despots.  The  sympathy  was  natural, 
and  sprang  from  the  noblest  principles  of  the  heart,  but  was  not 
on  that  account,  less  threatening  and  disastrous  to  the  future 
happiness  and  prosperity  of  the  country.  Washington,  fully 
aware  of  the  danger,  boldly  and  firmly  strove  to  restrain  the 
passions  of  his  countrymen  from  overt  acts  of  hostility  to  the 
powers  at  war  with  France,  and  in  so  doing,  brought  upon  him- 
self a  burst  of  passion,  which  put  his  character  to  the  most 
severe  test.  In  no  part  of  the  world  did  the  French  fever  blaze 
more  brightly  than  in  Kentucky.     Attributing  to  EngUsh  perfidy 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  47 

in  refusing  to  surrender  the  western  posts,  the  savage  murders, 
which  desolated  their  frontier,  they  hated  that  nation  with  the 
same  fierce  fervor  w^ith  which  they  loved  France.  The  two  pas- 
sions fanned  each  other,  and  united  with  the  excise  and  the 
Indian  war  in  kindling  a  spirit  of  disaffection  to  the  general  gov- 
ernment, which,  more  than  once,  assumed  a  threatening  aspect. 

Citizen  Genet,  the  ambassador  of  the  French  Republic,  landed 
at  Charleston  in  the  spring  of  1793,  and  was  received  with  a 
burst  of  enthusiasm,  which  seems  completely  to  have  turned  his 
brain.  His  progress  through  the  country  to  New  York,  was  like 
the  triumphant  march  of  a  Roman  conqueror.  Treating  the 
President's  proclamation  of  neutrality  with  contempt,  he  pro- 
ceeded openly  to  arm  and  equip  privateers,  and  to  enlist  crews 
in  American  ports  to  cruize  against  the  commerce  of  England 
and  Spain,  as  if  the  United  States  were  openly  engaged  in  the 
war,  as  an  ally  of  France.  Four  French  agents  were  sent  by 
him  to  Kentucky,  with  orders  to  enlist  an  army  of  two  thousand 
men,  appoint  a  generalissimo,  and  descending  the  Ohio  and  Mis- 
sissippi in  boats,  attack  the  Spanish  settlements  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Mississippi,  and  bring  the  whole  of  that  country  under  the 
dominion  of  the  French  republic.  The  troops  and  officers  were 
to  receive  the  usual  pay  of  French  soldiers,  and  magnificent 
donations  of  land  in  the  conquered  provinces. 

There  was  a  cool  impudence  in  all  this  which  startled  the  minds 
of  many,  but  the  great  mass  were  so  thoroughly  imbued  with 
the  French  fever,  that  they  embraced  the  project  with  ardor,  and 
regarded  the  firm  opposition  of  Washington  with  open  indig- 
nation, expressed  in  the  strongest  terms.  General  George  Rogers 
Clark  accepted  the  office  of  Generalissimo,  with  the  high 
sounding  title  of  "Major  General  in  the  armies  of  France  and 
Commander  in  Chief  of  the  French  Revolutionary  Legions  on 
the  Mississippi,"  and  great  activity  was  displayed  in  enlisting 
men  and  officers  for  the  expedition.  Upon  the  first  intelligence 
of  this  extraordinary  project,  the  President  caused  Governor 
Shelby  to  be  informed  of  it,  and  explaining  to  him  the  mischief 
which  would  result  to  the  United  States,  requested  him  to  warn 
the  citizens  against  it.  The  governor  replied,  that  he  did  not 
believe  that  any  such  project  was  contemplated  in  Kentucky, 
"  That  her  citizens  were  possessed  of  too  just  a  sense  of  the 
obligations  due  to  the  general  government  to  embark  in  such  an 
enterprise." 

In  the  meantime  democratic  societies,  somewhat  in  imitation 
of  the  terrible  Jacobin  clubs  of  France,  were  established  in  the 
east,  and  rapidly  extended  to  Kentucky.  There  were  established 
during  the  summer  of  1793,  one  in  Lexington,  another  in  George- 
town, and  a  third  in  Paris.  Their  spirit  was  violently  anti-fede- 
ral. The  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  the  excise,  the  Indian 
war,  the  base  truckling  to  England,  the  still  baser  desertion  of 
France,  in  the  hour  of  her  terrible  struggle  with  the  leagued  des- 
potism of  the  old  world,  became  subjects  of  passionate  declama- 


48  OUTLINE   HISTORY. 

tion  in  the  clubs,  and  violent  invectives  in  the  papers.  The  pro- 
tracted negotiation  then  in  progress  w^ith  Spain,  relative  to  the 
navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  although  pressed  by  the  executive, 
with  incessant  earnestness,  had  as  yet  borne  no  fruit.  The  sleep- 
less jealousy  of  the  west,  upon  that  subject,  was  perpetually 
goaded  into  distrust  of  the  intentions  of  the  general  government. 
It  was  rumored  that  their  old  enemy,  Jay,  was  about  to  be  sent 
to  England,  to  form  an  alliance  with  that  hated  power,  against 
their  beloved  France ;  and  it  was  insinuated  that  the  old  project, 
of  abandoning  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  would  be  revi- 
ved the  moment  that  the  power  in  Congress  could  be  obtained. 
Under  the  inlluence  of  all  these  circumstances,  it  would  have 
been  difficult  to  find  a  part  of  the  United  States  in  which  anti- 
federal  passions  blazed  more  fiercely  than  in  Kentucky.  The 
French  emissaries  found  their  project  received  with  the  warmest 
favor.  The  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  forever,  M^ould  be 
the  only  direct  benefit  accruing  to  Kentucky,  but  French  pay, 
French  rank,  and  lands  ad  libitum,  were  the  allurements  held  out 
to  the  private  adventurers. 

In  November,  1793,  there  was  a  second  communication  from 
the  President  to  the  governor.  This  stated  that  the  Spanish 
minister,  at  Washington,  had  complained  of  the  armament  pre- 
paring in  Kentucky,  mentioned  the  names  of  the  Frenchmen 
engaged  in  it,  of  whom  Lachaise  and  Depeau  were  chief,  and 
earnestly  exhorted  the  governor  to  suppress  the  enterprise,  by 
every  means  in  his  power,  suggesting  legal  prosecution,  and,  in 
case  of  necessity,  a  resort  to  the  militia.  The  governor  of  the 
north-western  territory  (the  unfortunate  St.  Clair),  about  the 
same  time,  communicated  to  Governor  Shelby,  that  extraordinary 
preparations  seemed  to  be  going  on  for  the  enterprise.  Two  of 
the  French  emissaries  also  wrote  to  the  governor,  and  we  are 
tempted  to  give  the  letter  of  Depeau  in  full.     Here  it  is : 

"  Citizen  Governor, 

It  may  appear  quite  strange  to  write  to  you  on  a  subject,  in 
which,  although  it  is  of  some  consequence.  With  confidence 
from  the  French  ambassador  I  have  been  dispatched  with  more 
Frenchmen  to  join  the  expedition  of  the  Mississippi.  As  I  am  to 
procure  the  provision  I  am  happy  to  communicate  to  you,  what- 
ever you  shall  think  worthy  of  my  notice,  as  I  hope  I  have  in 
no  way  disoblige  you;  if  I  have,  I  will  most  willingly  ask  your 
pardon.  For  no  body  can  be  more  than  1  am,  willing  for  your 
prosperity  and  happiness.  As  some  strange  reports  lias  reached 
my  ears  that  your  excellence  has  positive  orders  to  arrest  all  citi- 
zens inclining  to  our  assistance,  and  as  my  remembrance  know 
by  your  conduct,  in  justice  you  will  satisfy  in  this  uncommon 
request.  Please  let  me  know  as  I  shall  not  malie  my  supply 
till  your  excellence  please  to  honor  me  with  a  small  answer.  I 
am  your  well  wisher  in  remaining  for  the  French  cause,  a  true 
citizen  Democrat.  CHARLES  DEPEAU." 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  49 

"  Postscript.  Please  to  particijxde  some  of  these  hand  bills  to 
that  noble  society  of  democrats.  I  also  enclose  a  paper  from 
Pittsburgh." 

The  governor  replied  to  citizen  Depeau  in  a  grave  and  formal 
manner,  reciting,  at  length,  the  information  and  instructions  he 
had  received  from  the  department  of  state,  and  concluding  with 
the  remark,  that  his  official  position  would  compel  him  to  pay 
some  attention  to  them.  As  to  whether  he  "  participated  "  the 
handbills  to  the  "  noble  society  of  democrats,"  the  voice  of  liis- 
tory  is,  unfortunately,  silent. 

About  the  same  time  General  Wayne  wTOte  to  the  Governor, 
advising  him  that  the  regular  cavalry,  then  wintering  in  Ken- 
tucky, under  the  command  of  Major  Winston,  would  be  subject 
to  his  orders,  and  that  an  additional  force  should  be  furnished,  if 
necessary,  to  repress  any  illegal  expedition  from  Kentucky. 
The  reply  of  the  governor  to  the  secretary  of  state,  is  somewhat 
curious,  and  shows  that  the  views  of  the  brave  and  plain  old 
soldier  had  become  somewhat  warped,  from  their  original  simpli- 
city, by  the  nice  distinctions  and  quibbling  subtleties  of  his  legal 
advisers.     The  following  extracts  from  his  reply  are  given. 

"  I  have  great  doubts,  even  if  they  (General  Clark  and  the 
Frenchmen,)  attempt  to  carry  this  plan  into  execution,  (provided 
they  manage  the  business  with  prudence,)  whether  there  is  any 
legal  authority  to  restrain  or  to  punish  them,  at  least  before  they 
have  actually  accomplished  it.  For  if  it  is  lawful  for  any  one 
citizen  of  this  state  to  leave  it,  it  is  equally  so  for  any  number  of 
them  to  do  it.  It  is  also  lawful  for  them  to  carry  with  them  any 
quantity  of  provisions,  ammunition  and  arms.  And  if  the  act  is 
lawful  in  itself,  there  is  nothing  but  the  intention  with  which  it  is 
done  which  can  make  it  unlawful.  But  I  know  of  no  law  which, 
inflicts  a  punishment  upon  intention  only,  or  any  criterion  by 
which  to  decide  what  would  be  sufficient  evidence  of  that  inten- 
tion." Again  he  says,  "Much  less  would  I  assume  power  to 
exercise  it  against  men  whom  I  consider  as  friends  and  brethren, 
in  favor  of  a  man,  whom  I  view  as  an  enemy  and  a  tyrant.  I 
shall  also  feel  but  little  inclination  to  take  an  active  part  in  pun- 
ishing or  resti'aining  my  fellow  citizens  for  a  supposed  intention 
only,  to  gratify  or  remove  the  fears  of  the  minister  of  a  prince 
■who  openly  withholds  from  us  an  invaluable  right,  and  who  se- 
cretly instigates  against  us  a  most  savage  and  cruel  enemy." 

These  extracts  are  given  as  powerfully  illustrative  of  the 
times.  The  course  of  reasoning  and  passions  disclosed  in  them, 
were  not  peculiar  to  Governor  Shelby,  but  were  shared  by  a  vast 
majority  of  the  citizens  of  every  class.  Upon  receiving  this 
answer,  the  President  gave  orders  to  General  Wayne  to  occupy 
fort  Massac  with  artilleiy,  and  to  take  such  other  steps  as  might 
be  necessary  to  arrest  this  mad  expedition. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  democratic  societies  resorted  to  every 
method  of  inflaming  the  popular  mind  upon  the  subject  of  the 
navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  and  the  jealousy  of  the  east, 
4 


50  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

which  they  contended  was  the  true  cause  of  the  failure  of  the 
general  government  to  procm-e  it  for  them.  They  had  invited  a 
general  meeting  of  the  people  in  Lexington,  in  the  spring  of 
1794,  where  resolutions  were  adopted  of  a  violent  character, 
breathing  the  deepest  hostility  to  the  general  government,  and 
inviting  the  citizens  of  the  different  counties  to  hold  meetings 
and  elect  delegates  to  a  convention,  whose  object  was  not  pre- 
cisely defined,  but  which  looked  in  the  old  direction  of  separation. 
Just  at  this  time,  however,  the  intelligence  came  that  citizen 
Genet  had  been  recalled,  that  his  acts  were  disavow^ed  by  the 
French  government,  and  all  his  proceedings  disapproved.  At 
once,  Messieurs  Lachaise  and  Depeau  lost  all  authority,  General 
Clark  was  stripped  of  his  magnificent  title,  and  the  splendid 
vision  of  conquest  in  the  south,  which  had  dazzled  the  eyes  of 
the  Kentuckians,  vanished  into  air.  The  project  of  a  conven- 
tion, so  fiercely  demanded  by  the  late  resolutions,  fell  still-born, 
and  a  reasonable  degree  of  tranquility  was  restored  to  the  public 
mind. 

In  the  mean  time  preparations  for  another  campaign  against 
the  Indians,  were  incessantly  urged  by  the  President.  During 
the  summer  of  1793,  a  powerful  regular  force  had  been  concen- 
trated at  Cincinnati,  and  a  requisition  was  made  on  Governor 
Shelby  for  one  thousand  mounted  rifleman.  None  would  volun- 
teer, and  a  draft  was  again  resorted  to.  The  reinforcement 
reached  Wayne  in  October,  and  during  its  stay,  had  an  opportu- 
nity of  witnessing  the  energy  and  discipline  infused  into  the 
regular  force  by  its  gallant  commander. 

The  season  was  too  far  advanced  for  active  operations,  and 
the  Kentucky  contingent  was  dismissed  until  the  following  spring. 
A  much  better  opinion  of  the  efficiency  of  a  regular  force  was 
diffused  through  the  country  by  the  return  of  the  mounted  men, 
and  in  the  following  spring,  fifteen  hundred  volunteers  took  the 
field  with  alacrity  under  the  command  of  General  Scott,  and 
joined  the  regular  force  under  Wayne.  That  intrepid  com- 
mander, after  one  more  ineffectual  effort  to  obtain  peace,  marched 
into  the  heart  of  the  hostile  country,  and  on  the  morning  of  the 
20th  of  August,  attacked  them  in  a  formidable  position  which 
they  occupied  near  the  rapids  of  the  Miami.  A  dense  forest,  for 
miles  had  been  overthrown  by  a  tempest,  and  the  Indians  occu- 
pied this  forest,  upon  which  neither  cavalry  nor  artillery  could 
make  any  effectual  impression.  Waj^ne  ordered  the  mounted 
riflemen  to  make  a  circuit  far  to  the  left  and  operate  upon  the 
right  flank  and  rear  of  the  enemy,  while  the  regular  infantry 
was  formed,  under  the  eye  of  the  commander  in  chief,  directly 
in  front  of  the  fallen  timber.  After  allowing  time  for  the 
mounted  men  to  take  their  designated  position,  the  general  or- 
dered the  regulars  to  make  a  rapid  charge  with  the  bayonet 
upon  the  Indian  position,  without  firing  a  shot  until  the  enemy 
should  be  roused  from  their  covert,  and  then  to  deliver  a  general 
fire.     This  order  was  promptly  executed,  and  resulted  in  a  total 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  51 

route  of  the  enemy.  The  conquering  troops  pressed  their  ad- 
vantage, and  never  was  victory  more  complete.  The  action 
was  fought  almost  under  the  guns  of  a  British  fort,  and  the  routed 
enemy  fled  in  that  direction.  It  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty 
that  a  collision  was  prevented,  as  the  Kentucky  troops  were 
violently  incensed  against  the  British,  who  undoubtedly  furnished 
the  Indians  with  arms  and  ammunition.  All  the  houses  and 
stores  around  the  fort  were  destroyed,  notwithstanding  the  spi- 
rited remonstrances  of  the  British  commandant,  but  further  hos- 
tilities were  avoided. 

This  brilliant  success  was  followed  by  the  most  decisive  results. 
A  long  series  of  defeats  had  injured  the  credit  of  the  govern- 
ment, and  the  Indian  tribes  of  the  east  and  south,  gave  indica- 
tions of  a  disposition  to  co-operate  with  their  brethren  in  the 
north-west.  But  the  shock  of  the  victory  at  the  Rapids,  was 
instantly  felt  in  all  quarters.  A  treaty  w^as  made  with  the  hos- 
tile tribes,  which  was  observed  until  the  war  of  1812,  while  the 
Six  Nations  of  the  east,  and  the  Cherokees  in  the  south,  instantly 
became  pacific,  even  to  servility. 

The  effect  in  Kentucky  was  scarcely  less  propitious.  A  better 
feeling  towards  the  general  government  was  instantly  visible, 
which  manifested  itself  by  the  election  of  Humphrey  Marshall, 
in  the  ensuing  winter,  to  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  over 
the  popular  and  talented  John  Breckinridge;  Marshall  being  a 
determined  federalist,  and  his  competitor  a  republican  or 
democrat. 

During  this  winter  an  attempt  was  made  by  the  legislature 
to  remove  by  address  two  of  the  judges  of  the  supreme  court, 
George  Muter  and  Benjamin  Sebastian.  Their  crime  was  a  de- 
cision in  an  important  land  suit,  flagrantly  illegal,  and  which 
would  have  been  most  mischievous  in  its  consequences,  if  adhe- 
red to.  The  effort,  as  usual,  failed,  but  the  court  revised  its 
opinion  and  changed  its  decision.  By  another  act,  the  courts  of 
quarter  session  were  abolished,  as  well  as  the  court  of  oyer  and 
terminer,  and  the  district  courts  established  in  their  places.  All 
the  judges  expired  with  their  courts.  Original  jurisdiction  in 
land  cases  was  also  taken  away  from  the  supreme  court,  and 
conferred  upon  the  district  courts.  An  act  also  passed  obliging 
every  white  male,  over  sixteen,  to  kill  a  certain  number  of  crows 
and  squirrels  annually,  which  is  too  characteristic  of  the  times 
to  be  omitted. 

The  good  humor  created  by  Wayne's  victory  was  sadly  disturb- 
ed by  the  intelligence  received  in  the  spring  of  1795,  that  Jay  had 
concluded  a  treaty  with  Great  Britain,  which,  if  ratified,  would  pro- 
duce the  immediate  surrender  of  the  north-western  posts,  and 
insure  peace,  tranquillity,  and  rapid  appreciation  of  property  in 
Kentucky.  Yet  so  much  more  powerful  is  passion  than  interest, 
that  the  intelligence  of  this  treaty  was  received  with  a  burst  of 
fury,  throughout  Kentucky,  that  knew  no  bounds.  The  people 
regarded  it  as  a  base  desertion  of  an  ancient  friend  struggling 


52  OUTLINE   HISTORY. 

with  a  host  of  enemies,  and  a  cowardly  truckling  to  England, 
from  cold  blooded  policy,  or  a  secret  attachment  to  aristocratic 
institutions.  Their  senator,  Marshall,  with  that  firmness  of  pur- 
pose which  eminently  distinguished  him  through  life,  had  voted 
for  the  conditional  ratification  of  the  treaty,  against  the  washes 
of  a  vast  majority  of  his  constituents.  This  determined  exercise 
of  his  own  judgment,  exposed  him  to  popular  odium,  and  even 
personal  violence  upon  his  return,  from  which  he  made  a  narrow 
escape. 

A  treaty  ^^'ith  Spain  was  also  concluded  in  October,  1795,  by 
which  the  right  to  navigate  the  Mississippi  to  the  ocean,  was 
conceded  to  the  United  States,  together  with  a  right  of  deposit 
at  New  Orleans,  which,  in  efiect,  embraced  all  that  Kentucky 
desired.  Peace  with  the  Indians,  the  surrender  of  the  posts,  the 
navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  had  at  length  been  obtained,  by 
the  incessant  exertions  of  the  general  government,  for  Kentucky. 

But  pending  the  negotiation  with  Spain,  an  intrigue  was  com- 
menced, between  the  agents  of  that  power  and  certain  citizens 
of  Kentucky,  which  was  not  fully  disclosed  to  the  country  until 
the  year  1806,  and  the  full  extent  of  which  is  not  even  yet  cer- 
tainly known.  In  July,  1795,  the  Spanish  governor,  Carondelet, 
dispatched  a  certain  Thomas  Power  to  Kentucky,  with  a  letter 
to  Benjamin  Sebastian,  then  a  judge  of  the  Court  of  Appeals  of 
Kentucky.  In  this  communication  he  alludes  to  the  confidence 
reposed  in  the  judge  by  his  predecessor.  General  Miro,  and  the 
former  correspondence  which  had  passed  between  them.  He  de- 
clared that  his  Catholic  majesty  was  willing  to  open  the  Missis- 
sippi to  the  western  country,  and  to  effect  that  object,  and  to  nego- 
tiate a  treaty,  in  relation  to  this  and  other  matters,  Sebastian 
was  requested  to  have  agents  chosen  by  the  people  of  Kentucky, 
who  should  meet  Colonel  Gayoso,  a  Spanish  agent,  at  IVew 
Madrid,  when  all  matters  could  be  adjusted.  Judge  Sebastian 
communicated  this  letter  to  Judge  Innis,  George  Nicholas  and 
William  Murray,  the  latter  a  very  eminent  la\^yer  of  Kentucky, 
of  the  federal  party,  and  they  all  agreed  that  Sebastian  should 
meet  Gayoso  at  New  Madrid,  and  hear  what  he  had  to  propose. 
The  meeting  accordingly  took  place,  and  the  outline  of  a  treaty 
w^as  agreed  to,  but  before  matters  were  concluded,  intelligence 
was  received  of  the  treaty  concluded  with  Spain  by  the  United 
States,  by  which  the  navigation  was  effectually  and  legoUy  se- 
cured. The  Spanish  governor  broke  up  the  negotiation,  much 
to  the  dissatisfaction  of  Sebastian,  who  concluded  that  the  regidar 
treaty  would  not  be  ratified,  and  preferred  carrying  out  the  ij-rcg- 
vlar  negotiation  then  commenced. 

All  communication  then  ceased,  so  far  as  is  knoAvn,  until  1797. 
The  commissioners  were  busily  engaged  in  marking  the  line  of 
boundary  between  Spain  and  the  United  States,  as  fixed  by  the 
treaty,  when  Carondelet  again  opened  the  negotiation.  His  for- 
mer agent,  Thomas  Power,  again  appeared  in  Louisville,  with  a 
letter  to  Sebastian,  and  a  request  that  Sebastian  would  disclose 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  53 

its  contents  to  Innis,  Nicholas  and  Murray.  Sebastian  positively 
refused  to  hold  any  intercourse  with  Murray,  but  instantly  show- 
ed the  letter  to  Judge  Tunis.  The  scheme  unfolded  in  this  letter 
was,  "  to  withdraw  from  the  federal  union  and  form  an  indepen- 
dent western  government.  To  effect  this  object  it  was  suggested 
that  these  gentlemen  should,  by  a  series  of  eloquently  written 
publications,  dispose  the  public  mind  to  withdraw  from  any  fur- 
ther connection  with  the  Atlantic  States.  In  consideration  of 
the  devotion  of  their  time  and  talents  to  this  purpose,  it  was 
proposed  that  the  sum  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  should  be 
appropriated  to  their  use,  by  his  Catholic  majesty.  Should  any 
one  in  office,  in  Kentucky,  be  deprived  thereof,  on  account  of  his 
connection  with  Spain,  the  full  value  of  said  office  was  to  be 
paid  to  him  by  his  majesty."  This  article  was  inserted  at  the 
suggestion  of  Sebastian. 

To  effect  these  great  objects,  it  was  proposed  that  twenty  pie- 
ces of  field  artillery,  with  a  large  supply  of  small  arms  and  mu- 
nitions of  war,  together  with  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  in 
money,  should  instantly  be  furnished  to  Kentucky  by  the  King  of 
Spain,  as  his  majesty's  quota  in  aid  of  the  enterprise.  Fort 
Massac  was  to  be  seized  instantly,  and  the  federal  troops  were  to 
be  dispossessed  of  all  posts  upon  the  western  waters.  The  only 
stipulation  for  the  benefit  of  his  Catholic  majesty  was  an  exten- 
sion of  his  northern  boundary,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Yazoo,  and 
thence  due  east  to  the  Tombigbee.  For  this  miserable  pittance 
of  desert  territory,  this  corrupt  and  worn  out  despotism  was 
willing  to  violate  its  faith  recently  plighted  in  a  solemn  treaty, 
and,  by  treachery  and  intrigue,  to  sow  the  seeds  of  discord  and 
revolution,  where  all  was  peace  and  confidence.  Such  was  the 
morality  of  courts  in  the  eighteenth  century. 

This  proposal  was  received  by  Sebastian  with  great  coolness, 
and  submitted  to  Innis  for  his  opinion.  The  testimony  of  Innis 
himself  is  all  that  we  have  to  rely  on,  as  to  the  manner  in  which 
he  received  the  proposition.  He  declares  that  he  denounced 
the  proposal  as  dangerous  and  improper,  and  gave  it  as  his  opin- 
ion that  it  ought  to  be  rejected.  Sebastian  concurred  in  this 
opinion,  but  desired  Innis  to  see  Colonel  Nicholas,  and  have  a 
written  answer  prepared  for  Power,  declaring  that  whatever 
they  concurred  in  would  be  approved  by  him.  Innis  saw  Nich- 
olas, who  wrote  a  refusal  couched  in  calm  but  decisive  language, 
which  was  signed  by  them  both,  and  delivered  to  Power,  through 
the  medium  of  judge  Sebastian.  No  disclosure  was  made  by 
either  of  the  parties  of  this  proposal  from  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment. Power,  in  the  mean  time,  visited  Wilkinson,  who  still 
held  a  command  in  the  regular  army,  and  then  was  stationed  in 
garrison  at  Detroit.  Power's  ostensible  object  in  visiting  Wilkin- 
son was  to  deliver  to  him  a  letter  of  remonstrance  from  Governor 
Carondelet,  against  the  United  vStates  taking  immediate  posses- 
sion of  the  posts  on  the  Mississippi.  His  real  object  was,  no 
doubt,  to  sound  him  upon  the  Spanish  proposition.     Power  after- 


64  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

wards  reported  to  Carondelet,  that  Wilkinson  received  him  cold- 
ly, informed  him  that  the  governor  of  the  north-west  had  orders 
from  the  President  to  arrest  him,  and  send  him  on  to  Philadel- 
phia, and  that  there  was  no  way  for  him  to  escape,  but  to  permit 
himself  to  be  conducted,  under  guard,  to  fort  Massac,  whence  he 
could  find  his  way  to  New  Madi-id.  He  states  that  in  their  first 
conference  Willdnson  observed,  bitterly,  "  We  are  both  lost,  witli- 
out  deriving  any  benefit  from  your  journey."  He  pronounced  the 
Spanish  proposal  a  chimerical  project,  that  the  west  having  ob- 
tained, by  the  late  treaty,  all  that  they  desired,  had  no  motive  to 
form  any  connection  with  Spain.  That  the  best  thing  Spain 
could  do,  would  be  honestly  to  comply  with  the  treaty;  that  his 
personal  honor  forbade  him  to  listen  to  the  project;  that  tJie  late 
treaty  had  ovei'turned  all  his  plans,  and  rendered  his  labors  for  ten 
years  useless;  that  he  had  destroyed  his  ciphers,  and  complained 
that  his  secret  had  been  divulged ;  that  he  might  be  named  gover- 
nor of  Natchez,  and  he  might  then,  perhaps,  have  power  to  realize 
his  political  projects. 

In  this  report  to  Carondelet,  Power  represents  Sebastian  as 
speaking  to  him  in  a  more  encouraging  tone  of  the  prospect  of 
a  union  of  Kentucky  with  Spain.  Sebastian  expressed  the  opin- 
ion that,  in  case  of  a  war  with  Spain,  Kentucky  might  be  induced 
to  take  part  against  the  Atlantic  States.  In  conclusion.  Power 
gives  his  own  opinion,  that  nothing  short  of  a  war  with  France  or 
the  denial  of  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  could  induce  Ken- 
tucky to  separate  herself  from  the  eastern  States.  After  visiting 
Wilkinson,  instead  of  returning  to  Louisville,  as  he  had  at  first 
intended,  he  was  sent,  by  Wilkinson,  under  escort  of  Captain 
Shaumbergh,  of  the  United  States'  army,  to  fort  Massac,  and 
thence  returned  to  New  Madrid.  At  Massac  he  received  from 
Sebastian  the  letter  of  Nicholas  and  Innis.  Nothing  certainly 
was  known  of  the  particulars  of  this  transaction,  until  1806, 
when  it  became  public  that  Sebastian  had  received  a  pension  of 
two  thousand  dollars  from  Spain,  from  about  1795  to  1806. 

After  the  English  and  Spanish  treaties  had  been  ratified, 
Washington  retired  from  office,  and  John  Adams,  greatly  to  the 
dissatisfaction  of  Kentucky,  was  elected  President  of  the  United 
States.  The  eyes  of  the  people  became  henceforth  directed  to 
the  general  government,  and  they  participated  fiercely  in  the  old 
party  struggle  of  federalist  and  republican,  or  democrat.  If  the 
administration  of  Washington  was  unpopular,  that  of  Adams 
was  absolutely  odious,  in  Kentucky.  In  no  part  of  the  Union 
were  his  measures  denounced  with  more  bitterness,  nor  his 
downfall  awaited  with  more  impatience. 

The  only  domestic  question  which  excited  much  interest,  was 
the  propriety  of  calling  a  convention  to  revise  the  old  constitu- 
tion. The  people  were  becoming  weary  of  seeing  the  governor 
and  senate  removed  so  far  from  their  control,  and  equally  weary 
of  the  sheriffs,  which  popular  suffrage  had  given  them.  Accord- 
ing to  the  provisions  of  the  constitution,  a  poll  was  opened  in 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  55 

May,  1797,  and  the  votes  of  the  citizens  taken  for  or  against  a 
convention.  There  were  5446  votes  given  for  a  convention, 
out  of  9814  votes  regularly  returned.  But  five  counties  did  not 
return  the  whole  number  of  their  votes,  and  the  result  was 
doubtful. 

A  second  vote  was  given  in  May,  1798,  and  there  were  returned 
8804  for  a  convention,  out  of  11,853  votes  returned.  But  no  less 
than  ten  counties  failed  to  return  the  whole  number  of  their 
votes,  and  eight  counties  did  not  vote  at  all  on  the  subject.  It  is 
certain  that  there  Avas  not  a  majority  for  a  convention  upon  the 
first  vote,  and  probably  not  upon  the  second.  By  the  constitu- 
tion, a  majority  of  all  the  legal  votes  was  required  two  years  in 
succession,  or  else  a  majority  of  two-thirds  of  the  legislature. 
So  far  as  the  vote  of  the  people  was  concerned  the  convention 
had  failed,  but  the  legislature,  believing  such  to  be  the  will  of 
their  constituents,  called  a  convention,  by  a  constitutional  major- 
ity, in  the  session  of  1798 — 9. 

This  session  was  rendered  memorable,  also,  by  the  passage  of 
certain  resolutions  declaratory  of  the  powers  of  the  general  gov- 
ernment, and  the  rights  and  privileges  of  the  States.  At  the 
opening  of  the  session.  Governor  Garrard,  who  had  succeeded 
Shelby,  in  his  address  to  the  legislatm-e,  denounced  severely,  the 
acts  recently  passed  by  congress,  commonly  known  as  the  alien 
and  sedition  laws.  Early  in  the  session  a  series  of  resolutions, 
which  were  originally  drawn  up  by  Mr.  Jefferson,  were  presented  to 
the  house  by  John  Breckenridge,  the  representative  from  Fayette, 
and  almost  unanimously  adopted.  The  only  member  who  spoke 
against  them,  and  steadily  voted,  generally  alone,  against  the 
whole  series,  was  that  William  Murray,  to  whom,  in  conjunction 
with  others,  the  letter  of  Carondelet  was  directed,  and  with 
whom  Sebastian  refused  to  hold  any  communication  on  the  sub- 
ject. These  resolutions,  taken  in  connection  with  those  passed 
at  the  succeeding  session,  in  substance  declare,  "  That  the  con- 
stitution of  the  United  States  is  a  compact  between  the  several 
States,  as  States,  each  sovereign  State  being  an  integral  party  to 
that  compact.  That  as  in  other  compacts  between  equal  sove- 
reigns, who  have  no  common  judge,  each  party  has  the  right  to 
interpret  the  compact  for  itself,  and  is  bound  by  no  interpretation 
but  its  own.  That  the  general  government  has  no  final  right  in 
any  of  its  branches,  to  interpret  the  extent  of  its  own  powers. 
That  these  powers  are  limited,  within  certain  prescribed  bounds, 
and  that  all  acts  of  the  general  government,  not  warranted  by 
its  powers,  may  properly  be  nullified  by  a  State,  within  its  own 
boundaries."  These  resolutions  are  remarkable,  as  clearly  ex- 
pressing the  political  views  of  Mr.  Jefferson,  at  the  time,  and  as 
containing,  not  merely  the  germ,  but  the  fully  developed  doctrine 
of  nul/i/ication,  which  has  since  become  so  celebrated,  and  which 
has  since  been  so  heartily  and  strongly  denounced,  not  only  by 
Kentucky,  but  almost  every  other  State  in  the  Union. 

A  copy  of  the  resolutions  was  sent  to  each  State  in  the  Union, 


56  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

and  were  assented  to  by  none,  save  Virginia.  Some  of  her  sister 
sovereigns  handled  the  Kentucky  doctrine  vt^ith  great  roughness, 
and  exposed  its  falsehood  with  merciless  severity.  The  resolu- 
tions were  approved  by  Governor  Garrard,  and  thus  fastened  upon 
Kentucky  the  mark  of  nullification,  until  the  session  of  1832, 
when  the  true  doctrine  was  strongly  proclaimed. 

In  the  spring  of  1799  the  members  of  the  convention  were 
elected,  and  in  July  that  body  assembled,  and  adopted  the  pre- 
sent constitution.  In  June,  1800,  the  new  constitution  went 
into  operation.  James  Garrard  was  re-elected  governor,  and 
Alexander  Bullitt  lieutenant-governor.  Never  was  a  govern- 
ment changed  with  so  little  sensation.  But  the  indifference  of 
Kentucky  to  a  change  of  government  did  not  extend  to  national 
affairs.  The  defeat  of  Adams  and  the  election  of  Jefferson,  the 
downfall  of  the  federalists,  and  the  exaltation  of  the  republican 
or  democratic  party,  produced  a  whirlwind  under  which  the  Union 
rocked  to  its  foundation.  Kentucky,  with  great  unanimity,  sup- 
ported Jefferson,  and  no  State  exulted  more  in  his  election. 

In  the  winter  session  of  1801,  the  legislature  of  Kentucky 
repealed  the  act  establishing  district  courts,  and  established  the 
circuit  courts  as  they  now  exist.  At  the  same  session  an  insu- 
rance company  was  chartered  in  Lexington,  to  which  banking 
powers  were  given,  by  a  clause,  which  was  not  thoroughly  under- 
stood by  the  members  who  voted  for  it,  and  thus  was  the  first 
bank  chartered  in  Kentucky.  The  political  party  which  then 
controlled  Kentucky  held  banks  in  horror,  and  never  would 
have  passed  the  bill,  had  they  understood  its  provisions. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


In  the  year  1802,  Kentucky,  in  common  with  the  whole  west- 
ern country,  was  thrown  into  a  ferment,  by  the  suspension  of 
the  American  right  of  deposit  at  New  Orleans,  which  had  been 
guarantied  by  the  Spanish  treaty  for  three  years,  with  the  further 
provision,  that  at  the  end  of  three  years,  should  the  right  of  de- 
posit at  New  Orleans  be  withheld,  some  other  place  should  be 
afforded,  for  the  same  purpose,  near  the  mouth  of  that  river. 
This  right  was  now  refused  by  Morales,  the  Spanish  intendant, 
and  no  equivalent  place  of  deposit  was  granted.  The  treaty  was 
evidently  violated,  and  the  commerce  of  the  west  struck  at  in  its 
most  vital  point.  The  excitement  increased,  when  it  was  under- 
stood that  Louisiana  had  been  ceded  to  France,  and  that  this 
important  point  was  held  by  Napoleon,  then  first  consul  of  the 
republic. 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  57 

A  motion  was  made  in  the  senate  of  the  United  States  to 
authorize  President  Jefferson  instantly  to  take  and  hold  possession 
of  New  Orleans;  but  milder  counsels  prevailed,  and  Mr.  Monroe 
was  dispatched  to  France,  in  order  to  arrange  this  difficulty  with 
tlie  first  consul.  He  found  Napoleon  on  the  eve  of  a  rupture 
with  Great  Britain,  and  fully  impressed  with  the  utter  impossi- 
bility of  retaining  so  distant  and  so  assailable  a  colony  as  Lou- 
isiana, while  Great  Britain  ruled  the  seas.  He  determined  to 
place  it  beyond  the  reach  of  the  English  navy,  by  selling  it  to  the 
Americans,  before  the  English  could  equip  an  expedition  against 
it,  which  he  plainly  saw  would  be  one  of  the  first  measures 
adopted,  after  the  rupture  of  the  peace  of  Amiens.  The  Ameri- 
can minister  expected  to  negotiate  for  a  place  of  deposit  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river,  and  was  informed  that  for  the  trifling  sum  of 
fifteen  millions  he  could  purchase  a  magnificent  empire. 

No  time  was  lost  in  closing  this  extraordinary  sale,  as  Bona- 
parte evidently  apprehended  that  Louisiana  would  be  taken  by 
the  British  fleet,  within  six  months  after  hostilities  commenced. 
And  thus  the  first  great  annexation  of  territory  to  the  United 
States  was  accomplished.  The  Floridas,  Oregon,  Texas,  have 
followed,  and  the  end  is  not  yet. 

In  1804,  Christopher  Greenup  was  elected  governor  of  Ken- 
tucky, and  Mr.  Jefferson  was  re-elected  President  of  the  L^nited 
States,  without  any  organized  opposition.  So  popular  and  bril- 
liant had  been  his  administration. 

Aaron  Burr,  who  had  been  elected  Vice  President  in  1801,  had 
lost  the  confidence  of  his  party,  and  was  at  variance  with  the 
President.  In  1805,  this  extraordinary  man  first  made  his  ap- 
pearance in  Kentucky,  and  visited  Lexington  and  Louisville.  He 
then  passed  on  to  Nashville,  St.  Louis,  Natchez,  and  New  Orleans, 
and  again  returned  to  Lexington,  where  he  remained  for  some 
time.  General  Wilkinson,  at  this  time,  commanded  the  United 
States'  troops  in  Louisiana,  and  the  affairs  of  the  United  States 
with  Spain  were  in  an  unsatisfactory  state.  That  miserable 
power  resented  the  purchase  of  Louisiana,  by  the  United  States, 
and  assumed  a  sulkiness  of  demeanor  somewhat  resembling  that 
of  Mexico  in  more  modern  times.  In  the  spring  of  1806,  their 
forces  advanced  to  the  Sabine,  in  somewhat  hostile  array,  and 
General  Wilkinson  had  orders  to  be  upon  the  alert,  and  repel 
them  if  they  should  cross  that  barrier.  Such  was  the  aspect  of 
affairs,  when  in  1806,  colonel  Burr  again  appeared  in  the  west, 
spending  a  large  portion  of  his  time  at  Blannerhasset's  Island, 
on  the  Ohio  river,  but  being  seen  in  Lexington,  Nashville  and 
Louisville. 

This  extraordinary  man  having  quarreled  with  the  President, 
and  lost  caste  with  the  republican  party,  endeavored  to  retrieve 
his  political  fortunes  by  becoming  a  candidate  for  the  office  of 
governor,  in  New  York,  in  opposition  to  the  regular  democratic 
candidate.  He  was  supported  by  the  mass  of  the  federalists 
and  a  small  section  of  the  democrats  who  still  adhered  to  him. 


58  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

He  lost  his  election  chiefly  by  the  influence  of  Hamilton,  who 
scrupled  not  to  represent  him  as  unworthy  of  political  trust,  and 
deprived  him  of  the  cordial  support  of  the  federalists.  Deeply 
stung  by  his  defeat,  Burr  turned  fiercely  upon  his  illustrious  an- 
tagonist, and  killed  him  in  a  duel.  Hamilton  was  idolized  by 
the  federalists,  and  even  his  political  adversaries  were  not  insen- 
sible to  his  many  lofty  and  noble  qualities.  Burr  found  himself 
abandoned  by  the  mass  of  the  democrats,  regarded  with  abhor- 
rence by  the  federalists,  and  banished  from  all  the  legitimate  and 
honorable  walks  of  ambition.  In  this  desperate  state  of  his  po- 
litical fortunes,  he  sought  the  west,  and  became  deeply  involved 
in  schemes  as  desperate  and  daring  as  any  which  the  annals  of 
ill  regulated  ambition  can  furnish. 

The  ground  work  of  his  plan,  undoubtedly,  was  to  organize  a 
military  force  upon  the  western  waters,  descend  the  Mississippi, 
and  wrest  from  Spain  an  indefinite  portion  of  her  territory  ad- 
joining the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  southwestern  portion  of  the 
United  States,  embracing  New  Orleans  and  the  adjacent  territory, 
was,  either  by  force  or  persuasion,  to  become  a  part  of  the  new 
empire,  of  which  New  Orleans  was  to  become  the  capital,  and 
Burr  the  chief,  under  some  one  of  the  many  names,  which,  in 
modern  times,  disguise  despotic  power  under  a  republican  guise. 
These  were  the  essential  and  indispensable  features  of  the  plan. 
But  if  circumstances  were  favorable,  the  project  was  to  extend 
much  farther,  and  the  whole  country  west  of  the  Alleghenies 
was  to  be  wrested  from  the  American  Union,  and  to  become  a 
portion  of  this  new  and  magnificent  empire. 

Mad  and  chimerical  as  this  project  undoubtedly  was,  when  the 
orderly  and  law-respecting  character  of  the  American  people  is 
considered,  yet  the  age  in  which  it  was  conceived  had  witnessed 
wonders,  which  had  far  outstripped  the  sober  calculations  of  phi- 
losophy and  surpassed  the  limits  of  probable  fiction.  When  the 
historian,  Gibbon,  was  closing  his  great  work  upon  the  decline 
and  fall  of  the  Roman  empire,  he  expressed  the  opinion  that  the 
age  of  great  and  startling  revolutions  had  passed  away,  never  to 
return ;  that  mankind  had  become  sobered  down  by  centuries  of 
experience,  to  a  tame  and  moderate  level,  which  would  not  admit 
of  those  brilliant  materials  for  history  which  the  past  had  af- 
forded. Scarcely  had  this  opinion  been  recorded,  when  the  great 
drama  opened  in  France,  and  for  twenty-five  years,  the  world 
stood  aghast  at  the  series  of  magnificent  and  wonderful  pageants, 
which  moved  before  them  in  the  wild  confusion  of  a  feverish 
dream.  Kings  became  beggars,  and  peasants  became  kings. 
Ancient  kingdoms  disappeared,  and  new  and  brilliant  republics 
sprung  up  in  their  places.  Names,  boundaries,  ranks,  titles,  reli- 
gions, all  were  tossed  about  like  withered  leaves  before  the  wind. 
A  lieutenant  in  a  French  regiment  had  mounted  to  the  throne  of 
western  Europe,  and  drummers,  corporals  and  privates,  had  be- 
come dukes,  princes,  and  kings. 

It  was  not  wonderful,  then,  that  a  man  like  Burr,  ostracised  in 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  59 

the  east,  and  desperate  in  his  fortunes,  abounding  in  talent,  energy, 
and  courage,  should  have  determined  in  the  new  world,  like  the 
Corsican  in  the  old,  to  stand  the  hazard  of  the  die,  for  empire  or 
a  grave.  The  unsettled  relations  then  existing  with  Spain  af- 
forded a  specious  cloak  to  his  enterprise,  and  enabled  him  to 
give  it  a  character  suitable  to  the  temper  of  the  persons  whom 
he  addressed.  To  the  daring  youth  of  the  west,  desirous  of 
military  adventure,  he  could  represent  it  as  an  irregular  expedi- 
tion to  be  undertaken  upon  private  account,  against  the  posses- 
sions of  a  nation  with  whom  the  United  States  would  shortly  be 
at  war.  It  was  upon  land  what  privateering  was  upon  the  ocean. 
He  could  hint  to  them  that  the  United  States'  government  would 
connive  at  the  expedition,  but  could  not  openly  countenance  it  until 
hostilities  actually  commenced.  There  is  little  doubt  that  many 
concurred  in  the  enterprise,  without  being  aware  of  its  treasonable 
character,  while  it  is  certain  that  to  others  the  scheme  was  expo- 
sed in  its  full  deformity. 

In  the  prosecution  of  his  object,  he  applied  himself  with  sin- 
gular address  to  any  one  who  could  be  useful  to  him  in  forwarding 
the  great  scheme.  Blannerhasset's  Island  lay  directly  in  his  path, 
and  he  fixed  his  keen  eye  upon  the  proprietor  as  one  who  could 
be  useful  to  him.  This  unfortunate  man  was  an  Irish  gentleman, 
reputed  to  be  of  great  wealth,  married  to  a  beautiful  and  accom- 
plished woman,  secluded  and  studious  in  his  habits,  devoted  to 
natural  science,  and  as  unfitted  for  the  turbulent  struggle  of  ac- 
tive ambitious  life,  as  Burr  was  for  those  simple  and  quiet  pur- 
suits, in  which  his  victim  found  enjoyment  and  happiness.  Blan- 
nerhasset's wealth,  though,  could  be  employed  to  advantage. 
Burr  opened  the  correspondence  by  a  flattering  request  to  be 
permitted  to  examine  Blannerhasset's  grounds  and  garden,  which 
had  been  improved  at  great  expense.  Once  admitted,  he  em- 
ployed all  the  address  and  eloquence  of  wliich  he  was  master, 
in  turning  the  whole  current  of  Blannerhasset's  thoughts,  from 
the  calm  sedentary  pursuits  in  which  he  had  hitherto  delighted, 
to  those  splendid  visions  of  empire,  greatness  and  wealth,  with 
which  his  own  ardent  imagination  was  then  so  fiercely  glowing. 
No  better  evidence  of  Burr's  power  need  be  desired,  than  the 
absolute  command  which  he  obtained  over  the  will  and  fortune 
of  this  man.  He  moulded  him  to  his  purpose,  inspired  him  with 
a  frantic  enthusiasm  in  his  cause,  and  obtained  complete  com- 
mand of   all  that  Blannerhasset  had  to  offer. 

The  scheme  of  separation  from  the  Atlantic  States  had  been 
too  much  agitated  in  Kentucky,  not  to  have  left  some  materials 
for  Burr  to  work  upon,  and  that  he  neglected  no  opportunity  of 
rallying  the  fragments  of  the  old  party,  may  be  readily  believed. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  General  Adair  concurred  in  his  scheme, 
so  far  as  an  expedition  against  the  Spanish  provinces  was  con- 
cerned; and  it  is  certain  that  Burr  himself  calculated  upon  the 
co-operation  of  Wilkinson,  and  held  frequent  intercourse  with 
him.     During  the  summer  of  1806,  the  public  mind  in  Kentucky, 


60  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

became  agitated  by  rumors  of  secret  expeditions  and  conspira- 
cies, in  which  Burr  and  others  were  implicated,  but  all  was 
wrapped  in  mystery  and  doubt. 

At  length  a  paper  entitled  the  "  Western  "World,"  published  in 
Frankfort,  by  Wood  &  Street,  came  out  with  a  series  of  articles, 
in  which  the  old  intrigue  of  Sebastian  with  Power,  and  the  pre- 
sent project  of  Burr,  were  blended,  in  a  somewhat  confused  man- 
ner, and  some  round  assertions  of  facts  were  made,  and  some 
names  implicated  which  created  no  small  sensation.  Sebastian, 
then  a  judge  of  the  supreme  court,  was  boldly  asserted  to  be  an 
intriguer  with  Spain,  and  a  pensioner  of  the  Spanish  crown. 
Innis,  then  a  judge  of  the  federal  court ;  Brown,  a  senator  in  Con- 
gress from  Kentucky ;  Wilkinson,  a  general  in  the  regular  army, 
were  all  implicated.  Burr  was  plainly  denounced  as  a  traitor, 
and  the  whole  of  his  scheme  was  unfolded.  There  was  a  mix- 
ture of  truth  and  error  in  these  articles,  which  no  one  w^as 
then  able  to  separate,  and  the  public  mind  was  completely  bewil- 
dered at  the  number  of  atrocious  plots  which  were  exposed,  and 
at  the  great  names  implicated.  The  friends  of  some  of  the  par- 
ties violently  resented  the  articles,  and  pistols  and  dirks  were  re- 
sorted to,  to  silence  the  accusation.  But  the  paper  sturdily  ad- 
hered to  its  charges,  and  an  address  was  prepared  and  published, 
to  the  legislature  elected  in  1806,  praying  an  inquiry  into  the 
conduct  of  Sebastian,  which  was  circulated  among  the  people 
for  signatures,  and  was  signed  by  a  great  number,  particularly  in 
the  county  of  Woodford. 

In  the  meantime  Colonel  Joseph  Hamilton  Daviess,  the  attor- 
ney for  the  United  States,  appeared  in  open  com't,  before  Judge 
Innis  on  the  3d  of  November,  and  moved  for  process  to  compel 
the  attendance  of  Burr,  before  the  court,  to  answer  to  a  charge 
of  a  high  misdemeanor,  in  organizing  a  military  expedition 
against  a  friendly  power,  from  within  the  territory  and  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  United  States.  This  motion  was  grounded  upon  the 
oath  of  the  attorney,  setting  forth  with  great  accuracy  the  prepa- 
rations then  being  made  by  Burr,  and  imputing  to  him  designs 
which  subsequent  events  proved  to  have  been  well  understood 
by  the  attorney.  This  startling  affidavit  created  immense  sen- 
sation at  the  time.  Burr  was  then  popular  in  Kentucky,  and 
was  caressed  and  countenanced  by  her  most  eminent  citizens.  Da- 
viess was  greatly  admired,  for  those  splendid  powers  of  eloquence 
which  he  possessed,  in  a  degree  rarely  if  ever  surpassed,  but  la- 
bored under  the  odium  of  being  an  incurable  federalist,  and 
equally  bold  and  eloquent  in  expressing  his  opinions.  Nine- 
tenths  of  the  public  at  the  time,  were  startled  at  the  boldness  of 
the  accusation,  and  seem  to  have  attributed  it  to  the  well  known 
hatred  of  the  federalists  to  Colonel  Burr.  Be  the  cause,  how- 
ever, what  it  might,  the  public  feeling  was  strong  in  favor  of 
Burr,  and  against  the  attorney,  who  was  boldly  and  manfully 
discharging  his  duty.  Judge  Innis  took  time  to  consider  the  ap- 
plication, and  after  two  days,  overruled  the  motion. 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  61 

Colonel  Burr  was  in  Lexington  at  the  time,  and  was  informed 
of  the  motion  made  by  Daviess,  in  an  incredibly  short  space  of 
time  after  it  was  made.  He  entered  the  court-house  shortly 
after  Innis  had  over-ruled  the  motion,  and  addressed  the  judge 
with  a  grave  and  calm  dignity  of  manner,  which  increased  if  pos- 
sible the  general  prepossession  in  his  favor.  He  spoke  of  the  late 
motion  as  one  which  had  greatly  surprised  him,  insinuated  that 
Daviess  had  reason  to  believe  that  he  was  absent,  upon  business 
of  a  private  but  pressing  nature,  which  it  was  well  known  re- 
quired his  immediate  attention,  that  the  judge  had  treated  the  ap- 
plication as  it  deserved,  but  as  it  might  be  renewed  by  the  attor- 
ney in  his  absence,  he  preferred  that  the  judge  should  entertain 
.the  motion  now,  and  he  had  voluntarily  appeared  in  order  to  give 
the  gentleman  an  opportunity  of  proving  his  charge.  Nowise 
disconcerted  by  the  lofty  tranquillity  of  Burr's  manner,  than 
which  nothing  could  be  more  imposing,  Daviess  promptly  ac- 
cepted the  challenge,  and  declared  himself  ready  to  proceed  as 
soon  as  he  could  procure  the  attendance  of  his  witnesses.  After 
consulting  with  the  marshal,  Daviess  announced  his  opinion  that 
his  witnesses  could  attend  on  the  ensuing  Wednesday,  and  with 
the  acquiescence  of  Burr,  that  day  was  fixed  upon  by  the  court 
for  the  investigation. 

Burr  awaited  the  day  of  trial  with  an  easy  tranquillity,  which 
seemed  to  fear  no  danger,  and  on  Wednesday  the  court-house 
was  crowded  to  suffocation.  Daviess  upon  counting  his  wit- 
nesses, discovered  that  Davis  Floyd,  one  of  the  most  important, 
was  absent,  and  with  great  reluctance,  asked  a  postponement  of 
the  case.  The  judge  instantly  discharged  the  grand  jury.  Colo- 
nel Burr  then  appeared  at  the  bar,  accompanied  by  his  counsel, 
Henry  Clay  and  Colonel  Allen.  The  first  of  these  gentlemen 
had  emigrated  to  Kentucky  from  Virginia,  in  1798,  and  had  early 
attracted  attention  by  the  boldness  with  which  he  had  advocated 
a  provision  in  the  new  constitution  for  the  gradual  emancipation 
of  slaves  in  Kentucky,  then  as  now  a  subject  of  great  delicacy. 
He  had  already  given  indications  of  those  extraordinary  powers 
of  eloquence,  and  that  daring  boldness  of  character,  which  have 
since  shone  out  with  such  surpassing  splendor.  Allen  was  a 
lawyer  of  character  and  celebrity,  whose  early  and  lamentable 
death,  in  the  war  with  Great  Britain,  we  shall  have  occasion 
hereafter  to  notice.  Colonel  Burr  arose  in  court,  expressed  his 
regret  that  the  grand  jury  had  been  discharged,  and  inquired  the 
reason.  Colonel  Daviess  replied,  and  added  that  Floyd  was  then 
in  Indiana,  attending  a  session  of  the  territorial  legislature. 
Burr  calmly  desired  that  the  cause  of  the  postponement  might 
be  entered  upon  the  record,  as  well  as  the  reason  why  Floyd  did 
not  attend.  He  then  \vith  great  self-possession,  and  \\\X\i  an  air 
of  candor  difficult  to  be  resisted,  addressed  the  court  and  crowded 
audience,  upon  the  subject  of  the  accusation.  His  style  was 
without  ornament,  passion  or  fervor ;  but  the  spell  of  a  great 
mind,  and  daring  but  calm  spirit,  was  felt  with  singular  power 


62  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

by  all  who  heard  him.  He  hoped  that  the  good  people  of  Ken- 
tucky would  dismiss  their  apprehensions  of  danger  from  him,  if 
any  such  really  existed.  There  was  really  no  ground  for  them, 
however  zealously  the  attorney  might  strive  to  awaken  them. 
He  was  engaged  in  no  project,  inimical  to  the  peace  or  tran- 
quillity of  the  country,  as  they  would  certainly  learn,  whenever 
the  attorney  should  be  ready,  which  he  greatly  apprehended  would 
never  be.  In  the  mean  time,  although  private  business  urgently 
demanded  his  presence  elsewhere,  he  felt  compelled  to  give  the 
attorney  one  more  opportunity  of  proving  his  charge,  and  would 
patiently  await  another  attack. 

Upon  the  25th  of  November,  Colonel  Daviess  informed  the 
court,  that  Floyd  would  attend  on  the  2d  December  following, 
and  another  grand  jury  was  summoned  to  attend  on  that  day. 
Colonel  Burr  came  into  court,  attended  by  the  same  counsel  as  on 
the  former  occasion,  and  coolly  awaited  the  expected  attack. 
Daviess,  with  evident  chagrin,  again  announced  that  he  was  not 
ready  to  proceed,  that  John  Adair  had  been  summoned  and  was 
not  in  attendance,  and  that  his  testimony  was  indispensable 
to  the  prosecution.  He  again  asked  a  postponement  of  the  case, 
for  a  few  days,  and  that  the  grand  jury  should  be  kept  enpannelled 
until  he  could  compel  the  attendance  of  Adair  by  attachment. 

Burr  upon  the  present  occasion  remained  silent,  and  entirely 
unmoved  by  any  thing  which  occurred.  Not  so  his  counsel. 
A  most  animated  and  impassioned  debate  sprung  up,  intermin- 
gled with  sharp  and  flashing  personalities  between  Clay  and  Da- 
viess. Never  did  two  more  illustrious  orators  encounter  each 
other  in  debate.  The  enormous  mass,  which  crowded  to 
sufl^ocation,  the  floor,  the  galleries,  the  windows,  the  plat-form 
of  the  judge,  remained  still  and  breathless  for  hours,  while  these 
renowned,  and  immortal  champions,  stimulated  by  mutual  rivalry 
and  each  glowing  with  the  ardent  conviction  of  right,  encoun- 
tered each  other  in  splendid  intellectual  combat.  Clay  had  the 
sympathies  of  the  audience  on  his  side,  and  was  the  leader  of 
the  popular  party  in  Kentucky.  Daviess  was  a  federalist,  and 
was  regarded  as  persecuting  an  innocent  and  unfortunate  man, 
from  motives  of  political  hate.  But  he  was  buoyed  up  by  the  full 
conviction  of  Burr's  guilt,  and  the  delusion  of  the  people  on  the 
subject,  and  the  very  infatuation  which  he  beheld  around  him, 
and  the  smiling  security  of  the  traitor,  who  sat  before  him,  stirred 
his  great  spirit  to  one  of  its  most  brilliant  efforts.  All,  however, 
was  in  vain.  Judge  Tunis  refused  to  retain  the  grand  jury,  unless 
some  business  was  brought  before  them;  and  Daviess,  in  order  to 
gain  time,  sent  up  to  them  an  indictment  against  John  Adair, 
which  was  pronounced  by  the  grand  jury  "not  a  true  bill."  The 
hour  being  late,  Daviess  then  moved  for  an  attachment  to  com- 
pel the  attendance  of  Adair,  which  was  resisted  by  Burr's  coun- 
sel, and  refused  by  the  court,  on  the  ground  that  Adair  was  not 
in  contempt  until  the  day  had  expired.  Upon  the  motion  of  Da- 
viess the  court  then  adjourned  until  the  ensuing  day. 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  63 

In  the  interval,  Daviess  had  a  private  interview  vv^ith  the  judge, 
and  obtained  from  him  an  expression  of  the  opinion  that  it  would 
be  allowable  for  him  as  prosecutor  to  attend  the  grand  jury  in 
their  room,  and  examine  the  witnesses,  in  order  to  explain  to 
them  the  connexion  of  the  detached  particles  of  evidence, 
which  his  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  plot  would  enable  him 
to  do,  and  without  which  the  grand  jury  would  scarcely  be  able 
to  comprehend  their  bearing.  When  the  court  resumed  its  sit- 
ting on  the  following  morning,  Daviess  moved  to  be  permitted  to 
attend  the  grand  jury  in  their  room.  This  was  resisted  by  Burr's 
counsel  as  novel  and  unprecedented,  and  refused  by  the  court. 
The  grand  jury  then  retired,  witnesses  were  sworn  and  sent  up 
to  them,  and  on  the  fifth  of  the  month  they  returned,  as  Daviess 
had  expected  "  not  a  true  bill."  In  addition  to  this,  the  grand 
jury  returned  into  court  a  written  declaration,  signed  by  the 
whole  of  them,  in  which  from  all  the  evidence  before  them  they 
completely  exonerated  Burr  from  any  design  inimical  to  the  peace 
or  well  being  of  the  country.  Colonel  Allen  instantly  moved  the 
court  that  a  copy  of  the  report  of  the  grand  jury  should  be  taken 
and  published  in  the  newspapers,  which  was  granted.  The  po- 
pular current  ran  with  great  strength  in  his  favor,  and  the  United 
States'  attorney  for  the  time  was  overwhelmed  with  obloquy. 

The  acquittal  of  Burr  was  celebrated  in  Frankfort,  by  a  bril- 
liant ball,  numerously  attended ;  which  was  followed  by  another 
ball,  given  in  honor  of  the  baffled  attorney,  by  those  friends  who 
believed  the  charge  to  be  just,  and  that  truth  for  the  time  had 
been  baffled  by  boldness,  eloquence,  and  delusion.  At  one  of 
these  parties  the  editor  of  the  "  Western  World,"  who  had  boldly 
sounded  the  alarm,  was  violently  attacked,  with  the  view  of  driv- 
ing him  from  the  ball  room,  and  was  rescued  with  difficulty. 

These  events  are  given  as  striking  indications  of  the  tone  of 
public  feeling  at  the  time.  Before  Mr.  Clay  took  any  active  part 
as  the  counsel  of  Burr,  he  required  of  him  an  explicit  disavowal, 
upon  his  Jionor,  that  he  was  engaged  in  no  design  contrary  to  the 
laws  and  peace  of  the  country.  This  pledge  was  promptly 
given  by  Burr,  in  language  the  most  broad,  comprehensive  and 
particular,  "//b  had  no  design,''^  he  said,  ^Ho  intermeddle  with,  or  dis- 
twh  the  tranquillity  of  the  United  States,  nor  its  territories,  nor  any 
■part  of  them.  He  had  neither  issued  nor  signed,  nor  promised  a  com- 
mission, to  any  person,  for  any  purpose.  He  did  not  own  a  single 
musket,  nor  bayonet,  nor  any  single  article  of  military  stores,  nor  did 
any  other  person  for  him,  by  his  authority  or  knowledge.  His  views 
had  been  explained  to  several  distinguished  members  of  the  administra- 
tion, were  well  understood  and  approved  by  the  govei^nment.  They  were 
such  as  every  man  of  honor,  and  every  good  citizen,  must  approve.  He 
considered  this  declaration  proper  as  well  to  counteract  the  chimerical 
tales  circulated  by  the  malevolence  of  his  enemies,  as  to  satisfy  Mr.  Clay, 
tlmt  he  liad  not  become  the  counsel  of  a  man  in  any  way  unfriendly  to 
the  laws,  the  government,  or  the  well  being  of  his  comitry." 

Thoroughly  to  appreciate  the  daring  coolness  and  eifrontery 


64  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

of  this  extraordinary  man,  as  well  as  the  fearful  risk,  which  he 
faced  with  such  imperturbable  self-possession,  the  reader  should 
understand,  what  was  the  real  attitude  in  which  he  then  stood. 
This  declaration  was  made  on  the  1st  December,  1806,  at  Frank- 
fort. On  the  29th  of  July  preceding,  he  had  written  to  Wilkin- 
son, "  I  have  obtained  funds,  and  have  actually  commenced  the 
enterprise.  Detachments  from  different  points  and  on  different 
pretences  will  rendezvous  on  the  Ohio  on  the  1st  November. 
Every  thing  internal  and  external  favors  views .  Al- 
ready are  orders  given  to  contractors  to  forward  six  months  provi- 
sions to  any  point  Wilkinson  may  name.  The  project  is  brought 
to  the  point  so  long  desired.  Burr  guarantees  the  result  with  his 
life  and  honor,  with  the  lives,  the  fortunes,  of  hundreds — the  best 
blood  of  the  country,  Wilkinson  shall  be  second  only  to  Burr. 
Wilkinson  shall  dictate  the  rank  of  his  officers.  Burr's  plan  of 
operations  is  to  move  down  rapidly  from  the  Falls  by  the  15th 
November,  with  the  first  five  or  ten  hundred  men,  in  light  boats 
now  constructing,  to  be  at  Natchez  between  the  5th  and  15th 
of  December,  there  to  meet  Wilkinson,  (Ji^  there  to  determine, 
whether  it  will  be  expedient  in  the  first  instance,  to  SEIZE  on,  or 
pass  by  Baton  Rouge  ! !" 

Before  the  date  of  this  letter  he  had  fully  unfolded  his  project 
to  General  Eaton,  which  was  to  revolutionize  the  western  coun- 
try, establish  an  empire,  with  New  Orleans  as  the  capital,  and 
himself  the  chief.  On  the  24th  July,  1806,  General  Dayton,  one 
of  Burr's  firmest  adherents,  wrote  to  General  Wilkinson  in  cy- 
pher, "  Are  you  ready  ?  Are  your  numerous  associates  ready  ? 
Wealth  and  Glory!  Louisiana  and  Mexico!!"  So  much  for 
Burr's  intentions.  Now  for  the  risk  of  detection,  Avhich  he 
braved  with  such  undaunted  composure. 

On  the  25th  of  November,  one  week  before  his  declaration  to 
Mr.  Clay,  President  Jefferson  issued  his  proclamation,  denouncing 
the  enterprise,  and  warning  the  west  against  it.  On  the  1st  of 
December,  a  messenger  from  the  President  arrived  at  the  seat  of 
government  of  Ohio,  and  instantly  procured  the  passage  of  a  law 
by  which  ten  of  Colonel  Burr's  boats,  laden  with  provisions  and 
military  stores,  were  seized  on  the  Muskingum,  before  they 
could  reach  the  Ohio.  At  the  very  moment  that  he  appeared  in 
court,  an  armed  force  in  his  service  occupied  Blannerhasset's 
island,  and  boats  laden  with  provisions  and  military  stores,  were 
commencing  their  voyage  down  the  river,  and  passed  Louisville, 
on  the  16th  of  December.  Scarcely  was  the  grand  jury  dis- 
charged, and  the  ball  which  celebrated  his  acquittal,  concluded, 
when  the  President's  proclamation  reached  Kentucky,  and  a  law 
was  passed  in  hot  haste,  for  seizing  the  boats  which  had  escaped 
the  militia  of  Ohio,  and  were  then  descending  the  river.  Burr  had 
left  Frankfort  about  the  7th,  and  had  gone  to  Nashville.  The 
conclusion  of  his  enterprise  belongs  to  the  history  of  the  United 
States.  But  that  portion  of  the  drama  which  was  enacted  in 
Kentucky  has  been  detailed  with  some  minuteness,  as  affording 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  65 

a  rich  and  rare  example,  of  cool  and  calculating  impudence,  and 
of  truth,  loyaltj  and  eloquence  most  signally  baffled  and  put  to 
shame,  by  the  consummate  art  and  self-possession,  of  this  daring 
intriguer. 

The  Kentucky  legislature  assembled,  and  the  petition  for  an 
inquiry  into  the  conduct  of  Sebastian  was  presented.  A  vigorous 
effort  was  made  to  stifle  the  inquiry,  but  in  vain.  The  film  had 
fallen  from  the  public  eye,  and  the  people  were  not  to  be  deluded 
twice,  in  such  rapid  succession.  The  inquiry  was  sturdily 
pressed.  Sebastian  resigned  his  office,  hoping  thus  to  stifle 
further  examination;  but  the  legislatm-e  refused  to  notice  his  re- 
signation, and  the  examination  proceeded.  Judge  Innis  was  the 
principal  witness,  and  apparently  with  great  reluctance  disclosed 
what  has  already  been  detailed  as  to  the  secret  intrigue  with 
Power.  Other  evidence  made  it  evident,  that  he  had  enjoyed  a 
pension  of  two  thousand  dollars  per  annum,  from  Spain,  since 
1795.  The  public  mind  w^as  violently  agitated,  by  the  sudden 
disclosure  of  these  plots,  and  conspiracies,  and  in  the  minds  of 
many  Judge  Innis  was  deeply  implicated.  Being  a  judge  of  the 
federal  court,  however,  the  legislature  of  Kentucky  had  no 
authority  to  investigate  his  conduct.  At  the  succeeding  session, 
however,  it  passed  a  resolution  recommending  an  inquiry  into  the 
conduct  of  the  judge,  by  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  which 
was  had,  and  resulted  in  his  acquittal. 

The  foreign  relations  of  the  United  States  were  now  becom- 
ing critical.  The  attack  of  the  English  frigate  Leopard,  upon 
the  Chesapeake,  exasperated  the  American  people  almost  beyond 
conti'ol,  and  was  nowhere  more  fiercely  resented  than  in  Ken- 
tucky. Mr.  Madison  succeeded  Mr.  Jefferson,  in  1808,  and  Gen- 
eral Scott  was  elected  governor  of  Kentucky.  The  breach  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Great  Britain  grew  daily  wider,  and 
Kentucky  became  deeply  engrossed  in  national  politics.  Great 
numbers  of  resolutions,  replete  with  patriotism,  and  not  a  little 
marked  by  passion,  were  adopted  by  her  legislature. 

The  only  act  of  a  purely  domestic  nature  which  deserves  at- 
tention, is  the  charter  of  the  Bank  of  Kentucky,  with  a  capital 
of  $1,000,000,  which  was  passed  at  the  session  of  1807.  In  the 
session  of  1808-9,  the  limitation  in  actions  of  ejectment,  was 
changed  from  twenty  to  seven  years,  where  the  defendant  actu- 
ally resided  upon  the  land,  and  claimed  under  an  adverse  entry 
or  patent,  and  the  new  limitation  was  made  available  in  all  suits 
at  law,  or  in  equity  for  the  recovery  of  land.  This  celebrated 
act  has  quieted  all  litigation  upon  original  conflicting  claims,  and 
was  introduced  by  Humphrey  Marshall. 

No  circumstances  of  domestic  interest  claim  the  attention  of 
the  historian,  in  a  brief  outline  like  the  present,  until  the  war 
which  broke  out  between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain  in 
1812.  The  general  history  of  that  war  belongs  to  the  historian 
of  the  United  States,  but  no  history  of  Kentucky,  however  brief 
and  general,  can  pass  unnoticed,  those  stirring  incidents  in  the 
5 


66  OUTLINE   HISTORY. 

north-west  and  south-west,  in  which  Kentucky  acted  so  promi- 
nent a  part.  The  principal  causes  of  the  war  should  also  be 
briefly  and  generally  adverted  to.  As  has  been  repeatedly  stated, 
the  angry  feelings  occasioned  by  the  war  of  Independence,  were 
not  quieted  by  the  peace  of  1783.  Mortification  and  resentment 
rankled  in  the  breasts  of  the  parties  long  after  the  war  had  ter- 
minated, and  the  convulsions  of  the  French  revolution  so  vio- 
lently agitated  the  civilized  world,  that  it  became  very  difficult 
for  a  nation  like  the  United  States  to  remain  undisturbed  by  the 
terrible  struggle,  of  which  the  earth  and  the  ocean  were  made 
the  theatre. 

Being  the  second  maritime  power  in  the  world,  the  United 
States  became  the  carrier  on  the  ocean,  of  a  large  portion  of  the 
commerce  of  Europe.  Many  English  seamen,  tempted  by  the 
high  wages  given  by  American  merchants,  were  employed  in  our 
commercial  marine ;  and  England  claimed  and  exercised  the  right 
of  impressing  her  own  seamen  wherever  they  might  be  found. 
The  enormous  na\y  which  she  maintained,  required  to  be  sup- 
ported by  constant  impressment;  and  under  color  of  seizing  her 
own  citizens,  she  was  constantly  in  the  habit  of  stopping  Ameri- 
can merchantmen,  and  selecting  from  the  crew  such  men,  as  her 
subordinate  officers  chose  to  consider  English,  Irish  or  Scotch, 
and  who  were,  frequently,  native  American  citizens.  Redress 
could  seldom  be  obtained,  and  never  except  after  interminable 
delay  and  vexation.  All  Americans  upon  the  ocean  thus  became 
liable  to  be  seized  at  the  discretion  of  any  British  officer,  and 
forced,  under  the  discipline  of  the  lash,  to  waste  their  lives  in  the 
most  unhealthy  climates,  and  in  the  most  degraded  stations. 
This  grievance  was  the  subject  of  protracted  and  bitter  remon- 
strance, from  the  administration  of  Washington  to  the  opening 
of  the  war;  but  Great  Britain  constantly  refused  to  abandon  the 
right,  or  rather  the  exercise  of  the  power.  In  truth  her  extraor- 
dinary efforts  by  land  and  sea,  called  for  all  the  resources  of  men 
and  money,  which  could  be  made  available,  in  any  part  of  the 
world  ;  and  the  sixty  thousand  splendid  and  unequaled  seamen, 
which  manned  the  American  marine,  totally  unprotected,  save  by 
diplomatic  remonstrance,  afforded  too  rich  a  resource  to  be  aban- 
doned. 

To  the  embittering  grievance  of  impressment,  was  added  in 
1806  and  1807,  a  series  of  paper  blockades,  by  means  of  which, 
not  only  American  seamen,  but  American  merchandize  afloat, 
became  subject  to  seizure  and  confiscation  upon  the  high  seas, 
under  circumstances,  which  left  the  American  government  no 
choice  but  to  abandon  the  ocean  entirely,  or  submit  to  a  whole- 
sale plunder  upon  the  seas,  destructive  to  their  prosperity,  and 
intolerable  to  national  pride.  By  these  orders  in  council  the  whole 
French  empire,  with  its  allies  and  dependencies,  then  embracing 
nearly  all  of  Europe,  were  declared  in  a  state  of  blockade.  Any 
American  vessel  bound  to,  or  returning  from  any  port  in  any  of 
these  countries,  without  first  stopping  at  an  English  port  and  ob- 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  67 

taining  a  license  to  prosecute  the  voyage,  was  declared  a  lawful 
prize.  This  was  in  retaliation  of  Napoleon's  Berlin  and  Milan  de- 
crees, wherein  he  had  declared  the  British  islands,  their  depen- 
dencies and  allies  in  a  state  of  blockade,  and  had  rendered  every 
vessel  liable  to  confiscation,  which  either  touched  at  a  British 
port,  or  was  laden  in  whole  or  in  part  with  British  produce.  This 
decree,  however,  was  in  retaliation  of  a  previous  decree,  passed 
by  the  English  government  in  1806,  whereby  the  whole  imperial 
coast,  from  Brest  to  the  Elbe,  was  declared  in  a  state  of  blockade. 

All  these  decrees  were  haughty  and  high  handed  violations  of 
national  law,  which  allows  of  no  mere  paper  blockades,  and  re- 
quires the  presence  of  a  sufficient  force,  to  render  them  legal. 
Between  these  haughty  belligerents,  no  American  vessel  could  be 
free  from  liability  to  confiscation.  If  they  were  bound  on  a 
voyage  to  any  European  port,  they  must  touch  at  an  English 
port,  and  obtain  a  license,  or  become  a  lawful  prize  to  some  one 
of  the  thousand  British  cruisers  which  vexed  the  ocean.  If  they 
touched  at  an  English  port,  or  were  laden  in  whole  or  in  part  with 
British  merchandise,  they  were  confiscated  by  the  imperial  edict, 
as  soon  as  they  reached  a  continental  port.  Both  decrees  were 
equally  hostile  to  American  commerce;  but  the  English  had  set 
the  first  example,  and  the  practical  operation  of  their  orders  in 
council  was  far  more  destructive  than  Napoleon's  decree.  One 
thousand  American  vessels,  richly  laden,  became  the  prize  of  the 
British  cruisers ;  irritating  cases  of  impressment  were  constantly 
occurring;  the  language  of  American  diplomacy  became  daily  more 
angry  and  impatient,  that  of  England  daily  more  cold  and 
haughty,  and  in  June,  1812,  the  American  Congress  declared  war. 

By  engaging  in  war,  at  that  time,  the  United  States  unavoida- 
bly became  the  ally  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  who  at  that  time 
governed  Europe  with  a  rod  of  iron,  repressing  all  freedom,  and 
grinding  the  hearts  of  the  people^  by  a  system  of  plunder,  and 
violence,  which  had  already  begun  to  react.  The  federalists, 
since  the  days  of  Washington,  had  regarded  the  French  revolu- 
tion with  aversion,  and  looked  upon  Bonaparte  with  undisguised 
horror.  The  great  strength  of  this  party  lay  in  the  New  Eng- 
land States,  where  the  strict  religious  principles  of  the  Old  Puri- 
tans had  taken  deep  root,  and  where  revolutionary  France  was 
regarded  as  a  power  equally  hostile  to  religion,  to  freedom  and 
morality.  They  looked  upon  the  war  with  deep  aversion,  and 
opposed  it  by  all  means  in  their  power.  Such  is  the  force  of 
passion,  that  this  party,  composed  perhaps  of  the  great  mass  of 
intelligence  and  property,  and  embracing  a  majority  of  the  reli- 
gious and  moral  strength  of  the  country,  were  so  far  blinded  by 
their  hatred  to  Napoleon,  and  French  principles,  as  to  become  al- 
most insensible  to  the  equally  lawless,  and  intolerable  despotism, 
with  which  Great  Britain  scourged  the  ocean.  While  it  cannot 
be  denied  that  the  love  of  the  democratic  party  for  France,  which 
originally  sprung  from  gratitude,  and  a  love  of  liberty,  was  so  far 
blind  and  perverted,  that  they  heartily  sympathised  with  Napo- 


68  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

leon,  and  rejoiced  in  his  triumphs.  Both  claimed  to  be  entirely 
independent  and  American,  yet  the  affections  of  the  one  leaned 
strongly  to  England,  and  those  of  the  other  to  France. 

Our  country  was  then  a  second  rate  power.  England  and 
France  were  the  giant  champions  of  the  hostile  principles,  which 
warred  with  each  other  for  twenty -five  years,  and  the  whole  civi- 
lized world  ranged  themselves  under  one  or  the  other  of  the  hos- 
tile banners.  England  was  the  champion  of  the  ancient  institu- 
tions of  Europe,  which  consisted  of  religion  intimately  inter- 
woven with  aristocracy.  France  attacked  both,  with  a  fury 
which  strengthened  each  by  the  alliance  of  the  other.  Both 
united  were  far  too  strong  for  the  most  virtuous  democracy 
which  has  ever  yet  existed;  far  less  could  they  be  overthrown  by  a 
democracy,  trampling  upon  all  freedom,  and  reveling  in  universal 
violence  and  plunder.  He  who  understands  mankind,  will  not 
wonder  that  the  great  mass  of  property  and  religion  throughout 
the  world,  hated  France,  and  sided  with  England;  nor  will  he  be 
surprised  that  the  ardent  passions  which  originally  embraced  the 
French  cause,  from  gratitude  and  sympathy  with  freedom,  should 
still  cling  to  their  first  love,  after  the  original  character  of  the 
contest  had  gradually  changed,  and  the  milk-white  lamb  of  1789, 
struggling  for  life  against  despotism,  had  been  transformed  into 
the  ten-horned  monster  of  1812,  trampling  under  foot  the  liber- 
ties of  the  vrorld. 

Under  this  state  of  parties  the  war  commenced.  In  Kentucky 
the  federal  party  v^^as  so  extremely  weak,  and  the  popular  pas- 
sion for  the  war  blazed  with  such  fury,  that  scarcely  any  opposi- 
tion was  perceptible.  But  in  the  New  England  States,  where  it 
predominated,  it  displayed  itself  with  a  strength  and  fervor, 
which  seriously  embarrassed  the  government,  and  has  excited 
against  the  party  generally,  a  degree  of  odium  from  which  it 
will  not  easily  recover. 

The  first  events  of  the  war,  upon  land,  were  such  as  might 
naturally  be  expected,  from  a  nation  essentially  pacific,  mercan- 
tile and  agricultural.  An  invasion  of  Upper  Canada  by  Hull, 
resulted  in  the  surrender  of  his  army,  and  the  loss  of  the  whole 
territory  of  Michigan.  An  attempt  to  invade  Canada  upon  the 
Niagara  frontier,  resulted  in  a  total  failure,  attended  with  some 
disgrace  and  an  immense  clamor.  By  the  loss  of  Michigan,  all 
American  control  over  the  numerous  Indian  tribes  of  the  north- 
west, was  lost,  and  they  poured  down,  from  the  great  lakes,  upon 
our  extended  frontier,  in  great  numbers. 

The  war  spirit  in  Kentucky  blazed  forth  with  unprecedented 
vigor.  Seven  thousand  volunteers  at  once  offered  their  services 
to  the  government,  and  fifteen  hundred  were  on  the  march  for 
Detroit,  when  the  intelligence  of  Hull's  surrender  induced  them 
to  halt.  This  disastrous  news  was  received  with  a  burst  of  indig- 
nant fury,  which  no  other  event  has  ever  excited  in  Kentucky. 
The  author  of  this  sketch  was  then  a  child,  and  well  recollects 
hearing  the  news  discussed  by  a  company  of  married  ladies,  who 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  69 

unanimously  pronounced  Hull  a  traitor,  and  with  great  vehem- 
ence declared  that  he  ought  to  be  gibbeted,  or  crucified — ordinary 
hanging  being  far  too  mild  a  punishment  for  so  monstrous  a 
traitor. 

The  military  ardor  of  the  men  seemed  rather  increased  than 
diminished  by  the  disaster,  and  a  call  of  the  governor  for  fifteen 
hundred  volunteers,  to  march  against  the  Indian  villages  of 
northern  Illinois,  was  answered  by  more  than  two  thousand  vol- 
unteers, who  assembled  at  Louisville  under  General  Hopkins, 
and  marched  into  the  Indian  country,  until  their  provisions  be- 
came scarce,  and  their  ardor  had  become  cooled  by  the  protracted 
fatigue  and  hardships  to  which  they  were  exposed,  when,  without 
having  encountered  the  enemy,  they  suddenly  abandoned  their 
general  and  returned  home,  in  defiance  of  all  remonstrances. 

The  residue  of  the  Kentucky  volunteers  were  placed  under  the 
orders  of  General  Harrison,  the  governor  of  the  Indiana  territory, 
and  since  elected  to  the  presidency.  This  gentleman  had  long 
been  governor  of  Indiana,  and  in  the  preceding  year  had  fought 
a  bloody  battle,  at  Tippecanoe,  with  the  Indians,  in  which  the 
brave  and  eloquent  Daviess  had  lost  his  life.  The  last  act  of 
Governor  Scott's  administration,  was  to  confer  upon  him  the 
rank  of  major  general  in  the  Kentucky  militia,  and  shortly  after 
the  same  rank  was  given  him  by  the  President,  in  the  regular 
service,  with  the  chief  command  in  the  north-west.  The  plan 
of  the  campaign,  as  laid  at  Washington  city,  was  to  assemble 
under  this  general,  the  militia  of  Ohio,  Kentucky,  Virginia,  and 
Pennsylvania,  with  such  regular  troops  as  could  be  raised,  to  re- 
take Detroit,  overawe  the  north-western  tribes,  and  conquer 
Upper  Canada. 

The  secretary  of  war  evidently  regarded  this  as  a  simple  and 
easy  undertaking,  and  the  autumn  and  winter  of  1812-13  was 
spent  in  ill-digested,  awkward  and  unsuccessful  efforts  to  carry 
out  this  plan.  The  face  of  the  country  presented  obstacles  to 
the  march  of  an  army,  with  the  necessary  baggage  and  supplies, 
which  seem  to  have  been  totally  overlooked  by  the  secretary. 
The  country  to  be  traversed  was  little  better  than  a  wilderness  of 
swamps  and  marshes,  which,  in  the  rainy  season,  were  almost 
impassable.  The  command  of  the  lake,  so  essential  to  a  well 
digested  plan,  was  entirely  overlooked,  and  was  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  enemy.  Volunteers  were  furnished  in  great  numbers, 
and  muskets  in  abundance,  but  the  commissariat's  and  quarter- 
master's departments  were  in  a  state  of  total  anarchy.  The  men 
were  full  of  courage,  and  ardently  desired  to  fight;  the  govern- 
ment was  sincerely  anxious  to  furnish  them  with  what  was  ne- 
cessary; but  every  department  was  raw,  inexperienced,  and  inef- 
ficient. Delays,  disappointments,  and  blunders  without  number 
occurred.  The  ardor  of  the  volunteers  expended  itself  in  inglo- 
rious struggles  with  hunger,  disease,  and  intolerable  hardships 
and  privations,  and  one  of  the  finest  of  the  Kentucky  regiments, 
commanded  by  the  brave  and  unfortunate  Allen,  was  with  much 


70  OUTLINE   HISTORY. 

difficulty  restrained  from  disbanding  and  returning  home.  The 
money  expended  in  miserable  and  abortive  efforts  to  drag  pro- 
visions and  ammunition  through  a  marshy  wilderness  of  nearly 
two  hundred  miles,  would  have  nearly  equipped  a  fleet  sufficient 
to  maintain  the  command  of  the  lake,  and  the  sums  wasted 
in  the  quartermaster's  department,  would  nearly  have  furnished 
transports  for  a  sufficient  force  to  have  seized  Maiden.  But  the 
secretary  had  planned  the  campaign  as  if  this  swampy  wilder- 
ness was  a  high  and  healthy  region,  traversed  thickly  by  the  best 
turnpike  roads,  and  acted  as  if  totally  ignorant  that  such  a  body 
of  water  as  lake  Erie  was  in  existence. 

After  a  series  of  plans  hastily  conceived,  partially  executed, 
and  then  as  hastily  abandoned,  after  forced  marches  undertaken 
through  horrible  roads,  without  adequate  object,  and  terminating 
in  nothing,  sometimes  upon  half  rations,  and  a  part  of  the  time 
upon  no  rations  at  all,  the  army  at  length  found  itself  about  the 
1st  of  January,  with  the  left  wing  at  fort  Defiance  under  General 
Winchester,  and  the  right  at  Upper  Sandusky  under  Harrison. 
The  left  wing  was  composed  almost  entirely  of  Kentucky  volun- 
teers, and  the  right  of  militia  from  Ohio,  Pennsylvania  and  Vir- 
ginia. The  immediate  object  was  to  advance  to  the  Rapids,  and 
thence  to  make  a  march  upon  Detroit.  The  left  wing  took  the 
lead,  and  the  Kentuckians,  with  Wells'  regiment  of  regulars, 
reached  the  Rapids  on  the  10th.  Here  they  halted,  and  by  order 
were  to  wait  the  arrival  of  Harrison. 

On  the  14th,  however,  they  received  intelligence  that  two  com- 
panies of  Canadian  militia  and  about  two  hundred  Indians  were 
at  Frenchtown  on  the  river  Raisin,  within  striking  distance,  and 
instantly  a  burning  thirst  for  battle,  seized  both  officers  and  sol- 
diers. Frenchtown  was  about  thirty-eight  miles  from  the  Rapids, 
and  only  eighteen  miles  from  the  British  garrison  of  Maiden. 
The  lake  was  frozen  hard,  and  the  march  over  the  ice  from  Mai- 
den could  be  made  in  a  few  hours.  The  British  could  in  a  few 
hours  throw  two  thousand  men  upon  Frenchtown,  and  no  sup- 
port was  nearer  than  Upper  Sandusky,  at  least  five  days  march 
distant.  Yet  a  detachment  of  nine  hundred  and  ninety  Ken- 
tucky militia,  was  thrust  forward,  within  the  very  jaws  of  the 
British  garrison,  to  strike  at  this  detachment  of  Indians  and 
Canadians.  Colonel  Lewis  commanded  the  detachment,  and  un- 
der him  were  Colonel  Allen,  Majors  Graves  and  Madison.  A 
forced  march  within  less  than  two  days  brought  them  in  view  of 
the  enemy,  whom  they  attacked  with  the  greatest  bravery;  Major 
Reynolds  commanded  the  British,  and  made  a  spirited  defence, 
from  the  picketed  enclosures  and  houses  near  the  village,  but 
was  driven  from  all  his  defences,  under  a  continual  charge,  for 
more  than  two  miles,  with  some  loss. 

This  battle  was  fought  on  the  1 8th  January.  Prompt  intelligence 
of  the  action  was  sent  to  General  Winchester,  on  the  night  after 
the  battle,  which  reached  him  on  the  morning  of  the  19th.  On  that 
evening  he  commenced  his  march  with  a  reinforcement  of  two 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  71 

hundred  and  fifty  regulars  under  Colonel  Wells,  leaving  three  hun- 
dred men  to  guard  the  camp.  On  the  evening  of  the  20th  he 
reached  Frenchtown,  and  found  Colonel  Lewis  still  in  possession 
of  the  town,  and  encamped  within  a  large  picketed  enclosure, 
which  afforded  an  excellent  protection  against  musketry,  but  none 
against  artillery.  There  was  room  wdthin  the  enclosure  to  the  left 
of  Colonel  Lewis,  for  the  whole  of  the  regulars  ;  but  Winchester 
encamped  in  open  ground  on  the  right,  having  his  right  flank 
within  musket  shot  of  some  detached  houses  and  enclosures  which 
were  not  occupied.  On  the  21st  all  remained  quiet,  and  the  gen- 
eral determined  on  the  following  day,  to  throw  up  some  works 
for  the  protection  of  the  regulars,  declining  to  avail  himself  of 
the  picketing  on  the  left  of  Lewis,  from  an  absurd  regard  to  mili- 
tary etiquette,  which  entitled  regulars  to  the  post  of  honor  on  the 
right. 

On  the  evening  of  the  21st,  he  learned  that  a  large  force  was 
at  Maiden,  apparently  preparing  for  a  march, — yet  he  sottishly 
slighted  the  intelligence,  and  on  that  evening  gave  permission  to 
Colonel  Wells  to  return  to  the  Rapids,  and  fixed  his  own  head- 
quarters nearly  a  mile  from  the  camp,  at  the  house  of  Colonel 
Navarre.  The  night  was  intensely  cold,  and  no  picket  was 
posted  in  advance,  upon  the  road  by  which  the  enemy  might  be 
expected.  At  day-light  on  the  morning  of  the  22d  the  camp  was 
suddenly  attacked  by  about  two  thousand  British  and  Indians,  in 
two  divisions.  The  British  regulars  under  Proctor  advanced 
against  the  picketing  with  a  rapid  and  firm  step,  and  under  a 
heavy  fire  of  cannon  and  musketry,  and  were  received  by  the 
Kentuckians,  with  a  torrent  of  fire,  which  did  vast  execution. 
Thirty  of  the  British  regulars  fell  dead  within  musket  shot  of  the 
lines,  and  three  times  that  number  of  wounded  were  borne  to  the 
rear.  The  survivors  retreated  in  great  disorder,  and  contented 
themselves  with  a  heavy  cannonade  from  six  field  pieces,  against 
the  picketing. 

In  the  meantime,  the  Indians  and  Canadians  attacked  Wells' 
regiment,  encamped  in  the  open  ground,  with  savage  yells,  and 
a  slaughtering  fire,  from  the  cover  of  the  houses,  and  enclosures 
which  flanked  them.  After  a  brief  action  of  only  a  few  minutes, 
this  regiment  gave  way  in  total  confusion.  Winchester  came  up 
from  his  distant  quarters  in  time  to  witness  the  flight  of  this 
regiment,  and  strove  to  rally  it  within  cover  of  the  picketing  oc- 
cupied by  the  Kentuckians ;  but  the  panic  was  so  complete  that 
no  order  could  be  heard,  and  these  unhappy  men  fled  through  a 
deep  snow  along  the  road  by  which  they  had  advanced  from  the 
Rapids,  thirty-six  hours  before.  They  were  pursued  by  four  times 
their  number  of  Indians,  and  an  indiscriminate  and  almost  total 
butchery  ensued.  Colonels  Allen  and  Lewis  left  the  picketing, 
and  exerted  themselves  bravely,  to  rally  and  re-form  the  fugi- 
tives, but  Allen  was  killed  and  Lewis  taken,  as  was  also  the  com- 
mander-in-chief. Many  Kentuckians  of  every  grade  united  in 
the  efibrt  to  rally  the  fugitives,  and  bring  them  within  the  shelter 


72  OUTLINE   HISTORY. 

of  the  picketing,  among  whom  were  Woolfolk,  Simpson  and 
Meade,  all  of  whom  were  killed.  Scarcely  a  man 'of  the  fugi- 
tives escaped  death  or  captivity,  and  not  a  Kentuckian  who  had 
sallied  from  the  picketing,  retm-ned.  While  this  dreadful 
butchery  was  enacted  within  sight  and  hearing  of  both  armies, 
the  Kentuckians,  now  commanded  by  Majors  Madison  and  Graves, 
remained  within  their  enclosure,  and  for  four  hours  kept  the 
enemy  at  bay.  During  this  time  six  field  pieces  played  upon 
them  incessantly,  from  various  positions,  and  at  length  their  am- 
munition was  reduced  to  a  single  keg  of  cartridges.  Proctor  then 
summoned  them,  through  General  Winchester,  to  surrender, 
offering  honorable  conditions,  and  ample  protection  to  the 
wounded.  After  considerable  parley,  the  terms  were  accepted, 
and  the  whole  detachment  became  prisoners  of  war.  The  con- 
ditions were  faithfully  kept,  so  far  as  the  officers  and  men,  who 
were  unhurt,  was  concerned,  but  inhumanly  violated  with  regard 
to  the  wounded.  These  were  left  in  Frenchtown,  without  a  guard, 
as  had  been  stipulated,  under  the  care  of  the  American  surgeons, 
attended  by  a  single  British  officer  and  a  few  interpreters.  A 
number  of  drunken  Indians  entered  the  town  on  the  morning 
after  the  battle,  and  the  helpless  wounded  were  murdered  with 
circumstances  of  shocking  barbarity.  The  wounded  officers, 
Major  Graves,  Captains  Hart  and  Hickman,  were  tomahawked, 
and  two  houses  crowded  with  wounded  officers  and  men,  were 
set  on  fire,  and  consumed,  with  their  helpless  inmates.  This 
dreadful  crime  is  chargeable  to  the  gross  negligence,  if  not  Avilful 
connivance  of  Proctor,  and  is  an  indelible  stain  upon  the  honor 
of  the  British  arms. 

The  brave  and  veteran  Shelby  had  succeeded  Scott  as  governor 
of  Kentucky,  and  upon  the  intelligence  of  the  dreadful  disaster  at 
Raisin,  was  authorized,  and  requested  by  the  legislature  of  Ken- 
tucky, to  take  the  field  in  person,  at  the  head  of  the  reinforce- 
ments which  volunteered  their  services  in  profusion,  to  supply  the 
places  of  their  countrymen  who  had  fallen,  or  been  led  into  cap- 
tivity. Four  regiments  instantly  tendered  their  services,  com- 
manded by  the  colonels,  Dudley,  Bos  well.  Cox  and  Caldwell;  the 
whole  forming  a  strong  brigade  under  General  Clay. 

A  portion  of  this  force  was  pushed  forward  by  forced  marches 
to  reinforce  Harrison,  who  was  now  nearly  destitute  of  troops 
(their  time  of  service  having  expired),  and  was  lying  at  the 
Rapids,  exposed  to  a  coup  de  main,  from  the  enemy  who  lay 
within  striking  distance  at  Maiden,  and  might  by  a  little  activity, 
repeat  the  terrible  blow  of  the  Raisin,  upon  the  banks  of  the 
Maumee.  The  war  had  not  lasted  six  months,  there  was  but  one 
regular  British  regiment  in  Upper  Canada,  and  the  United  States 
had  already  lost  the  whole  territory  of  Michigan,  and  instead  of 
taking  the  offensive,  was  occupying  a  weak  defensive  position, 
within  her  own  territory,  the  enemy  being  strongest  upon  the 
point  of  operations,  and  having  complete  command  of  the  lake. 

Harrison  employed  himself  during  the  winter  in  fortifying  his 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  73 

position  below  the  Rapids,  which  was  called  camp  Meigs,  in  honor 
of  Governor  Meigs,  of  Ohio.  It  consisted  of  an  area  of  about 
seven  acres,  enclosed  by  strong  pickets,  deeply  sunk  in  the 
ground,  and  with  block  houses  at  the  angles.  It  could  not  resist 
regular  approaches,  or  heavy  artillery,  but  was  available  against 
light  artillery  and  sudden  attacks,  and  enabled  him  to  await  the 
arrival  of  reinforcements.  Proctor  gave  him  ample  time  to  re- 
ceive reinforcements  and  strengthen  himself  by  fortifications, 
making  no  movement  of  consequence  until  late  in  April,  although 
able  at  any  time  to  throw  a  superior  force  upon  his  adversary. 

On  the  12th  of  April,  the  advanced  guard  of  the  Kentucky 
reinforcement  reached  camp  Meigs,  and  on  the  26th  of  that 
month  the  British  flotilla,  having  on  board  battering  cannon,  and 
abundant  supplies  for  a  siege,  appeared  upon  the  lake  at  the 
mouth  of  Maumee  river.  Shortly  afterwards  his  gun  boats  as- 
cended the  river  to  within  two  miles  of  the  fort,  the  cannon  were 
disembarked,  and  batteries  were  thrown  up,  both  above  and 
below  the  fort.  A  vast  force  of  Indians,  under  the  celebrated 
Tecumseh,  attended  the  British  army,  and  cut  off  communication 
with  the  interior.  A  heavy  fire  was  opened  from  the  British  bat- 
teries on  the  1st  of  May,  which  was  returned  at  intervals  from 
the  fort,  their  supply  of  cannon  balls  being  very  limited,  and 
their  twelve  pounders  being  principally  supplied  with  balls  from 
the  enemy. 

On  the  4th  of  May,  General  Clay,  with  the  residue  of  the  Ken- 
tucky brigade,  had  reached  fort  Defiance.  The  present  General 
Leslie  Combs,  of  Lexington,  then  a  captain,  gallantly  volunteered 
to  carry  to  the  garrison  the  news  of  Clay's  approach,  and  at  the 
head  of  five  men,  attempted  to  descend  the  river  in  a  canoe,  for 
that  purpose.  But  the  swarms  of  Indians  who  infested  the  woods 
defeated  the  attempt,  and  after  the  loss  of  nearly  all  his  men,  he 
was  compelled  to  return.  Lieutenant  David  Trimble  had  better 
success,  and  Harrison  was  informed  that  Clay's  brigade  was  de- 
scending the  river  from  fort  Defiance  to  his  aid,  and  would  proba- 
bly arrive  on  the  5th  at  daylight.  General  Harrison  then  sent 
orders  to  Clay  by  captain  Hamilton,  who  ascended  the  river  in  a 
canoe,  to  land  eight  hundred  men  upon  the  northern  shore,  oppo- 
site the  fort,  to  carry  the  British  batteries,  there  placed,  to  spike 
the  cannon  and  destroy  the  carriages,  after  which  they  were  im- 
mediately to  regain  their  boats  and  cross  over  to  the  fort.  The 
residue  of  the  brigade  was  ordered  to  land  upon  the  southern 
shore,  and  fight  their  way  through  the  Indians  to  the  fort. 

Nothing  was  more  easy  than  the  execution  of  these  orders, 
had  the  troops  been  well  drilled,  and  had  the  object  of  Harrison, 
which  was  simply  to  silence  the  batteries,  been  distinctly  under- 
stood by  the  officers.  The  batteries  were  slightly  guarded,  the 
mass  of  British  infantry  was  in  the  camp  two  miles  below,  and 
the  Indian  force  was  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  Had  the 
order  been  given  to  a  captain  and  one  hundred  regulars,  it  would 
probably  have  been  successfully  executed.      Clay  received  the 


74  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

order  from  Hamilton,  and  directed  him  to  communicate  it  to 
Colonel  Dudley,  who  was  charged  with  its  execution.  Dudley 
received  the  order,  and  landed  with  the  troops  in  the  first  twelve 
boats,  upon  the  northern  shore  as  directed.  He  does  not  seem  to 
have  thoroughly  understood  the  object  of  Harrison,  and  he  never 
communicated  to  his  subordinates  the  precise  nature  of  his  orders. 
The  great  mass  knew  nothing  more,  than  they  were  to  fight  an 
enemy  on  the  northern  shore,  and  were  totally  ignorant  that 
when  the  cannon  were  spiked  and  the  carriages  destroyed,  their 
object  was  accomplished.  They  accordingly  rushed  upon  the 
batteries,  which  were  abandoned  in  disorder  by  the  artillerymen, 
and  the  real  object  of  the  expedition  was  in  a  moment  accom- 
plished. A  small  force  of  Indians  and  Canadians,  however, 
showed  themselves  upon  the  skirts  of  the  wood,  and  opened  a 
straggling  fire,  which  was  eagerly  returned  by  the  Kentuckians, 
and  the  retreating  enemy  was  hotly  followed  up,  in  considerable 
disorder,  for  nearly  two  miles.  The  detachment  was  dispersed  in 
small  parties,  no  general  command  was  retained  over  it,  and  no 
one  seems  to  have  understood,  that  they  w^ere  expected  to  retreat 
rapidly  to  their  boats  as  soon  as  the  cannon  were  spiked.  The 
consequences  were  such  as  might  have  been  predicted.  Proctor 
came  up  with  a  British  force  and  intercepted  their  retreat,  the  In- 
dians crossed  over  in  great  numbers  and  reinforced  the  retreat- 
ing party,  which  had  decoyed  the  Kentuckians  into  the  woods, 
and  the  whole  detachment,  with  the  exception  of  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  was  killed  or  taken.  The  prisoners  were 
taken  within  the  walls  of  the  old  British  fort,  below,  under  a 
very  slender  guard,  and  while  huddled  together  in  this  place,  the 
Indians  amused  themselves  in  shooting  them  down  and  scalping 
them.  This  cruel  sport  continued  for  some  time,  until  it  was  in- 
terrupted by  the  arrival  of  Tecumseh  at  full  gallop,  who  instantly 
and  with  great  indignation,  put  a  stop  to  the  massacre.  A  sortie 
was  made  about  the  same  time  from  the  fort,  against  a  battery 
on  the  southern  shore  of  the  river,  in  which  a  company  of  Ken- 
tucky militia  brilliantly  distinguished  themselves,  but  sustained 
great  loss. 

On  the  whole,  the  5th  of  May  was  disastrous  to  the  American 
army.  The  movement  on  the  northern  bank  was  too  critical  and 
delicate  to  be  performed  by  a  corps  of  undisciplined  volunteers, 
unless  under  the  most  precise  instructions,  thoroughly  under- 
stood, by  officers  and  men.  The  force  was  far  too  great  for  the 
object  contemplated,  which  might  have  been  accomplished  by  one 
fourth  of  the  number,  and  was  too  small  to  defend  itself  against 
a  force  which  was  within  forty  minutes'  march  of  the  batteries, 
and  was  sure  to  be  aroused,  if  there  was  the  least  delay.  The 
news  of  the  capture  of  fort  George  by  General  Dearborn,  how- 
ever, alarmed  Proctor,  and  the  little  effect  produced  by  his  fire, 
together  with  the  large  force  which  had  reinforced  Harrison, 
induced  him  to  abandon  the  siege,  and  return  to  Maiden.  The 
force  under  Proctor,  including  Indians,  was  probably  3200  men. 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  75 

Harrison's  force  exclusive  of  Clay's  reinforcement  was  about  1200, 
and  including  Clay's  brigade  about  2500  rank  and  file  fit  for  duty. 

Colonel  Richard  M.  Johnson,  then  a  member  of  Congress,  had 
early  in  the  spring,  raised  a  regiment  of  mounted  gunmen,  who 
now  joined  General  Harrison,  and  were  engaged  during  the  early 
part  of  the  summer  in  distant,  harassing,  and  fruitless  expedi- 
tions against  the  Indian  villages  of  the  north-west.  Proctor  re- 
mained quiet  at  Maiden,  organizing  an  Indian  force  for  a  second 
invasion  of  Ohio.  Harrison  remained  at  Upper  Sandusky,  busily 
engaged  in  preparing  for  decisive  operations  in  the  fall. 

The  secretary  had  now  practically  learned  the  importance  of 
commanding  lake  Erie.  Lieutenant  Perry  of  the  navy,  had  been 
detached,  from  the  squadron  under  command  of  Chauncey  on 
lake  Ontario,  to  superintend  the  equipment  of  a  fleet  on  lake 
Erie,  and  take  the  command  of  it  when  ready  for  service.  The 
plan  of  the  present  campaign,  was  sensible  and  military.  It 
was  simply  to  obtain  command  of  the  lake,  and  by  means  of 
a  cheap  and  rapid  water  communication,  to  pour  a  superior  force 
upon  Upper  Canada,  and  finish  the  war  in  the  north-west  by  a 
single  blow.  All  depended  upon  the  result  of  the  naval  battle, 
to  be  fought  with  ships,  which  in  June,  existed  in  the  shape  of 
green  timber  growing  upon  the  shore  of  lake  Erie.  Money 
however  was  lavishly,  and  now  wisely  expended,  and  under  the 
active  exertions  of  Perry,  two  brigs  of  twenty  guns  each,  and 
seven  smaller  vessels,  by  the  middle  of  summer  began  to  assume 
the  appearance  of  a  fleet.  All  difficulties  both  of  building  and 
launching,  were  successfully  overcome,  and  by  the  close  of  sum- 
mer, Perry  was  ready  to  engage  the  enemy. 

In  the  meantime  Harrison  had  called  upon  the  veteran  Shelby, 
for  a  force  not  exceeding  two  thousand  infantry.  The  governor 
instantly  issued  a  proclamation,  inviting  volunteers  to  meet  him 
at  Newport,  and  announcing  that  he  would  lead  them  in  person 
against  the  enemy.  Four  thousand  mounted  volunteers  res- 
ponded to  the  call,  who  after  some  hesitation  were  accepted  by 
Harrison,  and  proceeded  without  delay  to  the  scene  of  operations. 

In  the  meantime  a  second  feeble  and  abortive  eflbrt  was  made 
by  Proctor  to  take  camp  Meigs,  which  failed  disgracefully,  after 
vast  expense  had  been  incurred  in  collecting  stores  and  Indian 
auxiliaries,  and  the  result  of  which  displayed  that  imbecility 
had  passed  over  to  the  enemy,  and  that  energy  and  wisdom  were 
beginning  to  prevail  in  the  American  conduct  of  affairs.  Having 
failed  to  make  any  impression  upon  camp  Meigs,  Proctor  at- 
tempted to  carry  fort  Stephenson,  a  small  picketed  stockade,  gar- 
risoned by  Colonel  Croghan  of  Kentucky  with  one  hundred  and 
fifty  men,  and  so  totally  indefensible  that  Harrison  had  ordered 
Croghan  to  evacuate  it,  and  rejoin  the  main  army.  It  was  com- 
pletely invested,  hoM^ever,  before  these  orders  could  be  obeyed, 
and  successfully  resisted  the  attack  of  fifteen  hundred  men.  Only 
one  assault  was  attempted,  which  was  bravely  repulsed  with  a 
slaughter  which  induced  Proctor  hastily  to  decamp  and  return  to 


76  ''  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

Maiden,  after  one  of  the  feeblest  and  most  disgraceful  expedi- 
tions, which  has  ever  disgraced  the  British  arms. 

The  crisis  of  the  campaign  had  now  arrived,  and  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  10th  of  September,  the  flotilla  of  lieutenant  Perry  en- 
gaged the  British  fleet  under  captain  Barclay,  a  British  officer 
of  great  experience,  who  had  fought  under  Nelson  at  Trafalgar. 
The  number  of  men  in  the  respective  squadrons  was  nearly  equal; 
the  British  vessels  carried  sixty-tlu"ee  guns,  and  the  American 
fifty-four;  the  British  had  six  vessels,  and  the  American  nine.  But 
seven  of  the  American  vessels  w^ere  mere  gun  boats,  carrying 
most  of  them  only  one  gun,  and  none  of  them  more  than  three, 
while  the  remaining  two,  named  the  Lawrence  and  Niagara, 
carried  twenty  guns  each.  A  great  proportion  of  the  British 
armament  consisted  of  long  guns,  while  the  two  American  brigs 
were  armed  almost  exclusively  with  carronades.  If  the  British 
official  report  is  to  be  trusted,  however,  the  weight  of  metal  in  a 
close  action  would  be  immensely  in  favor  of  the  American  fleet, 
as  most  of  their  guns  were  thirty-two  and  twenty-four  pounders, 
while  the  great  majority  of  the  British  guns,  were  nine,  six 
and  four  pounders,  and  only  a  few  as  high  as  twenty-four  and 
eighteen.  A  detachment  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  Ken- 
tucky volunteers  served  on  board  of  Perry's  fleet  as  marines,  and 
upon  this  new  element  acquitted  themselves  with  the  greatest 
bravery. 

The  action  began  between  eleven  and  twelve  o'clock,  with 
scarcely  a  breath  of  air  to  stir  the  bosom  of  the  lake.  Perry  in 
the  Lawrence,  accompanied  by  two  of  the  small  vessels,  bore 
down  upon  the  enemy,  but  was  not  closely  followed  by  lieuten- 
ant Elliot  in  the  Niagara,  and  the  rest  of  the  small  vessels.  For 
two  hours  Perry  remained  exposed  to  the  fire  of  the  whole  Brit- 
ish fleet,  by  which  his  vessel  was  cut  to  pieces,  and  three-fourths 
of  his  crew  killed  and  wounded.  Elliot  during  this  time  was 
never  within  less  than  half  a  mile  of  the  enemy,  and  the  residue 
of  the  fleet  was  not  nearer  than  a  mile  and  a  half,  save  the  two 
small  vessels  which  accompanied  him.  By  two  o'clock  Perry's 
vessel  was  totally  disabled,  but  the  rest  of  his  fleet  was  but  little 
injured.  The  lake  was  so  smooth,  that  the  distant  gun  boats, 
from  their  long  twenty-four  and  thirty-two  pounders,  threw  their 
shot  with  great  precision,  and  had  made  themselves  felt  in  the 
action ;  but  Elliot's  brig,  which  formed  so  essential  a  part  of  the 
force,  and  which  was  armed  almost  exclusively  with  carronades 
had  as  yet  annoyed  the  enemy  but  little,  and  had  fought  princi- 
pally with  two  twelve  pounders,  the  only  long  guns  she  had.  At 
two  o'clock.  Perry  left  the  Lawrence  under  command  of  her  lieu- 
tenant, and  in  an  open  boat,  rowed  to  the  Niagara.  Upon 
Perry's  expressing  dissatisfaction  at  the  manner  in  which  the 
gun  boats  were  managed,  Elliot  volunteered  to  bring  them  up. 
He  left  the  Niagara  in  a  boat  for  that  purpose,  and  passed  swiftly 
down  the  line,  ordering  them  to  cease  firing,  and  by  the  combined 
use  of  their  sweeps  and  sails,  to  press  forward  into  close  action. 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  77 

Instantly  a  new  impulse  was  given  to  the  whole  line.  The 
well  known  signal  for  close  action,  was  now  seen  flying  from  the 
Niagara,  and  after  a  delay  of  fifteen  minutes,  to  enable  the  gun 
boats  to  come  up.  Perry  bore  down  upon  the  British  line,  passed 
through  it,  and  delivered  a  raking  fire  of  grape  and  cannister, 
from  both  broadsides,  at  half  pistol  shot  distance.  The  dreadful 
cries  from  the  Queen  Charlotte  and  Lady  Prevost,  which  followed 
this  close  and  murderous  discharge,  announced  the  fatal  accuracy 
with  which  it  had  been  delivered.  The  gun  boats  were  now 
within  pistol  shot,  and  a  tremendous  cannonade,  accompanied  by 
the  shrill  clear  notes  of  many  bugles  from  the  English  vessels, 
announced  that  they  expected  to  be  boarded,  and  were  summon- 
ing their  boarders  to  repel  the  anticipated  assault.  No  boarding, 
however,  was  attempted.  The  superior  weight  of  the  American 
mettle,  was  now  telling,  in  close  fight,  when  the  full  power  of 
their  carronades  was  felt,  and  in  fifteen  minutes  the  enemy  sur- 
rendered, with  the  exception  of  two  of  their  smallest  vessels, 
which  attempted  to  escape.  The  attempt  proved  fruitless,  and 
the  whole  fleet  of  the  enemy  became  the  prize  of  the  captors. 
When  the  smoke  cleared  away,  so  that  the  hostile  fleets  could 
be  distinctly  seen,  they  were  found  intermingled,  within  half  pis- 
tol shot.  The  signal  for  close  action  was  still  flying  from  the 
mast  head  of  the  American  commodore,  and  the  small  vessels 
were  still  sternly  wearing  their  answering  flag  of  intelligence 
and  obedience.  The  loss  on  both  sides,  owing  to  the  dreadful 
slaughter  on  board  the  Lawrence,  was  nearly  equal.  The  Ameri- 
can loss  was  twenty-seven  killed  and  ninety-six  wounded,  con- 
siderably more  than  half  of  which  was  sustained  by  the  crew  of 
the  Lawrence. 

This  victory,  never  surpassed  in  splendor,  however  it  may  have 
been  in  magnitude,  was  decisive  of  the  fate  of  the  campaign. 
It  gave  to  Harrison  the  complete  command  of  the  lake,  and  the 
power  of  throwing  an  overwhelming  force  into  the  rear  of 
Proctor,  if  he  should  attempt  to  maintain  his  position  at  Detroit 
and  Maiden.  Such,  however,  was  by  no  means  his  intention. 
No  sooner  did  he  learn  that  Harrison,  at  the  head  of  a  small 
regular  force,  and  the  powerful  reinforcement  of  Kentuckians 
under  Shelby,  was  crossing  the  lake,  and  about  to  operate  upon 
his  rear,  than  he  abandoned  his  position  with  great  precipitation, 
and  commenced  a  rapid  retreat,  in  the  first  stages  of  which  he 
was  deserted  by  more  than  one  half  of  his  Indian  auxiliaries. 
The  gallant  Tecumseh,  at  the  head  of  more  than  a  thousand  war- 
riors, however,  remained  faithful  in  adversity,  and  accompanied 
him,  as  is  believed  under  a  promise  that  the  first  favorable 
ground  should  be  selected  for  a  battle.  No  time  was  lost  in  avail- 
ing himself  of  his  complete  command  of  the  lake.  The  horses 
of  the  Kentuckians  were  left  upon  the  American  shore,  under  a 
guard  reluctantly  draughted  for  that  indispensable  but  inglorious 
service,  and  enclosed  within  an  ample  grazing  ground,  while 
their  comrades  were  joyfully  w'afted  to  the  hostile  shore,  where 


78  "  OUTLINE   HISTORY. 

they  debarked  on  the  27th  of  September.  Proctor  had  retreated 
on  the  24th  of  the  same  month. 

After  detaching  General  McArthur  to  resume  possession  of  De- 
troit, which  had  now  been  under  British  dominion  for  thirteen 
months,  General  Harrison,  at  the  head  of  the  Kentucky  infantry, 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty  regulars,  and  Colonel  Johnson's 
regiment  of  mounted  gunmen,  commenced  pm-suit  of  Proctor. 
He  came  up  with  him  on  the  5th  of  October,  upon  the  banks  of 
the  Thames,  near  the  old  Moravian  village,  where  a  decisive  bat- 
tle was  fought.  The  ground  occupied  by  the  British,  was  the 
river  bottom,  about  three  hundred  yards  wide,  and  thickly  set  with 
beech  trees.  Their  left  rested  upon  the  river  and  their  right  upon 
a  swamp,  which  ran  parallel  to  the  river,  and  covered  their  right 
flank.  Beyond  this  swamp  their  line  was  prolonged  by  their 
Indian  allies  under  Tecumseh.  There  were  probably  about  five 
hundred  British  regulars,  rank  and  file,  upon  the  ground,  and  from 
1000  to  1500  Indians.  The  force  of  Harrison,  including  the  hand- 
ful of  regulars  and  friendly  Indians,  was  probably  3500  men. 
The  English,  however,  presented  a  narrow  front,  and  were  well 
secured  upon  each  flank,  and  the  ground  was  extremely  favora- 
ble to  their  Indian  allies.  Harrison's  line  of  battle  was  formed  of 
five  brigades  of  Kentucky  volunteers,  under  the  generals  Trotter, 
King,  Chiles,  Allen  and  Caldwell,  the  three  first  composing  the 
division  of  Major  General  Henry;  the  two  last  commanded  by 
Major  General  Desha.  The  division  of  Henry  was  formed  in 
three  lines,  fronting  the  British  regulars — that  of  Desha  was 
formed  at  right  angles  to  Henry  facing  the  swamp,  from  which 
the  Indian  torrent  was  expected  to  burst.  The  venerable  Shelby 
took  his  station  at  the  point  where  the  lines  intersected.  Colonel 
Johnson's  regiment  had  originally  been  intended  to  turn  the  flank 
of  the  Indians,  and  operate  in  the  rear,  as  in  Wayne's  battle,  but 
General  Harrison  was  informed  by  Colonel  Wood,  of  the  engi- 
neers, that  the  British  regulars  were  deployed  as  skirmishers  in 
loose  order,  and  he  instantly  determined  to  charge  them  with 
the  mounted  gun  men. 

Colonel  Johnson,  finding  that  the  whole  of  his  regiment  could 
not  act  with  effect  upon  the  English  troops,  directed  his  brother 
to  charge  the  English  with  one  battalion,  while  he  charged  the  In- 
dians with  the  other.  The  charge  upon  the  British  was  completely 
successful,  and  the  whole  regiment  threw  down  their  arms  and 
surrendered.  The  charge  upon  the  Indians,  from  the  nature  of 
the  ground,  and  the  more  vigorous  resistance,  proved  unsuccessful. 
The  horsemen  recoiled  in  disorder,  and  dismounting,  commenced 
an  irregular  skirmish  with  the  Indians.  Colonel  Johnson,  who 
had  gallantly  led  a  forlorn  hope  of  twenty  men,  was  desperately 
wounded,  and  borne  olT  before  the  close  of  the  action.  A  vigorous 
fire  was  kept  up  by  the  Indians  for  a  considerable  time  after  the 
English  had  surrendered,  but  the  fall  of  the  brave  Tecumseh,  and 
the  overwhelming  force  opposed  to  them,  soon  compelled  them  to 
a  flight.     Proctor  fled  early  in  the  engagement,  and  was  pursued 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  ^  79 

for  several  miles  by  several  American  officers — John  Chambers 
and  Charles  S.  Todd,  aids  to  General  Harrison,  together  with 
majors  Wood  and  Payne.  All  was  vain,  however.  The  victory 
was  decisive,  and  closed  the  hostilities,  so  long  protracted,  in  the 
north-west.  They  continued  with  increasing  fury  upon  the  eas- 
tern and  southern  borders  of  the  Union,  but  as  Kentucky  had  no 
direct  share  in  the  campaign  of  1814-15,  save  in  the  crowning 
victory  at  New  Orleans,  it  is  inconsistent  with  the  plan  of  this 
sketch  to  notice  any  but  the  last  event. 


CHAPTER  V. 


The  battle  of  New  Orleans  was  the  most  brilliant  event  of  the 
last  war.  It  created  a  deep  sensation  at  the  time,  and  the  vast 
political  consequences  which  have  resulted  from  it,  have  en- 
graved it  deeply  and  indelibly  upon  the  minds  of  the  American 
people.  The  overthrow  of  Napoleon  in  1814,  had  rendered  dis- 
posable a  large  part  of  that  veteran  British  force,  which  had 
marched  under  Wellington,  through  six  campaigns  of  uninter- 
rupted victory,  in  Spain.  New  Orleans  at  that  time,  contained 
about  17,000  inhabitants,  and  was  then  as  now,  the  great  empo- 
rium of  the  Mississippi  valley,  and  its  possession  by  a  hostile 
force  would  inflict  incalculable  evil,  upon  the  whole  country  west 
of  the  Alleghenies. 

At  the  close  of  1814,  a  force  of  from  eight  to  twelve  thousand 
veteran  and  incomparable  British  troops,  was  placed  under  the 
command  of  Sir  Edward  Packenham,  the  brother-in-law  of  Wel- 
lington, and  an  officer  who  in  a  subordinate  station,  had  brilliantly 
distinguished  himself  at  the  battle  of  Salamanca.  His  orders 
were  to  seize  and  hold  New  Orleans,  and  in  pursuance  of  that 
object  he  effected  a  landing  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  on  the 
22d  of  December,  after  destroying  a  flotilla  of  six  gun  boats,  which 
attempted  to  prevent  the  disembarkation  of  this  mighty  armament. 
Such  was  the  principal  maritime  force,  which  the  American  gov- 
ernment had  prepared  to  resist  this  invasion.  The  land  forces 
were  upon  a  similar  beggarly  scale.  General  Andrew  Jackson, 
of  Tennessee,  since  so  celebrated  throughout  the  civilized  world, 
was  the  American  commander-in-chief,  and  when  the  vanguard 
of  the  British  force  encamped  a  few  miles  below  the  city,  he  had 
only  two  regiments  of  regular  troops,  amounting  to  less  than 
seven  hundred  men,  and  about  3000  citizens,  without  discipline, 
and  poorly  provided  with  arms,  to  meet  the  bronzed  veterans  of 
the  Peninsula.  A  division  of  Kentucky  militia  was  descending 
the  Mississippi,  under  General  Thomas,  to  aid  in  the  defence,  but 
had  not  yet  arrived,  and  when  it  did  come,  was  almost  entirely 


80  '  OUTLINE   HISTORY. 

without  arms  or  ammunition,  nor  were  there  any  adequate  maga- 
zines in  the  city,  from  wliich  they  could  be  supplied.  Several 
boat  loads  of  arms  and  munitions  of  war  had  been  shipped  at 
Pittsburgh,  and  were  then  struggling  through  the  shoals  of  the 
Ohio;  but  when  they  might  be  expected  to  arrive,  if  ever,  was 
matter  of  conjecture.     Such  was  the  preparation  for  defence. 

In  the  meantime  their  formidable  enemy  was  upon  them, 
within  two  hours'  march  of  the  city,  which  was  entirely  unforti- 
fied, and  filled  with  consternation.  On  the  very  night  of  their 
landing,  Jackson  promptly  marched  to  meet  them.  The  British 
force  present  under  arms  was  about  4500  men.  The  force  with 
which  Jackson  made  the  attack  was  about  2500,  having  left  one 
brigade  of  Tennessee  militia  under  General  Carroll,  and  a  corps 
of  Louisiana  militia  under  Governor  Claiborne  in  the  rear,  to 
guard  against  any  attempt  which  might  be  made  by  the  residue 
of  the  British  force.  The  American  schooner  Caroline,  com- 
manded by  Lieutenant  Henly,  of  the  navy,  was  ordered  to  drop 
down  the  river  until  abreast  of  the  British  camp,  and  co-operate 
with  the  land  forces  in  the  attack.  The  British  troops  were  en- 
camped upon  the  very  verge  of  the  river,  which  was  high  at  the 
time,  and  only  prevented  by  the  levee  from  overflowing  the  en- 
campment. The  Caroline  floated  slowly  down  the  river,  and  at- 
tracted no  notice  from  the  enemy,  who  had  no  suspicion  of  her 
character.  When  abreast  of  the  encampment,  which  was  lit  up  by 
numerous  fires,  the  Caroline  dropped  her  anchor  and  brought  her 
broadside  to  bear.  The  enemy  in  crowded  masses,  were  before 
her,  their  blood-red  uniforms,  and  gilded  accoutrements,  glaring 
in  the  light  of  an  hundred  fires.  Her  guns  loaded  with  grape 
and  musket  balls,  were  discharged  within  half  range,  upon  this 
dense  mass,  with  fatal  accuracy.  The  enemy  was  completely 
surprised  by  this  attack,  and  great  confusion  ensued.  The  Caro- 
line poured  in  repeated  broadsides,  in  rapid  succession,  which 
was  answered  by  vollies  of  musketry,  quickly  followed  by-  show- 
ers of  Congreve  rockets,  one  of  which  exploded  directly  over  her 
deck.  A  portion  of  the  British  force  sought  shelter  behind  the 
levee,  while  the  residue  were  withdrawn  from  the  bank,  and  the 
fires  completely  extinguished.  A  dense  fog  now  settled  over  the 
river  and  encampment,  which  added  to  the  darkness  of  the  night. 

For  some  time  the  silence  was  broken  only  by  the  regular  broad- 
sides of  the  schooner,  and  the  equally  regular  discharges  of  the 
mortar  battery.  But  other  sights  and  sounds  quickly  followed. 
A  tremendous  roar  of  musketry,  was  soon  heard,  about  one  half 
mile  back  from  the  river,  and  the  horizon  in  that  direction  was 
lit  up  for  a  mile  in  extent  by  a  stream  of  fire.  Scarcely  had  this 
occurred,  when  another  burst  of  musketry,  intermingled  with  the 
sharper  reports  of  rifles,  in  irregular  but  heavy  vollies,  upon  the 
very  verge  of  the  river,  and  above  the  late  encampment,  an- 
nounced to  the  British  commander  that  Jackson  was  upon  him 
in  two  divisions,  and  that  in  the  murky  mist,  where  the  fight  was 
waged,  discipline    must  yield  to  native   daring.      The  British 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  81 

troops,  accustomed  to  the  regular  battles,  and  splendid  evolutions 
of  the  Peninsula,  were  entirely  out  of  their  element  in  this  wild- 
cat fight,  in  the  mud  and  darkness,  of  the  JMississippi.  They 
were  ignorant  of  the  number  of  their  enemies,  and  totally  igno- 
rant of  the  ground.  Great  confusion  on  both  sides  ensued.  The 
American  troops  occasionally  fired  upon  each  other,  and  the 
British  did  the  same.  An  English  officer  who  was  present  des- 
cribes it  as  a  desperate  and  bloody  struggle  in  the  dark,  where 
wounds  were  given  by  swords,  knives,  bayonets,  butts  of  guns, 
musket  and  rifle  balls  in  profusion,  amidst  shouts,  cries,  and 
curses,  which  might  have  awakened  the  dead. 

After  a  vehement  struggle  of  two  hours,  the  parties  separated 
as  if  by  mutual  consent,  and  sullenly  retired  to  their  respective 
camps.  The  British  remained  under  arms  until  daylight, 
not  knowing  when  or  from  what  quarter  the  attack  might  be 
renewed,  and  during  the  long  winter  night,  the  silence  was 
broken  only  by  the  cries  of  the  miserable  wounded,  who  were 
left  in  their  blood,  as  they  had  fallen,  over  the  whole  theatre  of  the 
battle.  The  American  loss,  in  killed,  wounded  and  prisoners,  was 
two  hundred  and  thirteen.  The  English  loss  was  nearly  five 
hundred.  The  force  present  on  the  field,  under  Jackson,  in  this 
battle,  was  composed  of  Coffee's  brigade  of  Tennesseeans,  the 
seventh  and  forty-fourth  regiments  of  regulars,  a  company  of 
riflemen,  a  company  of  marines,  two  battalions  of  city  volunteers, 
and  a  regiment  of  Mississippi  volunteer  di'agoons,  who  were  not 
actually  engaged.  Upon  retiring  from  the  British  camp,  Jackson 
instantly  ordered  up  Carroll's  brigade  of  Tennesseeans,  directing 
Governor  Claiborne  alone  to  hold  the  position  in  the  rear,  intend- 
ing with  this  reinforcement  to  renew  the  attack.  Carroll  promptly 
obeyed  the  order,  and  in  one  hour  after  midnight  was  upon  the 
ground  ready  for  action. 

Jackson  in  the  meantime  had  ascertained  the  force  of  the 
enemy  from  the  prisoners  taken  in  the  battle,  and  further  learned 
that  they  would  be  reinforced  in  the  morning  by  two  additional 
regiments.  He  declined  renewing  the  attack,  therefore;  and 
withdrawing  his  force  from  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  enemy, 
he  formed  them  beliind  a  shallow  ditch,  which  crossed  the  bottom 
at  right  angles  to  the  river,  connecting  the  river  with  a  swamp. 
The  bottom  was  rather  more  than  one  thousand  yards  broad. 
The  earth  had  been  thrown  out  of  the  ditch  upon  the  upper  side 
and  formed  a  natural,  but  low  breast  work.  This  was  greatly 
strengthened  by  an  additional  quantity  of  earth  thrown  upon  it,^ 
from  the  upper  side,  leaving  a  shallow  trench  on  the  upper  side 
of  the  breastwork,  in  which  the  men  stood,  and  which  in  rainy 
■weather,  was  more  tlian  ankle  deep  in  mud  and  water.  The  ditch 
was  extended  some  distance  into  the  swamp,  which  was  nearly 
impassable  beyond  it.  Coffee's  brigade  had  charge  of  the  flank 
resting  upon  the  swamp.  Carroll's  brigade  and  the  regulars 
were  posted  in  the  centre,  and  the  Louisiana  militia  had  charge 
of  the  river  quarter.  The  troops  were  incessantly  employed  in 
6 


82  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

strengthening  the  lines,  and  the  arrival  of  the  Kentucky  militia 
was  anxiously  expected. 

On  the  morning  after  the  night  skirmish,  Sir  Edward  Packen- 
ham,  with  two  more  regiments  of  the  British  force  arrived,  and 
no  good  reason  can  be  given  for  his  tardiness  and  delay  in 
availing  himself  of  his  overpowering  superiority.  He  certainly 
had  from  five  to  seven  thousand  men  present  under  arms,  and  it 
is  equally  certain  that  General  Jackson  had  not  much  more  than 
half  that  number,  fit  for  duty.  When  Jackson  retired  behind  the 
ditch,  then  ofiering  no  serious  defence,  there  was  nothing  to  pre- 
vent Packenham's  advancing  upon  him.  Kentucky  had  not  then 
appeared,  and  the  British  were  in  full  force,  save  two  regiments 
which  had  not  yet  come  up.  Napoleon  would  have  seized  the 
golden  opportunity,  and  would  have  pressed  the  retiring  militia 
so  closely  as  to  have  given  no  leisure  for  that  formidable  breast- 
work, against  wliich  courage  and  discipline  toiled  in  vain. 

No  movement  of  consequence  was  made  by  the  British  from 
the  24th  to  the  28th  of  December,  which  precious  interval  was 
improved  by  Jackson  in  incessant  labor  upon  his  works,  and  in 
the  most  active  exertions  to  procure  arms  from  the  city  and 
neighborhood,  and  have  them  prepared  by  workmen,  who  were 
employed  day  and  night,  in  fitting  them  for  service.  The  right 
bank  of  the  river  also  engaged  Jackson's  attention,  w^hich  was 
completely  open  to  the  British,  and  as  they  had  destroyed  the 
schooner  Caroline  with  hot  shot,  they  had  complete  command  of 
the  river  below.  Jackson  threw  up  some  hasty  works  on  the 
right  bank,  and  manned  them  with  a  few  hundred  militia,  badly 
armed;  but  there  was  nothing  on  the  right  bank  capable  of  even 
delaying  Packenham's  march,  so  late  as  the  8th  of  January. 

On  the  28th,  after  the  loss  of  fom*  days,Packenham  moved  for- 
ward, with  a  heavy  mass  against  tlie  front  of  the  American  lines, 
while  a  smaller  column  under  Lieutenant  Colonel  Rennie,  a  gal- 
lant Scotch  officer,  attempted  to  turn  the  left  of  the  line,  where  it 
rested  upon  the  swamp.  The  demonstration  in  front  under 
Packenham  was  repulsed  by  a  converging  fire  of  artillery  from 
the  whole  line,  for  Jackson  had  availed  himself  of  the  ample 
time  given  him  by  the  enemy,  to  mount  some  heavy  guns  taken 
from  ships,  along  his  line,  and  they  were  worked  by  the  officers 
and  seamen  of  the  Caroline,  with  a  skill  and  accuracy  that  told 
fearfully  upon  the  advancing  column.  The  demonstration  of 
Rennie  upon  the  left  flank,  if  made  with  a  large  force  and  pro- 
perly supported,  would  probably  have  been  successful.  He  found 
the  swamp  passable,  although  with  difficulty,  and  succeeded  in 
turning  the  left  of  the  line.  He  was  there  met  by  a  portion  of 
Coffee's  brigade,  with  whom  he  skirmished,  until  he  was  recalled 
by  Packenham. 

This  demonstration  called  Jackson's  attention  more  particu- 
larly to  his  left.  The  breastwork  was  extended  farther  into  the 
swamp,  and  platforms  were  constructed  in  the  water,  upon  which 
the  men  could  stand,  and  by  which  they  could  readily  pass  to  the 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  83 

extremity  of  the  line.  Baffled  in  this  tardy  and  feeble  effort  to 
advance,  Packenham  then  commenced  regular  approaches,  as 
if  he  were  attacking  a  Spanish  town  strongly  fortified,  and  after 
several  days'  labor,  opened  a  battery  of  heavy  artillery  against 
the  earthen  breastwork.  His  guns  were  ineffectual,  however,  and 
were  quickly  dismounted  by  the  American  artillery.  It  seems 
then  suddenly  to  have  occurred  to  Packenham,  that  the  opposite 
bank  of  the  river  afforded  a  passage  to  the  city,  and  was  but 
slightly  defended,  and  he  instantly  determined  to  employ  his 
whole  force,  in  deepening  the  canal  that  led  from  the  British 
fleet  to  the  Mississippi,  in  order  to  bring  up  the  boats  from  the 
fleet,  and  thus  command  both  banks  of  the  river.  This  proved 
a  herculean  undertaking,  and  was  not  completed  until  the  eve- 
ning of  the  6th  of  January. 

In  the  meantime  a  division  of  Kentucky  militia,  commanded  by 
General  Thomas,  more  than  2000  strong,  arrived  in  camp,  and 
two  additional  regiments  of  Louisiana  militia  arrived.  The  Ken- 
tucky troops  could  at  first,  only  muster  five  hundi-ed  muskets, 
and  the  Louisiana  reinforcements  were  miserably  armed.  But 
the  men  were  hardy  and  brave,  and  immense  exertions  were 
made  to  arm  them,  which  were  partially  successful.  Even  on 
the  day  of  battle,  however,  there  were  six  hundred  men  under 
Jackson  ready  and  anxious  to  fight,  who  could  not  procure  a 
musket,  to  defend  their  country.  Never  was  there  a  more  strik- 
ing contrast  between  the  activity,  energy,  and  inexhaustible  re- 
sources of  a  general,  and  the  imbecility  of  a  government. 

Having  now  allowed  his  enemy  time  to  receive  all  his  rein- 
forcements, to  entrench  himself  behind  formidable  works,  to 
manufacture  and  repair  arms  for  his  naked  troops, — having  first 
directed  his  enemy's  attention  to  the  vulnerable  point  in  his  line 
of  defence,  by  a  weak  demonstration,  and  then  given  him  ten 
days  to  strengthen  it,  Packenham  at  last  determined  to  attack. 
Having  now  fifty  boats  at  command,  one  would  suppose  that  he 
would  prefer  advancing  by  the  right  bank,  which  was  unfortified, 
rather  than  by  the  left,  which  bristled  with  entrenchments.  Both 
would  lead  to  within  reach  of  the  city,  and  by  the  former  rout, 
he  would  turn  those  terrible  lines,  before  which  he  had  halted 
seventeen  days,  and  render  all  Jackson's  labor  useless.  With 
his  ample  corps  of  sappers  and  miners,  he  might  have  bridged 
the  Mississippi,  in  the  time  employed  in  deepening  the  canal. 
Even  after  the  boats  arrived,  twenty-four  hours  would  have  trans- 
ported his  whole  force  to  the  opposite  shore.  He  determined, 
however,  to  make  a  demonstration  with  only  1400  on  the  right 
bank,  and  with  the  residue  of  his  force,  to  assail  the  terrible  lines 
in  front.  Orders  were  given  to  that  effect,  on  the  evening  of  the 
7th.  Colonel  Thornton  was  to  cross  the  river  with  1400  men  at 
midnight,  and  assail  General  Morgan,  who  commanded  on  the 
right  bank,  at  day  light.  At  the  same  time  the  main  body,  in 
three  columns,  on  the  left  bank,  was  to  assail  Jackson's  line.  Pack- 
enham would    lead  the  centre  column  in  person.     Lieutenant 


84  OUTLINE   HISTORY. 

Colonel  Rennie  the  left  column,  which  was  to  assault  the  line 
upon  the  river ;  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  Jones,  the  right  column, 
which  was  destined  to  turn  the  left  of  the  line  through  the 
swamp,  and  attack  the  rear  of  the  centre. 

The  preparation  in  the  American  lines,  was  of  the  most  for- 
midable kind.  The  right  of  the  line  resting  on  the  river,  was 
strengthened  by  an  advanced  redoubt,  and  that  whole  quarter 
was  defended  by  the  Louisiana  militia  and  the  regulars.  Car- 
roll's Tennessee  brigade  and  about  1100  Kentucky  militia,  formed 
the  centre;  and  Cotiee's  brigade  of  Tennesseeans  guarded  the  left 
flank,  extending  far  into  the  swamp.  General  Thomas  being 
sick.  General  Adair  commanded  the  Kentuckians,  who  formed  a 
corps  de  reserve,  and  were  directed  to  march  to  the  assailed  point, 
and  strengthen  the  line  there.  It  was  well  understood  that  an 
attack  would  be  made  on  the  morning  of  the  8th,  and  the  Ken- 
tucky troops  were  marched  to  the  lines  before  day,  and  halted 
about  fifty  j^ards  in  rear  of  the  centre,  until  the  grand  point  of 
attack  should  be  disclosed.  It  was  intended  that  the  line  should 
have  a  depth  of  ten  files  at  the  point  of  attack,  so  that  the 
stream  of  fire  should  be  incessant.  The  front  rank  alone  would 
fire,  as  fast  as  the  nine  ranks  behind  could  pass  forward  their 
loaded  muskets,  receiving  those  discharged,  in  their  places. 
When  the  point  of  attack  had  been  clearl}^  disclosed,  the  Ken- 
tucky troops  were  ordered  to  close  up,  with  Carroll's  brigade  of 
Tennesseeans,  upon  whom  it  was  evident,  the  storm  was  about  to 
burst. 

Two  rockets  thrown  into  the  air  were  the  signals  to  move  for- 
ward, and  the  three  columns,  the  veterans  of  six  glorious  cam- 
paigns, covered  with  renown  as  with  a  garment,  and  hitherto 
victorious  in  every  field,  rushed  against  an  earthern  breastwork, 
defended  by  men  who  had  hurried  from  the  plough  and  the  work- 
shop, to  meet  the  invaders  of  their  country.  The  fog  lay  thick 
and  heavy  upon  the  ground,  but  the  measured  step  of  the  centre 
column  was  heard  long  before  it  became  visible,  and  the  artil- 
lery opened  upon  them,  directed  by  the  sound  of  the  mighty  host, 
which  bore  forward  as  one  man  to  the  assault.  At  the  first  burst 
of  artillery,  the  fog  slowly  lifted,  and  disclosed  the  centre  column 
advancing  in  deep  silence,  but  with  a  swift  and  steady  pace. 

The  field  was  as  level  as  the  surface  of  the  calmest  lake,  and 
the  artillery  ploughed  through  the  column,  from  front  to  rear, 
without  for  a  moment  slackening  its  pace  or  disordering  the 
beautiful  precision  of  its  formation.  Its  head  was  pointed 
against  the  centre  of  the  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  line,  where 
ten  ranks  of  musketry  stood  ready  to  fire  as  soon  as  it  came 
within  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards;  the  musketry  opened  along  a 
front  of  four  hundred  yards,  and  converged  upon  the  head  of  the 
column,  with  destructive  effect.  There  was  not  a  moment's 
pause  in  the  fire.  The  artillery  along  the  whole  line  discharged 
showers  of  grape,  the  roll  of  musketry  was  in  one  deep  unin- 
terrupted thunder,  like  the  roar  of  an  hundred  water  falls,  and 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  85 

the  central  breastwork  for  four  hundred  yards,  was  in  a  bright 
and  long  continued  blaze,  which  dazzled  the  eye.  Yet  still  the 
heroic  column  bore  forward,  into  the  very  jaws  of  death,  but  no 
longer  maintained  the  beautiful  accuracy  of  its  formation.  The 
head  of  the  column  actually  reached  the  ditch,  and  were  there 
killed  or  taken.  The  residue  paused  and  seemed  bewildered 
for  a  moment,  and  then  retired  in  disorder  under  the  same  exter- 
minating torrent  of  fire,  which  had  greeted  their  advance.  Their 
commander  Packenham  had  perished;  Generals  Gibbs  and  Keane, 
the  next  in  command,  had  also  fallen.  A  host  of  inferior  officers 
had  shared  the  same  fate,  and  their  organization  for  the  time 
was  destroyed. 

General  Lambert  now  succeeded  to  the  command,  and  rallied 
the  column  for  a  second  effort.  The  officers  who  had  survived 
the  terrible  burst  of  fire  from  the  lines,  were  seen  busily  reform- 
ing the  ranks  and  encouraging  the  men.  In  a  few  minutes  all 
traces  of  disorder  disappeared,  and  again  the  column  moved  for- 
ward, with  as  rapid  a  step,  and  proud  a  front  as  at  first.  Again 
the  artillery  tore  its  ranlis  with  grape  shot,  until  it  came  within 
range  of  small  arms,  when  the  same  uninterrupted  thunder  of 
musketry  ensued.  The  column  did  not  again  persevere  in  ad- 
vance with  the  heroic  fortitude  which  marked  the  first  effort. 
They  broke  and  fled  in  confusion,  before  arriving  within  one 
hundred  yards  of  the  lines,  and  no  efforts  of  their  officers  could 
induce  them  again  to  advance. 

The  river  column,  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Rennie,  advanced 
against  the  redoubt  with  a  resolution  which  nothing  but  death 
could  control.  The  same  fatal  fire  of  artillery  and  musketry  en- 
veloped its  ranks.  But  through  all  it  persevered  in  advance,  and 
mounted  the  walls  of  the  redoubt  with  loud  cheers,  compelling 
its  defenders  to  retire  to  the  breastwork.  The  redoubt  was  com- 
manded by  the  breastwork,  and  the  British  troops  were  exposed 
to  a  destructive  fire,  which  proved  fatal  to  their  gallant  com- 
mander and  most  of  the  inferior  officers.  They  maintained  their 
ground,  at  an  enormous  loss,  until  the  central  column  was  dis- 
comfited, when  they  gave  way  and  retired  in  confusion. 

The  column  under  Colonel  Jones  had  no  better  success.  They 
found  the  left  flank  greatly  strengthened  since  the  28th,  and  ex- 
tending so  far  into  the  swamp,  that  it  could  not  be  turned.  They 
were  greeted  with  the  same  deadly  fire  from  Coffee's  brigade, 
which  had  proved  fatal  to  the  other  columns,  and  were  with- 
drawn to  the  shelter  of  the  wood,  about  the  time  that  Packen- 
ham's  division  was  repulsed.  The  battle  was  over  upon  the  left 
banlc,  and  deep  silence  succeeded  the  intolerable  roar,  which  had 
just  tortured  the  senses.  Enormous  masses  of  smoke,  hovered 
a  few  feet  above  the  breastwork,  and  slowly  drifted  over  the 
bloodstained  field.  Horrid  piles  of  carcasses  marked  the  rout  of 
the  centre  column,  which  thickened  as  it  approached  the  lines. 
The    hostile  ranks  were  cowering  behind  a  ditch,  within  half 


86  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

range  of  the  artillery,  unwilling  to  advance  or  retreat.  Upon 
the  right  bank  the  battle  was  still  going  on. 

Previously  to  the  morning  of  the  8th,  General  Morgan  had  been 
detached  to  the  opposite  bank  with  about  1000  militia.  Some 
slight  defences  were  hastily  tlirown  up,  and  a  shallow  ditch 
formed  part  of  the  line,  easily  passable  at  every  point.  Before 
day  of  the  8th,  one  hundred  and  eighty  Kentucky  militia,  and  a 
regiment  of  Louisiana  militia,  were  thrown  over  to  reinforce 
Morgan,  raising  his  force  to  about  1700  men.  The  position,  al- 
though weak  in  other  respects,  was  well  garnished  with  artillery, 
and  if  occupied  by  well  trained  troops,  could  easily  have  resisted 
Thornton's  attack.  As  it  was,  however,  the  militia  gave  way, 
and  the  British  veterans  drove  Morgan's  whole  force  before  them. 
Although  scarcely  a  tenth  of  Morgan's  force  was  composed  of 
Kentuckians,  and  although  the  Kentuckians  formed  the  strength 
of  that  central  force  which  repulsed  Packenham,  yet  the  flight  of 
one  hundred  and  eighty  Kentuckians  upon  the  right  bank,  is  con- 
spicuously set  forth  in  General  Jackson's  official  report,  while 
the  steady  bravery  of  1100  men  under  Adair,  upon  the  left  bank, 
is  left  to  be  gathered  from  other  sources. 

The  fm-ther  proceedings  before  New  Orleans,  belong  to  the 
biographer  of  Jackson,  or  the  historian  of  the  war.  But  it  would 
be  improper  to  dismiss  this  subject,  without  some  observations 
upon  the  force  of  the  respective  armies.  Some  American  writers 
rate  the  British  force  at  14,000,  and  state  Jackson's  force  at  4000. 
Some  British  writers  estimate  Jackson's  force  at  25,000,  and 
sink  their  own  to  one-fifth  of  that  number.  General  Jackson 
states  his  force  at  4698  rank  and  file,  present  upon  the  field. 
Major  Pringle,  of  the  British  army,  states  that  the  field  retm-n,  on 
the  day  preceding  the  battle,  shows  that  the  three  columns 
which  attacked  Jackson's  lines  on  the  left  bank,  numbered  pre- 
cisely 5493  rank  and  file.  This  he  admits  is  exclusive  of  Thorn- 
ton's force,  1400  rank  and  file,  and  also  exclusive  of  the  cavalry, 
two  squadrons,  the  artillery,  the  sappers  and  miners,  the  engi- 
neers, etc.  Permitting  each  party  to  state  his  own  force,  and 
taking  their  accounts  as  true,  it  will  appear  that  Jackson  had 
4698  rank  and  file,  a  portion  without  arms,  and  of  course  not  en- 
gaged, while  the  British  had  6893  rank  and  file,  actually  em- 
ployed, and  the  cavalry,  the  artillery,  the  sappers  and  miners,  about 
1000  rank  and  file  in  all,  stood  idle.  The  British  certainly  had 
nine  regiments  of  grenadiers,  one  of  cavalry,  a  large  body  of  ma- 
rines, a  corps  of  artillery,  a  corps  of  sappers,  engineers,  etc. 
Two  of  the  regiments,  the  fifth  and  ninety-third,  are  known  to 
have  exceeded  a  thousand  men;  two  more,  the  eighty-fifth  and 
ninety-fifth,  were  less  than  three  hundred  strong;  while  three 
more,  the  seventh,  twenty-first  and  forty-third,  averaged  eight 
hundred  apiece.  It  is  probable  that  each  party  may  somewhat 
understate  his  force,  but  these  statements  are  the  best  data  for 
forming  an  opinion.     The  British  loss,  by  their  own  account,  was 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  87 

2070,  but  by  the  American  inspector  general,  was  reported  as 
2600. 

Peace  had  actually  been  agreed  upon  at  Ghent,  several  weeks 
before  the  battle,  and  was  soon  afterwards  ratified.  The  war 
opened  with  disgrace,  and  terminated  with  glory.  It  is  impossi- 
ble to  regard  the  military  operations  of  Jackson  before  New  Or- 
leans, without  being  struck  with  the  extraordinary  firmness, 
vigor,  prudence  and  activity,  displayed  upon  the  one  side;  and  the 
singular  tardiness,  and  absence  of  the  higher  military  qualities, 
conspicuous  in  all  Packenham's  movements.  Every  moment  of 
time  was  precious  to  Jackson,  and  was  improved  by  him,  with 
that  activity,  and  energy,  which  is  the  precursor  of  success.  On  the 
morning  of  the  24th  December,  Packenham  was  within  two  hours' 
march  of  the  city,  and  three-fourths  of  his  whole  force  was 
present  under  arms.  Jackson  was  before  him,  with  a  greatly  infe- 
rior force,  and  on  that  day  retired  behind  the  shallow  ditch,  which 
he  afterwards  made  impregnable  by  sixteen  days'  labor.  Why 
did  not  Packenham  follow  him  closely  ?  He  ivaited  four  days, 
until  Joined  hy  the  residue  of  his  force,  and  then  advanced.  During 
these  four  days,  the  shallow  ditch  had  been  deepened,  the  earthen 
pile  had  been  trebled  in  height  and  thickness,  and  heavy  cannon 
had  been  procured  from  the  shipping  and  mounted  upon  the 
works.  Yet  still  the  breastwork  could  have  been  turned  on  its 
right,  as  Rennie's  demonstration  showed.  Ten  more  days,  how- 
ever, were  given  to  make  every  thing  impregnable,  and  to  re- 
ceive large  reinforcements  from  Kentucky  and  Louisiana.  The 
British  bravery  and  discipline  certainly  shown  out  with  a  bril- 
liant splendor,  which  was  never  surpassed  on  their  proudest 
fields.     But  we  look  in  vain  for  the  mind  of  a  commander. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

After  the  close  of  the  war,  the  civil  history  of  Kentucky  is 
memorable  by  the  dreadful  monetary  derangement,  which  led  to 
the  passage  of  the  relief  laws,  and  gave  rise  to  the  most  embit- 
tered and  violent  conflict  of  parties,  which  has  ever  occurred  in 
Kentucky. 

In  1816,  George  Madison  was  elected  governor,  and  Gabriel 
Slaughter  lieutenant  governor.  Madison  died  a  few  months  after 
his  election,  and  the  question  agitated  Kentucky,  whether  the 
lieutenant  governor  became  governor  during  the  four  years,  or 
M^hether  a  new  election  could  be  ordered  by  the  legislature.  The 
question  was    settled    after  an  animated  conflict,  against  the 


88  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

power  of  the  legislature  to  order  a  new  election,  and  Slaughter 
became  governor  until  1820. 

In  the  meantime  the  financial  affairs  of  the  civilized  world 
were  in  a  painful  state  of  disorder.  The  long  wars  of  the 
French  revolution  had  banished  gold  and  silver  from  circulation 
as  money,  and  had  substituted  an  inflated  paper  currency,  by 
which  nominal  prices  were  immensely  enhanced.  At  the  return  of 
peace,  a  restoration  of  specie  payments,  and  the  return  of  Europe 
to  industrial  pursuits,  caused  a  great  fall  in  the  nominal  value  of 
commodities,  accompanied  by  bankruptcy  upon  an  enormous 
scale.  In  Kentucky  the  violence  of  this  crisis  was  enhanced  by 
the  charter  of  forty  independent  banks,  with  an  aggregate  capi- 
tal of  nearly  ten  million  of  dollars,  which  were  by  law  permitted 
to  redeem  their  notes  with  the  paper  of  the  bank  of  Kentucky, 
instead  of  specie. 

These  banks  were  chartered  at  the  session  of  1817-18.  The 
bank  of  Kentucky  had  then  resumed  specie  payments,  and  was 
in  good  credit.  In  the  summer  of  1818,  the  state  was  flooded 
with  the  paper  of  these  banks.  Their  managers  were  generally 
without  experience  or  knowledge  of  finance,  and  in  some  in- 
stances, destitute  of  common  honesty.  The  consequences  were 
such  as  might  have  been  anticipated.  Speculation  sprung  up  in 
all  directions.  Large  loans  were  rashly  made  and  as  rashly  ex- 
pended. Most  of  these  bubbles  exploded  within  a  year,  and  few 
were  alive  at  the  end  of  two  years.  In  the  meantime  the  pres- 
sure of  debt  became  terrible,  and  the  power  to  replevy  judg- 
ments was  extended  by  the  legislature  from  three  to  twelve 
months  by  an  act  passed  at  the  session  of  1819-20.  During  the 
summer  of  1820,  the  cry  for  further  relief  became  overwhelming, 
and  vast  majorities  of  both  houses,  "were  pledged  to  some  measure 
which  should  relieve  the  debtor  from  the  consequences  of  his 
rashness.  The  reign  of  political  quackery  was  in  its  glory.  The 
sufferings  of  the  patient  were  too  acute,  to  permit  him  to  listen  to 
the  regular  physician  who  prescribed  time,  industry  and  economy,  as 
the  only  honest  and  just  remedy.  He  turned  eagerly  to  the 
quacks,  who  promised  him  instantaneous  relief,  by  infallible 
nostrums  and  specifics,  irzV/wMi  pain — xoithout  sclf-dcnial,and  irilhoiLt 
■paying  the  penalty  which  nature  always  imposes,  upon  any  gross  viola- 
tion of  her  laws. 

General  Adair  had  been  elected  governor  of  Kentucky  in  1820, 
and  heartily  concurred  with  the  legislature  in  the  acts  passed  at 
the  ensuing  session.  The  great  cry  of  the  people  was  for  money, 
and  their  heaviest  complaint  was  debt.  Therefore,  the  legisla- 
ture of  1820—21,  chartered  the  bank  called  the  Bank  of  the  Com- 
monwealth, which  was  relieved  from  all  danger  of  suspension, 
by  not  being  required  even  to  redeem  its  notes  in  specie.  Its 
paper  was  made  payable  and  receivable  in  the  public  debts  and 
taxes,  and  certain  lands  owned  by  the  state,  south  of  Tennessee 
river,  were  pledged  for  the  final  redemption  of  its  notes.  Its 
business  was  to  pour  out  paper  in  profusion,  in  order  to  make 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  89 

money  plenty.  But  how  was  debt  to  be  relieved?  Easily.  The 
creditor  was  required  to  receive  this  bank  paper  in  payment  of 
his  debt,  and  if  he  refused  to  do  so,  the  debtor  was  authorized  to 
replevy  the  debt  for  the  space  of  two  years. 

But  these  were  not  the  only  acts  of  this  mad  session.  They 
had  already  one  bank,  the  old  Bank  of  Kentucky,  then  in  good 
credit,  its  paper  redeemable  in  specie,  and  its  stock  at  par  or 
nearly  so.  By  the  terms  of  its  charter,  the  legislature  had  the 
power  of  electing  a  number  of  directors,  which  gave  the  control 
of  the  board.  This  power  was  eagerly  exercised  during  this 
winter.  An  experienced  conservative  president  and  board  were 
turned  out  by  the  legislature,  and  a  president  and  board  elected 
who  stood  pledged  before  their  election,  to  receive  the  paper  of 
the  Bank  of  the  Commonwealth,  in  payment  of  the  debts  due  the 
Bank  of  Kentucky.  This  was  no  doubt  intended  to  buoy  up 
their  darling  bank,  and  sustain  the  credit  of  its  paper.  But  the 
effect  was  instantly  to  strike  down  the  value  of  the  stock  of  the 
Bank  of  Kentucky  to  one  half  its  nominal  value,  and  to  entail 
upon  it  an  eternal  suspension  of  specie  payments. 

The  paper  of  the  new  bank  sunlc  rapidly  to  one  half  its  nomi- 
nal value,  and  the  creditor  had  his  choice  of  two  evils.  One 
was  to  receive  one  half  his  debt  in  payment  of  the  whole,  and 
the  other  was  to  receive  nothing  at  all  for  two  years,  and  at  the 
end  of  that  time,  to  do  the  best  he  could, — running  the  risk  of 
new  delays  at  the  end  of  that  time,  and  of  the  bankruptcy  of  his 
securities.  Great  was  the  indignation  of  the  creditor,  at  this 
wholesale  confiscation  of  his  property,  and  society  rapidly  ar- 
ranged itself  into  two  parties,  called  relief  and  an ti -relief.  With 
the  first  party,  were  the  great  mass  of  debtors,  and  some  brilliant 
members  of  the  bar,  such  as  John  Rowan,  William  T.  Barry  and 
Solomon  P.  Sharpe.  A  great  majority  of  the  voting  population 
swelled  its  ranks,  and  it  was  countenanced  by  the  governor,  and 
furnished  with  plausible  arguments  by  the  eminent  lawj^ers  al- 
ready named,  to  whom  may  be  added  the  name  of  Bibb.  With  the 
anti-relief  party,  were  ranged  nearly  all  the  mercantile  class,  a 
vast  majority  of  the  bar  and  bench,  and  a  great  majority  of  the 
better  class  of  farmers.  The  mass  of  property  and  intelligence, 
was  drawn  up  in  array,  against  the  mass  of  numbers,  and  an 
angry  conflict  commenced  in  the  newspapers,  upon  the  stump,  in 
the  taverns  and  highways,  which  gradually  invaded  the  most  pri- 
vate and  domestic  circles.  Robert  Wickliffe,  of  Fayette,  George 
Robertson,  since  chief  justice  of  Kentucky,  then  an  eminent 
lawyer  of  Garrard,  and  Chilton  Allen,  an  eminent  lawyer  of 
Clark,  were  early  engaged  in  the  conflict,  and  were  regarded  as 
leaders  of  the  anti-relief  party. 

The  question  of  the  power  of  the  legislature  to  pass  the  act, 
was  raised  at  an  early  day,  and  was  quickly  brought  before  the 
circuit  courts.  Judge  Clarke,  of  Clarke  county,  boldly  decided 
the  act  unconstitutional,  in  the  first  case  which  came  before  him, 
and   brought   upon  himself  a  tempest   of  indignation,   which 


90  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

thoroughly  tested  the  firmness  of  his  character.  He  was  sum- 
moned to  appear  before  a  called  session  of  the  legislature,  which 
was  convened  in  the  spring  of  1822,  and  violent  efforts  were  made 
to  intimidate,  or  remove  him  by  address.  The  gallant  judge  de- 
fended his  opinion  with  calm  reason,  and  in\dncible  firmness, 
and  partly  from  a  want  of  a  constitutional  majority,  partly  per- 
haps from  the  suggestion,  that  the  legislature  should  await  the 
decision  of  the  supreme  court  of  Kentucky  upon  the  subject,  the 
legislative  storm  blew  over,  leaving  the  judge  as  it  found  him. 
He  adhered  steadily  to  his  decision,  and  was  quickly  supported 
by  Judge  Blair  of  Fayette,  in  an  opinion  replete  with  learning, 
temper  and  eloquence.  Great  was  the  indignation  of  the  party 
at  this  refractory  spirit  displayed  by  the  inferior  judiciary. 

But  all  awaited  the  decision  of  the  supreme  court.  That  high 
tribunal  was  then  occupied  by  John  Boyle,  chief  justice,  and  "Wil- 
liam Owsley  and  Benjamin  Mills,  associate  judges.  These  gen- 
tlemen had  passed  the  meridian  of  life,  and  had  been  drilled  for 
a  long  series  of  years,  to  the  patient  and  abstract  severity  of 
judicial  investigation.  In  simplicity  and  purity  of  character,  in 
profound  legal  knowledge,  and  in  Roman-like  firmness  of  pur- 
pose, the  old  court  of  appeals  of  Kentucky  have  seldom  been  sur- 
passed. The  question  came  directly  before  them  in  the  case  of 
Lapsley  vs.  Brashear,  at  the  fall  term  1823,  and  their  decision 
was  awaited,  with  intense  anxiety  by  all  parties.  Terrible  de- 
nunciations of  popular  vengeance  in  advance,  if  they  dared  to 
thwart  the  will  of  a  vast  majority  of  the  people,  were  intended 
to  warp  their  judgments  or  operate  upon  their  fears.  They  had 
maintained  an  unbroken  silence  until  called  upon  to  act,  but 
when  the  case  came  directly  before  them,  the  judges  delivered 
their  opinion,  seriatim,  and  at  length,  and  calmly  concurred  with 
their  brethren  of  the  circuit  court,  that  the  act  of  the  legislature 
was  in  violation  of  the  constitution  of  the  United  States,  and 
totally  void.  The  clause  of  the  constitution  with  which  the  act 
conflicted,  was  that  which  prohibited  the  states  from  passing  any 
law  impairing  the  obligation  of  contracts.  In  the  article  on  the 
court  of  appeals,  in  the  following  pages,  a  concise  summary  of 
the  reasoning  of  the  court  is  given. 

The  opinion  created  an  immense  sensation  in  the  State,  and 
the  conflict  of  parties  was  renewed  with  redoubled  fury.  Clark 
and  Blair  were  completely  forgotten,  and  the  great  popular  party 
of  Kentucky,  prepared  to  sweep  from  their  path,  and  make  an 
example  to  future  ages  of  the  three  calm  and  recluse  students, 
who  had  dared  to  set  up  reason  against  rage,  and  the  majesty  of 
truth  and  law,  against  the  popular  will.  The  great  majority,  had 
been  accustomed  to  make  and  to  unmake,  to  set  up  and  to  pull 
down  at  its  sovereign  will  and  pleasure.  Presidents,  governor, 
senators,  representatives,  had  long  been  the  creatures  of  its 
power,  and  the  flatterers  of  its  caprice.  James  the  fu"st  had  not 
a  more  exalted  notion  of  his  divine  prerogative  than  the  great 
majority  had  of  its  undoubted  right  to  govern.     The  power  of  the 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  91 

judiciary  had  heretofore  been  so  unobtrusive,  that  its  vast  extent 
and  importance  had  escaped  attention,  and  the  masses  were 
startled  to  find  that  three  plain  citizens,  could  permanently  ar- 
rest the  action,  and  thwart  the  wishes  of  that  majority,  before 
which  presidents,  governors  and  congresses,  bowed  with  implicit 
submission.  Many  good  honest  citizens  looked  upon  it,  as  mon- 
strous, unnatural,  unheard  of  in  a  republican  government.  It 
shocked  all  the  notions  of  liberty  and  democracy  which  had 
grown  with  their  growth,  and  violently  wounded  that  sense .  of 
importance  allied  to  arrogance,  which  always  attends  a  long  exer- 
cise of  unresisted  power. 

The  judiciary,  by  the  constitution,  held  their  offices  during  good 
behavior.  Nothing  less  than  two-thirds  of  both  houses  could 
remove  them.  Could  they  hope  to  obtain  this  majority  ?  The 
canvass  of  1824,  was  conducted  with  the  hope  of  obtaining  this 
result.  General  Joseph  Desha  was  the  candidate  of  the  relief 
party  for  the  office  of  governor,  and  canvassed  the  state  with 
that  energy  and  partizan  vehemence,  for  which  he  was  remark- 
able. He  was  elected  by  an  overwhelming  majority.  A  vast 
majority  of  both  houses  were  of  the  relief  party.  The  governor 
and  the  legislature  met  in  December,  with  passions  heated  by  the 
fierce  canvass  through  which  they  had  passed,  and  the  unspar- 
ing wounds  which  they  had  received  from  their  enemies.  The 
sword  was  fairly  drawn,  and  the  scabbard  had  been  thrown  away 
by  both  parties.  So  exasperated  were  the  passions,  that  the  mi- 
nority was  as  little  disposed  to  ask  quarter,  as  the  majority  was 
to  give  it.  The  three  judges  were  summoned  before  the  legisla- 
tive bar,  and  calmly  assigned  reasons  at  length,  for  their  deci- 
sion. These  reasons  were  replied  to,  with  great  speciousness  and 
subtlety ;  for  the  great  talents  of  Rowan,  Bibb  and  Barry,  were 
at  the  command  of  the  relief  party,  and  their  manifestos  were 
skillfully  drawn.  A  vote  was  at  length  taken,  and  the  constitu- 
tional majority  of  two-thirds  could  not  be  obtained.  The  mi- 
nority exulted  in  the  victory  of  the  judges. 

But  their  adversaries  were  too  much  inflamed  to  be  diverted 
from  their  purpose,  by  ordinary  impediments.  The  edict  of 
"  Delenda  est  Carthago"  had  gone  forth,  and  the  party  rapidly 
recovering  from  their  first  defeat,  renewed  the  assault  in  a  formi- 
dable direction,  which  had  not  been  foreseen,  and  when  success 
was  clearly  within  their  reach.  The  majority  could  not  remove 
the  judges  by  impeachment  or  address,  because  their  majority 
although  large,  was  not  two-thirds  of  each  house.  But  they 
could  repeal  the  act  by  which  the  court  of  appeals  had  been  or- 
ganized, and  could  pass  an  act  organizing  the  court  anew.  The 
judges  would  follow  the  court  as  in  the  case  of  the  district  court 
and  court  of  quarter  sessions,  and  a  bare  majority  would  suffice 
to  pass  this  act.  A  bill  to  this  effect  was  drawn  up,  and  debated 
with  intense  excitement,  during  three  days,  and  three  protracted 
night  sessions.  Wicklilfe,  denounced  the  party,  with  fierce  and 
passionate  invective,  as  trampling  upon  the  constitution,  deli- 


92  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

berately,  knowingly  and  wickedly.  Rowan  replied  with  cold  and 
stately  subtlety,  perplexing  when  he  could  not  convince,  and  sedu- 
lously confounding  the  present  act,  with  the  repeal  of  the  dis- 
trict court  and  with  the  action  of  Congress,  in  repealing  the 
federal  circuit  court  system,  and  displacing  its  judges  by  a  bare 
majority.  On  the  last  night,  the  debate  was  protracted  until 
past  midnight.  The  galleries  were  crowded  with  spectators  as 
strongly  excited  as  the  members.  The  governor  and  lieutenant 
governor  M'Afee  were  present  upon  the  floor,  and  mingled  with 
the  members.  Both  displayed  intense  excitement,  and  the  gov- 
ernor was  heard  to  urge  the  calling  of  the  previous  question.* 
Great  disorder  prevailed,  and  an  occasional  clap  and  hiss,  was 
heard  in  the  galleries.  The  bill  was  passed  by  a  large  majority 
in  the  house  of  representatives,  and  by  a  nearly  equal  majority 
in  the  senate. 

No  time  was  lost  in  organizing  the  new  court,  which  consisted 
of  four  judges.  William  T.  Barry  was  chief  justice,  and  John 
Trimble,  James  Haggin  and  Reginald  Davidge,  were  associate 
justices.  Francis  P.  Blair  was  appointed  clerk,  and  took  forci- 
ble possession  of  the  records  of  Achilles  Sneed,  the  old  clerk. 
The  old  court  in  the  meantime,  denied  the  constitutionality  of 
the  act,  and  still  continued  to  sit  as  a  court  of  appeals,  and  de- 
cide such  causes  as  were  brought  before  them.  A  great  majority 
of  the  bar  of  Kentucky  recognized  them  as  the  true  court,  and 
brought  their  causes  by  appeal  before  their  tribunal.  A  great 
majority  of  the  circuit  judges,  obeyed  their  mandates,  as  impli- 
citly as  if  no  reorganizing  act  had  passed.  A  certain  propor- 
tion of  cases,  however,  were  taken  up  to  the  new  court,  and  some 
of  the  circuit  judges  obeyed  their  mandates  exclusively,  refusing 
to  recognize  the  old  court.  A  few  judges  obeyed  both,  declining 
to  decide  which  was  the  true  court. 

This  judicial  anarchy  could  not  possibly  endure.  The  people 
as  the  final  arbiter  was  again  appealed  to  by  both  parties,  and 
the  names  of  relief  and  anti-relief  became  merged  in  the  title  of 
old  court  and  new  court.  Great  activity  was  exerted  in  the  can- 
vass of  1825,  and  never  w^ere  the  passions  of  the  people  more 
violently  excited.  The  result  was  the  triumph  of  the  old  court 
party  by  a  large  majority  in  the  popular  branch  of  the  legisla- 
ture, while  the  senate  still  remained  attached  to  the  new  court; 
the  new  popular  impulse  not  having  had  time  to  remould  it. 

In  consequence  of  this  difference  between  the  political  com- 
plexion of  the  two  houses,  the  reorganizing  act  still  remained 
unrepealed,  and  the  canvass  of  1826,  saw  both  parties  again  ar- 
rayed in  a  final  struggle  for  the  command  of  the  senate.  The 
old  court  party  again  triumphed,  and  at  the  ensuing  session  of 
the  legislature  the  obnoxious  act  was  repealed,  the  opinion  of 
the  governor  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding,  and  the  three  old 
judges  re-established,  de  facto  as  well  as  de  jure.  Their  salaries 
were  voted  to  them,  during  the  period  of  their  forcible  and  ille- 
gal removal,  and  all  the  acts  of  the  new  court  have  ever  been 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  93 

treated  as  a  nullity.  This  is  one  of  the  most  signal  triumphs  of 
law  and  order  over  the  Heeting  passions,  which  lor  a  time  over- 
come the  reason  of  the  most  sober  people,  which  is  recorded  in 
the  annals  of  a  free  people.  It  is  honorable  to  the  good  sense  of 
the  people  of  Kentucky,  and  strikingly  displays  their  inherent  at- 
tachment to  sober  and  rational  liberty. 

The  new  court  party  acquiesced  in  the  decision  of  the  people, 
and  abandoning  state  politics,  they  strove  to  forget  their  defeat  in 
a  new  issue  of  a  national  character,  in  which  the  state  became 
as  deeply  excited  in  the  year  1827,  as  it  had  been  in  its  domestic 
policy.  Adams  had  been  elected  president  in  1824,  by  the  vote 
of  Mr.  Clay,  and  by  his  influence  in  the  house  of  representatives 
over  the  delegates  from  Kentucky  and  Missouri.  Jackson  had 
been  his  strongest  competitor,  and  was  personally  more  popular 
in  the  west  than  Adams.  Mr.  Clay  received  the  appointment  of 
secretary  of  state  from  Adams,  and  of  course  became  identified 
with  his  administration.  The  ancient  dislike  to  New  England, 
was  still  strong  in  Kentucky,  and  the  new  court  party  in  mass 
threw  themselves  into  the  opposition  to  Adams'  administration, 
and  boldly  denounced  Mr.  Clay  as  an  apostate  from  the  ancient 
republican  party,  although  Mr.  Adams  for  nearly  twenty  years 
had  been  a  member  of  that  party,  and  had  formed  a  distinguished 
part  of  president  Monroe's  administration. 

The  great  mass  of  the  old  court  party,  warmly  and  passion- 
ately sustained  Clay  in  his  vote,  and  adhered  to  the  administra- 
tion of  which  he  formed  the  life  and  soul.  The  old  issues  in 
1827  were  completely  forgotten,  and  national  politics  were  dis- 
cussed with  an  ardor  unknown  in  Kentucky  since  the  war  fever 
of  1812.  It  quickly  became  obvious  that  in  this  new  issue,  the  old 
court  party  were  losing  their  preponderance  in  the  state.  The 
unpopular  name  of  Adams  told  heavily  against  them,  and  the 
sword  of  Jackson  and  the  glory  of  New  Orleans,  were  thrown 
into  the  scale. 

Both  parties  prepared  for  the  great  contest  of  1828  in  Ken- 
tucky, with  intense  interest.  Their  gubernatorial  election  came 
off  in  August,  and  the  old  court  party,  which  had  now  assumed 
the  name  of  "National  Republican,"  selected  General  Thomas 
Metcalfe  as  their  candidate  for  governor,  while  the  opposite  party 
adopted  the  popular  name  of  "  Democratic  Republicans,"  selected 
William  T.  Barry,  the  late  chief  justice  of  the  new  court,  as  their 
candidate.  Metcalfe  had  commenced  life  as  a  stone  mason,  and 
by  the  energy  of  his  character,  had  risen  to  honor  and  distinction. 
He  had  been  a  representative  in  congress  for  nearly  ten  years, 
and  was  possessed  of  great  personal  popularity.  After  an  active 
canvass  Metcalfe  was  elected  by  a  small  majority,  but  the  oppo- 
site party  carried  their  lieutenant  governor  and  a  majority  of  the 
legislatm-e,  and  it  was  obvious  that  tliey  had  a  majority  of  the 
votes  in  their  ranks. 

At  the  November  election  Jackson  carried  the  state  by  a 
majority  of  eight  thousand,  and  Adams  was  beaten  in  the  United 


94  OUTLINE  HISTORY. 

States  by  an  overwhelming  vote.  Although  Clay  was  not  directly 
involved  in  this  issue,  yet  the  weight  of  the  popular  verdict  fell 
heavily  upon  him.  The  party  that  had  supported  Adams  in  the 
United  States  instantly  rallied  upon  Clay,  and  organized  for 
another  struggle  in  1832,  against  Jackson,  who  would  certainly  be 
a  candidate  for  re-election.  With  Clay  directly  before  the  people, 
the  "National  Republican"  party  in  Kentucky,  felt  confident  of 
regaining  their  ascendency  in  the  State.  His  brilliant  eloquence, 
his  courage,  his  energy  of  character,  his  indomitable  spirit, 
made  him  a  fit  competitor  for  Jackson,  who  possessed  some  of  the 
same  qualities  in  an  equal  degree.  During  the  conflicts  of  1829 
and  1830,  the  Jackson  supremacy  was  maintained  in  the  legisla- 
ture, and  in  the  delegates  to  Congress,  but  in  the  fall  of  1831,  the 
"Clay  party"  as  it  was  called  by  many,  obtained  a  majority  in 
the  legislature,  and  this  was  strikingly  made  manifest  to  the 
Union  by  the  election  of  Clay  to  the  senate  of  the  United  States. 
A  majority  of  the  congressional  delegation,  however,  were  still  of 
the  "  Democratic"  or  Jackson  party,  and  it  was  uncertain  which 
party  had  obtained  a  majority  of  the  popular  vote. 

The  great  contest  of  1832  came  on.  Jackson  and  Clay  were 
competitors  for  the  presidency,  and  Kentucky  had  to  choose  a 
successor  to  Metcalfe  in  the  gubernatorial  chair.  Judge  Buckner 
was  the  candidate  selected  by  the  "Nationals,"  and  Breathitt  by 
the  "Democrats"  or  Jackson  party.  Great  efibrts  were  made  by 
both  parties,  and  Breathitt  was  elected  by  more  than  one  thousand 
votes.  Immense  rejoicings  upon  one  side,  and  bitter  mortifica- 
tion upon  the  other,  were  occasioned  by  this  result.  But  the 
"Nationals"  instantly  called  a  convention,  which  was  nume- 
rously attended,  and  organized  for  a  decisive  struggle  in  No- 
vember, with  a  spirit  exasperated,  but  not  cowed  by  their  recent 
defeat.  The  "Democrats"  or  "Jackson  party"  also  held  a  con- 
vention, and  it  became  obvious  that  the  preliminary  trial  of 
strength  in  August,  was  only  a  prelude  to  the  decisive  conflict 
which  was  to  come  off"  in  November.  The  intervening  months 
were  marked  by  prodigious  activity  on  both  sides,  and  the  excite- 
ment became  so  engrossing,  that  all  ages  and  both  sexes,  were 
di'awn  into  the  vortex.  The  result  was  a  signal  and  overwhelm- 
ing triumph  of  the  "National  Republicans."  The  popular  ma- 
jority exceeded  seven  thousand,  and  the  party  which  then 
triumphed  has  held  uninterrupted  possession  of  political  power 
in  the  State  ever  since.  But  although  the  triumph  of  Clay  was 
signal  in  Kentucky,  he  was  totally  defeated  by  Jackson  in  the 
general  election,  and  that  popular  chieftain  was  re-elected  by  a 
great  majority. 

National  politics  have  almost  entirely  engrossed  the  attention 
of  Kentucky  since  the  termination  of  the  great  relief  struggle. 
Her  domestic  history  since  1827,  is  so  closely  interwoven  with 
that  of  the  general  government,  that  it  would  be  impossible  to 
give  a  satisfactory  view  of  the  subjects  which  engrossed  the  at- 
tention of  the  people,  without  entering  into  details  forbidden  by 


OUTLINE  HISTORY.  95 

the  plan  of  an  outline  sketch  like  the  present.  A  few  events 
belonging  exclusively  to  her  domestic  history  may  be  briefly 
noticed. 

The  fate  of  the  Commonwealth's  Bank,  and  the  replevin  laws 
connected  with  it,  was  sealed  by  the  triumph  of  the  old  court 
party.  The  latter  were  repealed,  and  the  former  was  gradually 
extinguished  by  successive  acts  of  the  legislature,  which  directed 
that  its  paper  should  be  gradually  burned,  instead  of  being  re- 
issued. In  a  very  few  years  its  paper  disappeared  from  circula- 
tion, and  was  replaced  by  the  paper  of  the  United  States'  Bank, 
of  which  two  branches  had  been  established  in  Kentucky,  the 
one  at  Lexington  and  the  other  at  Louisville.  It  was  the  policy 
of  the  great  Jackson  party  of  the  United  States  to  destroy  this 
institution  entirely,  and  the  re-election  of  Jackson  in  1832,  sealed 
its  doom.  It  became  obvious  to  all  that  its  charter  would  not  be 
renewed,  and  the  favorite  policy  of  that  party  was  to  establish 
state  banks  throughout  the  Union,  to  supply  its  place. 

As  soon  as  it  became  obvious  that  the  charter  of  the  bank  of 
the  United  States  would  not  be  renewed,  the  legislature  of  Ken- 
tucky, at  its  sessions  of  1833  and  1834,  established  the  Bank  of 
Kentucky,  the  Northern  Bank  of  Kentucky,  and  the  Bank  of 
Louisville,  the  first  with  a  capital  of  $5,000,000,  the  second  with 
a  capital  of  $3,000,000,  the  third  with  a  capital  of  $5,000,000. 
The  result  of  this  simultaneous  and  enormous  multiplication  of 
state  banks  throughout  the  United  States,  consequent  upon  the 
fall  of  the  National  Bank,  was  vastly  to  increase  the  quantity  of 
paper  money  afloat,  and  to  stimulate  the  wildest  spirit  of  specu- 
lation. The  nominal  prices  of  all  commodities  rose  with  por- 
tentous rapidity,  and  states,  cities  and  individuals,  embarked 
heedlessly  and  with  feverish  ardor  in  schemes  of  internal  im- 
provement, and  private  speculation,  upon  the  most  gigantic  scale. 
During  the  years  of  1835  and  1836,  the  history  of  one  State  is 
the  history  of  all.  All  rushed  into  the  market  to  borrow  money, 
and  eagerly  projected  plans  of  railroads,  canals,  slack-water  navi- 
gation and  turnpike  roads,  far  beyond  the  demands  of  commerce, 
and  in  general  without  making  any  solid  provision  for  the  pay- 
ment of  the  accruing  interest,  or  reimbursement  of  the  principal. 
This  fabric  was  too  baseless  and  unreal  to  endure. 

In  the  spring  of  1837,  all  the  banks  of  Kentucky  and  of  the 
Union  suspended  specie  payments.  Kentucky  was  then  in  the 
midst  of  a  scheme  of  internal  improvement,  upon  which  she  was 
spending  about  $1 ,000,000  annually,  embracing  the  construction  of 
turnpike  roads  and  the  improvement  of  her  rivers,  and  she  was 
eagerly  discussing  railroad  projects  upon  a  princely  scale.  Her 
citizens  were  generally  involved  in  private  speculations,  based 
upon  the  idea  that  the  present  buoyant  prices  would  be  perma- 
nent, and  both  public  and  private  credit  had  been  strained  to  the 
utmost. 

In  this  state  of  things  the  legislature  of  1837  met,  and  legal- 
ized the  suspension  of  the  banks,  refusing  to  compel  them  to 


96  OUTLINE   HISTORY. 

resume  specie  payments,  and  refusing  to  exact  the  forfeiture 
of  their  charters.  A  general  eflbrt  was  made  by  banks,  govern- 
ment and  individuals,  to  relax  the  pressure  of  the  crisis,  as  much 
as  possible,  and  great  forbearance  and  moderation  was  exercised 
by  all  parties.  The  effect  was  to  mitigate  the  present  pressure, 
to  delay  the  day  of  reckoning,  but  not  to  remove  the  evil.  Specie 
disappeared  from  circulation  entirely,  and  the  smaller  coin  was 
replaced  by  paper  tickets,  issued  by  cities,  towns  and  individuals, 
having  a  local  currency,  but  worthless  beyond  the  range  of  their 
immediate  neighborhood.  The  banks  in  the  meantime  were  con- 
ducted with  prudence  and  ability.  They  forbore  to  press  their 
debtors  severely,  but  cautiously  and  gradually  lessened  their  cir- 
culation and  increased  their  specie,  until  after  a  suspension  of 
rather  more  than  one  year,  they  ventured  to  resume  specie  pay- 
ment. This  resumption  was  general  throughout  the  United 
States,  and  business  and  speculation  again  became  buoyant. 
The  latter  part  of  1838  and  nearly  the  whole  of  1839,  witnessed 
an  activity  in  business,  and  a  fleeting  prosperity,  which  some- 
what resembled  the  feverish  ardor  of  1835  and  1836.  But  the 
fatal  disease  still  lurked  in  the  system,  and  it  Mas  the  hectic 
flush  of  an  uncured  malady,  not  the  ruddy  glow  of  health, 
which  deluded  the  eye  of  the  observer. 

In  the  autumn  of  1839,  there  was  a  second  general  suspension 
of  specie  payments,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  eastern  banks. 
It  became  obvious  that  the  mass  of  debt  could  not  much  longer 
be  staved  off.  Bankruptcies  multiplied  in  every  direction.  All 
public  improvements  were  suspended;  many  states  were  unable 
to  pay  the  interest  of  their  respective  debts,  and  Kentucky  was 
compelled  to  add  fifty  per  cent,  to  her  direct  tax,  or  forfeit  her  in- 
tegiity.  In  the  latter  part  of  1841,  and  in  the  year  1842,  the  tem- 
pest so  long  suspended,  burst  in  full  force  over  Kentucky.  The 
dockets  of  her  courts  groaned  under  the  enormous  load  of  law- 
suits, and  the  most  frightful  sacrifices  of  property  were  incurred 
by  forced  sales  under  execution.  All  at  once  the  long  forgotten 
cry  of  relief  again  arose  from  thousands  of  harassed  voters,  and 
a  new  project  of  a  Bank  of  the  Commonwealth,  like  the  old  one, 
was  agitated,  with  a  blind  and  fierce  ardor,  which  mocked  at  the 
lessons  of  experience,  and  sought  present  relief  at  any  expense. 

This  revival  of  the  ancient  relief  party,  assumed  a  formidable 
appearance  in  the  elections  of  1842,  but  was  encountered  in  the 
legislature  with  equal  skill  and  fii-mness.  The  specific  measures 
of  the  relief  party  were  rejected,  but  liberal  concessions  were 
made  to  them  in  other  forms,  Mhich  proved  satisfactory  to  the 
more  rational  members,  and  warded  off  the  fury  of  the  tempest 
which  at  first  threatened  the  most  mischievous  results.  The 
middle  term  of  the  circuit  courts  was  abolished.  The  magis- 
trates were  compelled  to  hold  four  terms  annually,  and  forbidden 
to  give  judgment  save  at  their  regular  terms.  The  existing  banks 
were  required  to  issue  more  paper,  and  give  certain  accommoda- 
tions for  a  longer  time  and  a  regular  apportionment.    These  con- 


OUTLINE   HISTORY.  97 

cessions  proved  satisfactory,  and  at  the  expense  of  vast  suffer- 
ing, during  tlie  years  1843  and  1844,  society  gradually  assumed  a 
more  settled  and  prosperous  state. 

In  order  to  preserve  a  record  of  the  succession  of  chief  magis- 
trates, we  may  observe  that  judge  James  Clark,  was  elected  gov- 
ernor in  1836,  Robert  P.  Letcher  in  1840,  and  judge  William 
Owsley  in  1844.  The  first  will  be  recollected  as  the  circuit  judge 
who  first  had  the  hardihood  to  pronounce  the  relief  law  uncon- 
stitutional. The  last  was  a  member  of  the  old  court  of  appeals. 
Their  successive  election  to  the  first  office  within  the  gift  of  the 
people,  was  a  late  and  well  merited  reward  for  the  signal  ser- 
vices which  they  had  rendered  their  country,  at  a  period  when 
all  the  conservative  features  of  the  constitution,  were  tottering 
beneath  the  fury  of  a  revolutionary  tempest.  Governor  Letcher 
had  long  occupied  a  seat  in  congress,  and  had  inflexibly  opposed 
the  great  Jackson  party  of  the  Union  in  its  imperious  sway. 

General  Harrison  was  before  the  people  as  a  presidential  can- 
didate, during  the  years  1836  and  1840,  when  both  Clai'k  and 
Letcher  were  elected,  and  was  warmly  supported  by  that  party 
in  Kentucky,  which  successively  bore  the  name  of  "Anti-relief," 
"Old  Court,"  "National  Republican"  and  "Whig."  When  Ows- 
ley was  a  candidate  in  1844,  Clay  was  again  before  the  people 
as  a  candidate  for  the  presidential  chair,  and  was  opposed  by 
James  K.  Polk,  of  Tennessee,  a  member  of  the  old  Jackson  party, 
which  had  assumed  the  popular  title  of  "  Democratic  Republi- 
can." Clay  was  supported  as  usual  in  Kentucky,  with  intense 
and  engrossing  ardor,  and  obtained  its  electoral  vote  by  a  ma- 
jority exceeding  nine  thousand.  He  was  supported  by  the  whig 
party  of  the  Union,  with  a  \varmth  of  personal  devotion,  which 
has  seldom  been  witnessed,  and  was  never  surpassed  in  the 
annals  of  popular  government.  Parties  were  so  equally 
balanced,  that  the  result  was  in  doubt  to  the  last  moment,  and 
was  finally  decided  by  the  state  of  New  York,  which  out  of 
nearly  500,000  votes  cast,  gave  Polk  a  plurality  over  Clay  of  less 
than  6000. 

The  great  national  issue  involved  in  this  election,  was  the  an- 
nexation of  Texas  to  the  United  States.  Polk  was  the  champion 
of  the  party  in  favor  of  annexation,  and  Clay  opposed  it  as  tend- 
ing to  involve  the  country  in  foreign  war  and  internal  discord. 
This  tendency  was  vehemently  denied  by  the  adversaries  of 
Clay,  and  annexation  was  accomplished  by  the  election  of  Polk. 
Foreign  war  has  already  followed  in  the  train,  and  internal  dis- 
cord seems  slowly  upheaving  its  dismal  front,  among  the  States 
of  the  confederacy. 

With  the  year  1844,  we  close  this  sketch.  The  war  with 
Mexico  which  grew  out  of  the  policy  then  adopted,  is  still 
raging,  and  the  spirit  of  indefinite  territorial  aggrandizement 
which  then  triumphed,  has  not  yet  developed  its  consequences. 
A  brief  record  of  the  past  is  here  presented.  The  darkening 
7 


98  OUTLINE   HISTORY. 

shadows  of  coming  events,  present  a  dim  and  troubled  prospect, 
which  we  leave  to  the  pencil  of  the  futm-e  historian. 


In  the  foregoing  "  Outline  History,"  reference  has  necessarily 
been  made  and  considerable  space  devoted  to  the  political  trans- 
actions that  occurred  in  Kentucky  previously  to  her  admission 
into  the  Union  as  an  independent  State.  That  there  were  at 
that  time  two  rival  parties  for  popular  favor,  is  obvious  from 
what  has  been  already  written  ;  and  that  their  rivalship  was  char- 
acterized by  great  and  bitter  personal  animosity,  is  no  less  true. 
Angry  and  fierce  contests,  and  crimination  and  recrimination 
marked  the  period,  and  the  temper  of  the  times  can  be  clearly 
discerned  from  the  nature  of  the  charges  brought  on  one  side, 
and  the  manner  in  which  they  were  repelled  by  the  other.  Mr. 
McClung,  the  writer  of  the  Outline  History,  has  given  a  summary 
of  the  facts,  as  stated  by  the  two  historians,  Mr.  Marshall  and 
Mr.  Butler,  as  he  understands  them,  but  declines  to  draw  any 
conclusion  from  them — leaving  that  to  the  reader's  judgment. 
The  principal  allegation  against  the  Honorable  John  Brown,  then 
a  conspicuous  member  of  Congress,  and  three  times  subsequently 
thereto  elected  a  senator  in  Congress  from  the  State  of  Kentucky, 
is,  that  in  a  letter  to  Judge  Muter,  he  communicated  the  substance 
of  an  interview  between  himself  and  Gardoqui  in  coivfidcnce,  and 
that  he  afterwards  in  a  convention  held  at  Danville,  maintained 
an  ominous  silence  on  the  same  subject.  This  seeming  secrecy 
and  reserve  were  held  to  be  evidences  of  a  criminal  purpose,  and 
as  such  are  commented  upon  with  great  acrimony  by  the  first 
named  historian. 

Since  the  preparation  of  the  outline  history,  and  after  it  had 
passed  through  the  hands  of  the  stereotypist,  attention  has  been 
called  to  the  following  letter  from  Mr.  Madison,  which  discloses 
the  fact  that  so  far  from  its  being  the  wish  of  Mr.  Brown  to  con- 
ceal the  interview  with  Gardoqui,  or  invest  it  with  mystery,  he 
communicated  it  at  the  time  to  Mr.  Madison  himself,  then  a  mem- 
ber of  Congress  from  Virginia,  and  known  to  be  one  of  the  pro- 
foundest  statesmen  and  purest  patriots  in  the  country  ;  and  that 
whatever  of  reserve  may  have  appeared  in  his  communications 
or  manner  to  others,  was  in  accordance  with  the  advice  of  Mr. 
Madison  himself  It  is  due  to  the  truth  of  history  that  the  letter 
of  Mr.  Madison  should  be  inserted  here.  In  the  oj)inion  of  the 
author  of  this  work,  it  is  a  triumphant  vindication  of  the  motives 
of  Mr.  Brown,  and  he  believes  it  will  be  generally  so  considered. 

Copy  of  a  letter  from  James  Madison,  ex-president  of  the  Uni- 
ted States,  to  Mann  Butler,  Esq.,  (as  published  in  Appendix  to 
second  edition  of  Butler's  History  of  Kentucky,  page  518.) 

"  MoNTPELiER,  October  11,  1834. 
"Dear  Sir:  I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  21st  ult.,  in  whicli  you  wish 
to  obtain  my  recollection  of  what  passed  between  Mr.  Brown  and  me  in  17S8  on 
the  overtures  of  Gardoqui,    *  that  if  the   people  of  Kentucky  would  erect  tliein- 


OUTLINE   HISTORY. 


99 


selves  into  an  Independent  State,  and  appoint  a  proper  person  to  negotiate  with 
liirn,  he  had  authority  for  that  purpose,  and  would  enter  into  an  arrangement  with 
them  for  the  exportation  of  their  produce  to  New  Orleans.' 

•'  My  recollection,  with  which  reference  to  my  manuscript  papers  accord,  leaves  no 
doubt  that  the  overture  was  communicated  to  me  by  Mr.  Brown.  Nor  can  I  doubt 
that,  as  stated  by  him,  I  expressed  the  opinion  and  apprehension  that  a  knowl- 
edge of  it  in  Kentucky,  might,  in  the  excitement  there,  l)e  mischievously  employed. 
This  view  of  the  subject  evidently  resulted  from  the  natural  and  known  impa- 
tience of  the  people  on  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi,  for  a  market  for  the  pro- 
ducts of  their  exuberant  soil;  from  the  distrust  of  the  Federal  policy,  produced 
by  tiie  project  for  surrendering  the  use  of  that  river  for  a  term  of  years ;  and  from 
a  coincidence  of  the  overture  in  point  of  time,  with  the  plan  on  foot  for  consoli- 
dating the  Union  by  arming  it  with  new  powers,  an  object,  to  embarrass  and 
defeat  which,  the  dismembering  aims  of  Spain  would  not  fail  to  make  the  most 
tempting  sacrifices,  and  to  spare  no  intrigues. 

'•1  owe  it  to  Mr.  Erown,  with  whom  I  was  in  intimate  friendship  when  we 
were  associated  in  public  life,  to  observe,  that  I  always  regarded  him,  whilst 
steadily  attentive  to  the  interests  of  his  constituents,  as  duly  impressed  with  the 
importance  of  the  Union,  and  anxious  for  its  prosperity.  I  pray  you  to  accept 
with  my  respects,  my  cordial  salutations. 

Signed  "JAMES  MADISON." 

"  Mann  Butler,  Esq."  , 


Westlrn  Hunter. 


SKETCH 


COURT     OF    APPEALS 


The  Constitution  of  Kentucky — like  that  of  the  United  States,  and  those,  also, 
of  all  the  States  of  the  Anglo-American  Union — distributes  among  three  depart- 
ments of  organic  sovereignty,  all  the  political  powers  which  it  recognises  and 
establishes.  And  to  effectuate,  in  practice,  the  theoretic  equilibrium  and  security 
contemplated  by  this  fundamental  partition  of  civil  authority,  it  not  only  declares 
that  the  Legislature  shall  exercise  no  other  power  than  such  as  may  be  legisla- 
tive— the  Judiciary  no  other  than  that  which  is  judicial — nor  the  Executive  any 
other  than  such  as  shall  be  executive  in  its  nature;  but  it  also,  to  a  conservative 
extent,  secures  the  relative  independence  of  each  of  these  depositaries  of  power. 
If  courts  were  permitted  to  legislate,  or  the  legislature  were  suffered  not  only 
to  prescribe  the  rule  of  right,  but  to  decide  on  the  constitutional  validity  of  its 
own  acts,  or  adjudicate  on  private  rights,  no  citizen  could  enjoy  political  security 
against  the  ignorance,  the  passions  or  the  tyranny  of  a  dominant  party:  And  if 
judges  were  dependent  for  their  offices  on  the  will  of  a  mere  legislative  majority, 
their  timidity  and  subservience  might  often  add  judicial  sanction  to  unconstitu- 
tional enactments,  and  thereby,  instead  of  guarding  the  constitution  as  honest  and 
fearless  sentinels,  they  would  help  the  popular  majority  to  become  supreme,  and 
to  rule  capriciously,  in  defiance  of  all  the  fundamental  prohibitions  and  guaranties 
of  the  people's  organic  law.  As  the  legislature  derives  its  being  and  authority 
from  the  constitution,  which  is  necessarily  supreme  and  inviolable,  no  legislative 
act  prohibited  by  any  of  its  provisions,  can  be  law  ,-  and,  consequently,  as  it  is  the 
province  of  the  judiciary,  acting  as  the  organ  of  the  judicial  function  of  popular 
sovereignty,  to  declare  and  administer  the  law  in  every  judicial  case,  it  must  be 
the  duty,  as  well  as  privilege,  of  every  court  to  disregard  every  legislative  viola- 
tion of  the  constitution,  as  a  nullity,  and  thus  maintain  the  practical  supremacy 
and  inviolability  of  the  fundamental  law.  But  the  will  to  do  so,  whenever  proper, 
is  as  necessary  as  the  power ;  and,  therefore,  the  constitution  of  Kentucky  pro- 
vides that  the  judges  of  the  Court  of  Appeals,  and  also  of  inferior  courts,  shall  be 
entitled  to  hold  their  offices  during  good  behavior;  and,  moreover,  provides  that 
no  judge  shall  be  subject  to  removal  otherwise  than  by  impeachment,  on  the  trial 
of  which  there  can  be  no  conviction,  without  the  concurrence  of  two-thirds  of  the 
Senate — or  by  the  address  of  both  branches  of  the  legislature,  two-thirds  of  each 
branch  concurring  therein. 

The  first  constitution  of  Kentucky,  which  commenced  its  operation  on  the  1st 
of  June,  1793,  also  prohibited  the  legislature  from  reducing  a  judge's  salary  du- 
ring his  continuance  in  office.  But  the  present  constitution,  adopted  in  1799, 
contains  no  such  prohibition.  It  is  not  difficult  to  perceive  which  of  these  con- 
stitutions is  most  consistent  with  the  avowed  theory  of  both  as  to  judicial  inde- 
pendence; for,  certainly,  there  can  be  no  sufficient  assurance  of  judicial  indepen 

(101) 


102  SKETCH  OF  THE 

dence,  when  the  salary  of  every  judge  depends  on  the  will  of  a  legislative  majority 
of  the  law-making  department. 

But  to  secure  a  permanent  trihunal  for  adjudicating  on  the  constitutionality  of 
legislative  acts,  the  existing  constitution  of  Kentucky,  like  its  predecessor  in 
this  respect,  (irdaiiied  and  established  "A  Suprfme  Court,"  and  vested  it  with  ul- 
timate jurisdiction.     Section  one  and  two  of  the  4th  article  reads  as  follows  : 

"Sec.  1.  The  judicial  power  of  this  commonwealth,  both  as  to  matters  of  law  and 
equily,  shall  be  vested  in  one  Supreme  Court,  which  shall  be  styled  the  Court  of  AppCiil^, 
and  in  such  inferior  courts  as  the  General  Assembly  may,  from  time  to  time,  creel  and  es- 
tablish. 

"Sec.  2.  The  Court  of  Appeals,  except  in  cases  otherwise  provided  for  in  this  constitution 
shall  have  appellate  jurisdiction  only,  which  shall  be  co-extensive  with  the  state,  under  si:ch 
restrictions  and  regulations,  not  repugnant  to  this  coustitution,  as  may,  from  time  to  time,  be 
prescribed  by  law." 

As  long  as  these  fundamental  provisions  shall  continue  to  be  authoritative,  there 
must  be  in  Kentucky  a  judicial  tribunal  with  appellate  jurisdiction  "co-extensive 
with  the  State,"  and  co-ordinate  with  the  legislative  and  executive  departments. 
And  this  tribunal  being  established  by  the  constitution,  the  legislature  can  neither 
abolish  it  nor  divest  it  of  appellate  jurisdiction.  The  theoretic  co-ordinacy  of  the 
organic  representatives  of  the  three  functions  of  all  political  sovereignty,  requires 
that  the  judicial  organ,  of  the  last  resort,  shall  be  as  permanent  and  inviolable  as 
the  constitution  itself.  The  great  end  of  the  constitution  of  Kentucky,  and  of 
every  good  constitution,  is  fo  prescribe  sahdary  limits  to  the  inherent  poiver  of  nu- 
merical majorities.  Were  the  political  omnipotence  of  every  such  majority  either 
reasonable  or  safe,  no  constitutional  limitations  on  legislative  will  would  be  ne- 
cessary or  proper.  But  the  whole  tenor  of  the  Kentucky  constitution  implies  that 
liberty,  justice  and  security,  (the  ends  of  all  just  government,)  require  many  such 
fundamental  restrictions  :  And  not  oidy  to  prescribe  such  as  were  deemed  proper, 
but  more  especiallj'  to  secure  their  efficacy,  was  the  ultimate  object  of  the  people  in 
adopting  a  constitution:  And,  to  assure  the  integrity  and  practical  supremacy  of 
these  restrictions,  they  determined  that,  as  long  as  their  constitution  should  last, 
there  should  i)e  a  tribunal,  the  judges  of  which  should  be  entitled  to  hold  their 
offices  as  long  as  the  tribunal  itself  should  exist  and  they  should  behave  well  and 
continue  competent,  in  the  judgment  of  as  many  as  one-third  of  each  branch  of  the 
legislature,  on  an  address,  or  of  one-third  of  the  senate,  on  an  impeachment :  And, 
to  prevent  evasion,  they  have  provided  that,  whilst  an  incumbent  judge  of  the 
Appellate  Court  may  be  removed  from  his  office  by  a  concurrent  vote  of  two-thirds, 
neither  the  appellate  tribunal,  nor  the  office  itself,  shall  be  subject  to  legislative 
abolition. 

There  is  a  radical  difference  in  the  stability  of  the  supreme  and  inferior  courts. 
The  first  is  constitutional — the  last  is  only  statutory.  As  the  constitution  itself 
establishes  the  Court  of  Appeals,  this  tribunal  can  be  abolished  by  a  change  of  the 
constitution  alone.  But  as  the  circuit  courts  are  established  by  statute,  the  su- 
preme power,  that  is,  a  legislative  majority,  may  repeal  it,  and  thereby  abolish 
these  courts;  and,  of  course,  the  office  of  judge  ceases  with  the  abolition  of  his 
court.  It  would  be  certainly  incompatible  with  the  genius  of  the  constitution  to 
abolish  the  circuit  courts,  merely  to  get  clear  of  the  incumbent  judges:  Yet,  as 
the  power  to  abolish  exists,  the  motive  of  the  abolition  cannot  judicially  affect  the 
validity  of  the  act.  And,  as  the  organization  of  inferior  courts  is  deferred,  by  the 
constitution,  to  legislative  experience  and  discretion;  and  as,  moreover,  a  new 
system  of  such  courts  may  often  be  usefully  substituted  for  one  found  to  be  inel- 
igible, the  legislature  ought  not  to  be  restrained  from  certain  melioration,  by  a 
fear  of  shaking  the  stability  of  the  judiciary.  The  constitutional  inviolability  of 
the  Court  of  Appeals,  which  may  rectify  the  errors  of  the  inferior  tribunal,  may 
sufficiently  assure  judicial  independence  and  rectitude. 

The  fundamental  immutability  of  the  Court  of  Appeals,  and  the  value  of  the  du- 
rable tenure  by  which  the  judges  hold  their  offices,  have  been  impressively  illus- 
trated in  the  history  and  results  of  "///p  relief  system,''''  and  resulting  "r>/rf  and  new 
courl,^^  which  agitated  Kentucky  almost  to  convulsion  for  several  years — the  most 
pregnant  and  memorable  in  the  annals  of  the  State.  That  system  of  legislative 
"re/if/","  as  it  was  miscalled,  was  initiated  in  1817-18,  by  retrospective  prolonga- 


COURT  OF  APPEALS.  103 

tions  of  replevins,  of  judgments  and  decrees — and  it  was  matured,  in  1820,  by 
the  establishment  of  the  Bank  of  the  Commonwealth,  without  either  capital  or  the 
guaranty  of  state  credit,  and  by  subsidiary  enactments  extending  replevins  to  two 
years  in  all  cases  in  which  the  creditor  should  fail  to  endorse  on  his  execution  his 
consent  to  take,  at  its  nominal  value,  local  bank  paper  greatly  depreciated.  The 
object  of  the  legislature,  in  establishing  such  a  bank,  and  in  enacting  such  co-op- 
erative statutes  as  those  just  alluded  to,  was  to  enable  debtors  to  pay  their  debts 
in  much  less  than  their  value,  by  virtually  compelling  creditors  to  accept  much 
less,  or  incur  the  hazards  of  indefinite  and  vexatious  delays. 

The  constitutionality  of  the  Bank  of  the  Commonwealth,  though  generally  doubt- 
ed, was  sustained  by  many  judicial  recognitions  by  the  Court  of  Appeals  of 
Kentucky,  and  finally  by  an  express  decision  in  which  the  then  judges  (Robert- 
son, chief  justice,  and  Underwood  and  Nicholas,  judges)  without  expressing  their 
own  opinions,  deferred  to  those  incidental  recognitions  by  their  predecessors,  and 
also  to  the  opinion  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  in  the  case  of 
Craig  vs.  Missouri,  in  which  that  court  defined  a  "  bill  of  credit,''''  prohibited  by 
the  national  constitution,  to  be  a  bill  issued,  as  currency,  by  a  State  and  on  the 
credit  of  the  State.  The  notes  of  the  Bank  of  the  Commonwealth,  though  issued 
by  and  in  the  name  of  the  State  of  Kentucky,  were  not  issued  on  the  credit  of 
the  State,  but  expressly  on  the  exclusive  credit  of  a  nominal  capital  dedicated 
by  the  charter — and  this  known  fact  produced  the  rapid  depreciation  of  those 
notes  ;  and,  consequently,  the  same  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  aflSrmed 
the  said  decision  of  the  Appellate  Court  of  Kentucky,  as  it  was  compelled  to  do 
by  its  own  authority,  in  Craig  vs.  Missouri,  unless  it  had  overruled  so  much  of 
that  decision  as  declared  that  it  was  an  indispensable  characteristic  of  a  prohib- 
ited "  bill  of  credit,"  that  it  should  be  issued  on  the  credit  of  the  State,  There  is 
much  reason  for  doubting  the  correctness  of  these  decisions  by  the  national 
judiciary — and,  if  they  be  maintained,  there  is  good  cause  for  apprehending  that 
the  beneficent  policy  of  the  interdiction  of  State  bills  of  credit  may  be  entirely 
frustrated,  and  the  constitutional  prohibition  altogether  paralysed  or  eluded. 

When  the  validity  of  the  statutes  retrospectively  extending  replevins,  was 
brought  before  the  Court  of  Appeals,  the  three  judges  then  constituting  that  court, 
(Messrs.  Boyle,  chief  justice,  and  Owsley  and  Mills,  judges,)  delivered  separate 
opinions,  all  concurring  in  the  conclusion  that  those  statutes,  so  far  as  they  retro- 
acted  on  contracts  depending  for  their  effect  on  the  law  of  Kentucky,  were  incon- 
sistent with  that  clause  in  the  federal  constitution,  which  prohibits  the  legisla- 
tures of  the  several  states  in  the  union  from  passing  any  act  "  impairing  the 
obligation  of  contracts,''^  and  also,  of  course,  with  the  similar  provision  in  the 
constitution  of  Kentucky,  inhibiting  any  such  enactment  by  the  legislature  of 
this  State.  A  more  grave  and  eventful  question  could  not  have  been  presented 
to  the  court  for  its  umpirage.  It  subjected  to  a  severe,  but  decisive  ordeal,  the 
personal  integrity,  firmness  and  intelligence  of  the  judges,  and  the  value  of  that 
degree  of  judicial  independence  and  stability  contemplated  by  the  constitution. 
The  question  involved  was  new  and  vexed  ;  and  a  majority  of  the  people  of  the 
State  had  approved,  and  were,  as  they  seemed  to  think,  vitally  interested  in 
maintaining  their  constituent  power  to  enact  such  remedial  statutes. 

Under  this  accumulated  burthen  of  responsibility,  however,  the  court  being  of 
the  opinion  that  the  acts  impaired  the  obligation  of  contracts  made  in  Kentucky 
antecedently  to  their  date,  honestly  and  firmly  so  decided,  without  hesitation  or 
dissent.  The  court  argued,  1st.  That  every  valid  contract  had  two  kinds  of  obli- 
gation— the  one  moral,  the  other  legal  or  civil ;  that  the  fundamental  interdicts 
applied  to  the  legal  obligation  only,  because,  as  moral  obligations  are  as  immuta- 
ble as  the  laws  of  God,  and  depend  on  the  consciences  of  men,  and  therefore 
cannot  be  impaired  by  human  legislation  or  power — consequently,  it  would  be 
ridiculously  absurd  to  suppose  that  the  constitution  intended  to  interdict  that 
which,  vnthnut  any  interdiction,  could  not  be  done.  2d.  That,  as  moral  obliga- 
tion results  from  the  sanctions  of  natural  law,  so  civil  obligation  arises  from  the 
sanctions  of  human  law;  that,  whenever  the  laws  of  society  will  not  uphold  nor 
enforce  a  contract,  that  contract  possesses  no  civil  obligation,  but  may  be  alone 
morally  obligatory;  that  the  obligation,  whether  moral  or  civil,  is  the  chain,  tie, 
or  ligature,  which  binds,  coerces,  persuades,  or  obliges  the  obligor;  that  all  civil 
obligation,  therefore,  springs  from  and  is  regulated  by  the  punitory  or  remedial 


104  SKETCH  or  THE 

power  of  human  law ;  that  the  destruction  or  withdrawal  of  all  such  power, 
must  annihilate  all  merely  civil  obligation  ;  that,  consequently,  that  which  im- 
pairs such  power  must,  to  the  same  extent,  impair  such  obligation;  and,  that, 
whatever  renders  the  remedial  agency  of  the  law  less  certain,  effectual  or  valua- 
ble, impairs  it ;  and,  also,  necessarily  impairs,  therefore,  the  obligation  which  it 
creates.  3d.  That  the  civil  obligation  of  a  contract  depends  on  the  law  of  the 
place  when  and  where  it  is  made;  and  that  any  subsequent  legislation  that 
essentially  impairs  the  legal  remedy  for  maintaining  or  enforcing  that  contract, 
must,  consequently,  so  far,  impair  its  legal  obligation.  4th.  That,  if  a  retro- 
active extension  of  replevin  from  three  months  to  two  years,  would  not  impair 
the  obligation  of  a  contract  made  under  the  shorter  replevin  law,  the  like  prolon- 
gation to  one  hundred  years  would  not  impair  the  obligation;  and,  if  this  would 
not,  the  abrogation  of  all  legal  remedy  could  not.  5th.  Thai  it  is  impossible  that 
legislation  can  destroy  or  iinpuir  the  legal  obligation  of  contracts,  otherivise  than  by 
operating  on  the  legal  remedies  for  eiforcing  them  ,•  and,  that,  consequently,  any 
legislation  retro-actively  and  essentially  deteriorating  legal  remedy,  as  certainly 
and  essentially  impairs  the  legal  obligation  of  all  contracts  on  which  it  so  retro- 
acts:  And,  finally,  therefore,  that  the  retrospective  extension  of  replevin  in 
Kentucky,  was  unconstitutional  and  void. 

Unanswerable  and  conclusive  as  this  mere  skeleton  of  the  court's  argument 
may  be,  yet  the  decision  excited  a  great  outcry  against  the  judges.  Their 
authority  to  disregard  a  legislative  act  as  unconstitutional  was,  by  many,  denied, 
and  they  were  denounced  as  '■'usurpers, — tyrants, — A-jngs."  At  the  succeeding 
session  of  the  legislature,  in  the  fall  of  1823,  a  long,  verbose,  and  empty  pre- 
amble and  resolutions,  for  addressing  them  out  of  office,  were  reported  by  John 
Rowan,  to  which  the  judges  responded  fully  and  most  effectually.  But  after 
an  able  and  boisterous  debate,  the  preamble  and  resolutions  were  adopted  by  a 
majority  less  than  two-thirds.  The  judges — determined  in  stand  or  fall  by  the 
constitution — refused  to  abdicate.  At  the  next  session  of  the  legislature,  in 
1824,  there  then  being  a  still  larger  majority  against  the  judges  and  their  de- 
cision,— but  not  quite  two-thirds, — the  dominant  party  now  became  furious  and 
reckless,  passed  an  act,  mis-entitled  "  an  act  to  reorganize  the  Court  of  Appeals  ;" 
the  object  and  eflect  of  which,  if  sustained,  were  to  abolish  the  "o/d"  constitu- 
tional "cour/,"  and  substitute  a  "  new  "  legislative  "  cc/wr/!."  The  minority  in 
that  legislature  united  in  a  powerful  protest  against  the  "reorganizing  act," 
which,  on  the  presentation  of  it  to  the  house  of  representatives  by  George  Rob- 
ertson, by  whom  it  was  written,  was,  unceremoniously,  ordered  to  be  entered  on 
the  journal  of  that  house,  without  being  read.  A  copy,  however,  which  was 
read  in  the  senate,  was  refused  a  place  on  the  journal  of  that  body, — and  a  "  new 
court"  senator,  coming  into  the  other  house  immediately  afterwards,  and  there 
learning  that  the  protest  had,  unheard,  been  admitted  to  the  journal  of  that  house, 
told  Mr.  Rowan  that  it  was  '■'■the  devil,''"'  and  if  embalmed  in  the  record,  would 
blow  "  the  new  court  party  sky  high.''''  Whereupon,  a  reconsideration  was  mo- 
ved, and  the  memorable  document  was  kicked  out  of  that  house  also.  But  it 
could  not  be  strangled.  It  lived  and  triumphed.  It  was  published  as  an  unan- 
swerable text,  and  rallied  and  electrified  the  friends  of  the  constitution,  order, 
and  justice. 

The  "  new  court"  (consisting  of  William  T.  Barry,  chief  justice,  and  James 
Haggin,  John  Trimble,  and  Rezin  H.  Davidge,  judges,)  took  unauthorized  pos- 
session of  the  papers  and  records  in  the  office  of  the  Court  of  Appeals,  appointed 
Francis  P.  Blair,  clerk,  and  attempted  to  do  business  and  decide  some  causes, 
their  opinions  on  which,  were  published  by  Thomas  B.  Monroe,  in  a  small  duo- 
decimo volume,  which  has  never  been  regarded  or  read  as  authority.  The  judges 
of  the  constitutional  Court  of  Appeals  were  thus  deprived,  without  their  consent, 
of  the  means  of  discharging  official  duties  properly  ;  and,  the  people  not  know- 
ing whether  the  "old  "  or  the  "new  court"  was  the  constitutional  tribunal  of 
revision,  some  appealed  to  the  one,  and  some  to  the  other.  In  this  perplexing  cri- 
sis of  judiciiil  anarchy,  tiie  only  authoritative  arbiter  was  the  ultimate  sovereign — 
the  freemen  of  the  State  at  the  polls.  To  that  final  and  only  tribunal,  therefore, 
both  parties  appealed  ;  and  no  period,  in  the  history  of  Kentucky,  was  ever  more 
pregnant,  or  nrarUed  with  more  excitement,  or  able  and  pervading  discussion, 
than  that  which  iuuueiliately  preceded  the  annual  ekfliims  in  the  year  l.sCo. 


COURT   OF   APPEALS.  105 

The  portentous  agony  resulted  in  the  election,  to  the  house  of  representatives,  of 
a  decisive  majority  in  favor  of  the  "  old  court,"  and  against  the  constitutionality 
of  the  "new  court."  But  only  one-third  of  the  senators  having  passed  the  ordeal 
of  that  election,  a  small  "«ew  courV  majority  still  remained  in  the  senate;  and, 
disregarding  the  submission  of  the  question  to  the  votes  of  the  people,  that  little 
majority  refused  to  repeal  the  "  reorganizing  act,"  or  acknowledge  the  existence 
of  the  "  old  court."  This  unexpected  and  perilous  contumacy,  brought  the  antag- 
onist parties  to  the  brink  of  a  bloody  revolution.  For  months  the  commonwealth 
was  trembling  on  the  crater  of  a  heaving  volcano.  But  the  considerate  prudence 
of  the  "  old  court  party"  prevented  an  eruption,  by  forbearing  to  resort  to  force 
to  rsstore  to  the  "  old  court"  its  papers  and  records,  which  the  minority  guarded, 
in  Blair's  custody,  by  military  means — and,  also,  by  appealing,  once  more,  to  the 
constituent  body,  in  a  printed  manifesto  prepared  by  George  Robertson,  signed 
by  the  members  constituting  the  majority  of  the  popular  branch  of  the  legisla- 
ture, and  exposing  the  incidents  of  the  controversy  and  the  conduct  of  the  defeated 
party.  The  result  of  this  last  appeal  was  a  majority  in  the  senate,  and  an 
augmented  majority  in  the  house  of  representatives  in  favor  of  repealing  as 
unconstitutional,  the  "act  to  reorganize  the  Court  of  Appeals."  That  act  was 
accordingly  repealed  in  the  session  of  1826-7,  by  "  an  act  to  remove  the  uncon- 
stitutional obstructions  which  have  been  thrown  in  the  way  of  the  Court  of 
Appeals,"  passed  by  both  houses  the  30th  December,  1826 — the  governor'' s  objec- 
tions nutwilhstanding.  The  "  new  court"  vanished,  and  the  "  old  court,"  redeemed 
and  reinstated,  proceeded,  without  further  question  or  obstruction,  in  the  discharge 
of  its  accustomed  duties. 

As  soon  as  a  quietus  had  been  given  to  this  agitating  controversy,  John  Boyle, 
who  had  adhered  to  the  helm  throughout  the  storm  in  a  forlorn  hope  of  saving 
the  constitution,  resigned  the  chief-justiceship  of  Kentucky,  and  George  M.  Bibb, 
a  distinguished  champion  of  the  "  relief"  and  "  new  court"  parties,  was,  by  a 
relief  governor  and  senate,  appointed  his  successor.  Owsley  and  Mills  retained 
their  seats  on  the  appellate  bench  until  the  fall  of  1828,  when  they  also  resigned, 
and,  being  re-nominated  by  Gov.  Metcalfe,  who  had  just  succeeded  Gov.  Desha, 
they  were  rejected  by  a  relief  senate,  and  George  Robertson  and  Joseph  R.  Un- 
derwood (both  "  anti-relief"  and  "  old  court")  were  appointed  to  succeed  them. 
Then  Bibb  forthwith  resigned,  and  there  being  no  chief  justice  until  near  the 
close  of  1829,  these  two  judges  constituted  the  court,  and,  during  that  year,  de- 
clared null  and  void  all  the  acts  and  decisions  of  the  "new  court,"  and  disposed 
of  about  one  thousand  cases  on  the  docket  of  the  Court  of  Appeals.  In  December, 
1829,  Robertson  was  appointed  chief  justice,  and  Richard  A.  Buckner  judge  of 
the  Court  of  Appeals.  And  thus,  once  more,  "  the  old  court "  was  complete, 
homogeneous  and  peaceful,  and  the  most  important  question  that  could  engage 
the  councils  or  agitate  the  passions  of  a  state,  was  settled  finally,  and  settled 
right. 

This  memorable  contest  between  the  constitution  and  the  passions  of  a  popular 
majority — between  the  judicial  and  legislative  departments — proves  the  efficacy  of 
Kentucky's  constitutional  structure,  and  illustrates  the  reason  and  the  importance 
of  that  system  of  judicial  independence  which  it  guaranties.  It  demonstrates 
that,  if  the  appellate  judges  had  been  dependent  on  a  bare  majority  of  the  people 
or  their  representatives,  the  constitution  would  have  been  paralyzed,  justice 
dethroned,  and  property  subjected  to  rapine,  by  tumultuary  passions  and  numer- 
ical power.  And  its  incidents  and  results  not  only  commend  to  the  gratitude  of 
the  living  and  unborn,  the  proscribed  judges  and  the  efficient  compatriots  who 
dedicated  their  time  and  talents  for  years  to  the  rescue  of  the  constitution,  but 
also,  impressively  illustrate  the  object  and  efficacy  of  the  fundamental  limitations 
in  the  will  of  the  majority — that  is,  the  ultimate  prevalence  of  reason  over  pas- 
sion— of  truth  over  error — which,  in  popular  governments,  is  the  sure  offspring, 
only,  of  time  and  sober  deliberation,  which  it  is  the  object  of  constitutional  checks 
to  ensure. 

As  first  and  now  organized,  the  Court  of  Appeals  consists  of  three  judges,  one 
of  whom  is  commissioned  ^^  chief  justice  of  Kentucky."  In  the  year  1801,  the 
number  was  increased  to  four,  and  Thomas  Todd  (who  had  been  clerk  of  that 
court,  and  in  the  year  1807  was  appointed  a  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States)  was  the  first  who  was  appointed  fourth  judge.     In  the  year  1813, 


106 


SKETCH    OF    THE 


the  number  was  prospectively  reduced  to  three;  and,  all  the  incumbents  having 
immediately  resigned,  two  of  them  (Boyle  and  Logan)  were  instantly  re-com- 
missioned, and  Robert  Trimble,  who  was  commissioned  by  Gov.  Shelby,  having 
declined  to  accept,  Owsley,  who  had  been  one  of  the  four  judges  who  had  re- 
signed, was  afterwards  also  re-commissioned  ;  and  ever  since  that  time,  the  court 
has  consisted  of  three  judges  only. 

All  the  judges  have  always  received  equal  salaries.  At  first  the  salary  of  each 
judge  was  $666.66.  In  the  year  1801,  it  was  increased  to  $833.33  ;  in  the  year 
1806,  to  $1000  ;  in  the  year  1815,  to  $1500;  in  the  year  1837,  to  $2000  ;  and  in 
the  year  1843,  it  was  reduced  to  $1500.  During  the  prevalence  of  the  paper  of 
the  Bank  of  the  Commonwealth,  the  salaries  were  paid  in  that  currency,  which 
was  so  much  depreciated  as,  for  some  time,  to  reduce  the  value  of  each  salary  to 
about  $750. 

The  following  is  a  chronological  catalogue  of  the  names  of  all  who  have  been 
judges  of  the  Appellate  Court  of  Kentucky: 


CHIEF    JUSTICES. 


Harry  Innis, 
George  Muter, 
Thomas  Todd, 
Felix  Grundy, 
Ninian  Edwards, 
George  M.  Bibb, 


com.  June  28,  1792 
"  Dec.  7,  1792 
"  Dec.  13,  1806 
"  April  11,  1807 
"  Jan.  5,  1808 
"     May   30,  1809 


John  Boyle,  com.  M'ch  20,  1810 

George  M.  Bibb,*  "  Jan.  5,  1827 
George  Robertson,  "  Dec.  24,  1829 
E.  M.  Ewing,  "     April  7,  1843 

Thos.  A.  Marshall,     "     June    1,  1847 
•Resigned  Dec.  23, 1828. 


Benj.  Sebastian, 
Caleb  Wallace, 
Thomas  Todd, 
Felix  Grundy, 
Ninian  Edwards, 
Robert  Trimble, 
William  Logan,* 
George  M.  Bibb, 
John  Boyle, 
William  Logan, 
James  Clark, 


June  28, 
June  28, 
Dec.  19, 
Dec.  10, 
Dec.  13, 
April  13, 
Jan.  11, 
Jan.  31, 
April  1, 
Jan.  20, 
M'ch  29, 

*RfSi2 


William  Owsley,    com. 
John  Rovi'an,  " 

Benjamin  Mills,  " 
George  Robertson,  " 
Jos.  R.  Underwood,  " 
Richard  A.  Buckner,  " 
Samuel  S.  Nicholas,  " 
Ephraim  M.  Ewing,  " 
Thos.  A.  Marshall,  " 
Daniel  Breck,  " 

James  Simpson,         " 


1792 
1792 
1801 
1806 
1806 
1807 
1808 
1808 
1809 
1810 
1810 
ned  January  30,  1808. 


April 

8. 

1810 

Jan. 

14, 

1819 

Feb. 

16, 

1820 

Dec. 

24, 

1828 

Dec. 

24, 

1828 

Dec. 

21, 

1829 

Dec. 

23, 

1831 

March  5, 

1835 

M'ch 

18, 

1835 

April 

7, 

1843 

June 

7, 

1847 

Of  the  chief  justices,  Muter,  Boyle,  and  Robertson  were  in  commission,  collec- 
tively, about  41  years — Muter  for  about  11,  Boyle  16,  and  Robertson  nearly  14 
years;  and  of  all  the  justices  of  the  court,  Logan,  Mills,  and  Owsley  held  their 
stations  longest. 

In  the  year  1803,  Muter,  very  poor  and  rather  superannuated,  was  induced  to 
resign  by  a  promise  of  an  annuity  of  $300,  which,  being  guarantied  by  an  act  of 
the  legislature  in  good  faith,  was  complained  of  as  an  odious  and  unconstitutional 
^'provision,''''  and  was  taken  away  by  a  repealing  act  of  the  next  year. 

Under  the  first  constitution  of  1792,  the  appellate  judges  were  required  to  state 
•in  their  opinions  such  facts  and  authorities  as  should  be  necessary  to  expose  tlie 
principle  of  each  decision.  But  no  mode  of  reporting  the  decisions  was  provided 
•by  legislative  enactment  until  1815,  when  the  governor  was  authorized  to  appoint 
a  reporter.  Previously  to  that  time,  James  Hughes,  an  eminent  "land  lawyer," 
had,  at  his  own  expense,  published  a  volume  of  the  decisions  of  the  old  District 
Court  of  Kentucky  whilst  an  integral  portion  of  Virginia,  and  of  the  Court  of 
Appeals  of  Kentucky,  rendered  in  suits  for  land — commencing  in  1785  and  end- 
ling  in  1801  :  Achilles  Sneed,  clerk  of  the  Court  of  Appeals,  had,  in  1805,  under 
the  authority  of  that  court,  published  a  small  volume  of  miscellaneous  opinions, 
•copied  from  the  court's  order  book  ;  and  Martin  D.  Hardin,  a  distinguished 
lawyer,  had,  in  1810,  published  a  volume  of  the  decisions  from  1805  to  1808,  at 
the  instance  of  the  court  in  executinn  of  a  legislative  injunction  of  1807.  requiring 
the  judges  to  select  a  reporter.  George  M.  Bibb  was  the  first  reporter  appointed 
by  the  Governor.     His  reports,  in  four  volumes,  include  opinions  from  18 —  to 


COURT   OF   APPEALS.  107 

18 — .  Alexander  K.  Marshall,  William  Littell,  Thomas  B.  Monroe,  John  J. 
Marshall,  James  Dana,  and  Benjamin  Monroe  were,  successively,  appointed,  and 
reported  afterwards.  The  reports  of  the  first,  are  in  three  volumes — of  the  second, 
in  six — of  the  third,  in  seven — of  the  fourth,  in  seven — of  the  fifth,  in  nine — and 
the  last,  who  is  yet  the  reporter,  has  published  seven  volumes.  Consequently, 
there  are  now  forty-six  volumes  of  reported  decisions  of  the  Court  of  Appeals  of 
Kentucky.  Of  these  reports,  Hardin's,  Bibb's,  and  Dana's  are  most  accurate — 
Littell's,  Thomas  B.  Monroe's  and  Ben.  Monroe's  next.  Those  of  both  the 
Marshall's  are  signally  incorrect  and  deficient  in  execution.  Dana's  in  execution 
and  in  the  character  of  the  cases,  are  generally  deemed  the  best.  Of  the  decis- 
ions in  Dana,  it  has  been  reported  of  Judge  Story  that  he  said  they  were  the  best 
in  the  Union — and  of  Chancellor  Kent,  that  he  said  he  knew  no  state  decisions 
superior  to  them.  And  that  eminent  jurist,  in  the  last  edition  of  his  Commenta- 
ries, has  made  frequent  reference  to  opinions  of  chief  justice  Robertson,  and  has 
commended  them  in  very  flattering  terms. 

The  comprehensive  jurisdiction  of  the  court  imposes  upon  it  duties  peculiarly 
onerous.  An  act  of  Assembly  of  1796,  confers  on  this  Appellate  Court  jurisdic- 
tion of  appeal  or  writ  of  error,  "in  cases  in  which  the  inferior  courts  have  juris- 
diction." A  writ  of  error  may  be  issued  to  reverse  a  judgment  or  decree  for  one 
cent;  but,  by  an  act  of  1796,  no  appeal  can  be  prosecuted  to  reverse  a  judgment 
or  decree,  unless  it  relate  to  a  franchise  or  freehold,  or  (if  it  do  not)  unless  the 
amount  of  it,  "exclusive  of  costs,"  be  at  least  $100.  But  in  cases  of  decretal 
divorces,  and  in  fines  for  riots  and  routs,  the  legislature  has  denied  to  the  court 
any  revising  jurisdiction.  Still,  although  it  has  no  original  jurisdiction  excepting 
only  in  the  trial  of  clerks,  and  although  it  has  no  criminal  jurisdiction  in  any 
case  of  felony,  the  average  number  of  its  annual  decisions  has,  for  many  years, 
been  about  five  hundred.  The  court  is  required  to  hold  two  terms  in  each  year — 
one  commencing  the  first  Monday  in  May,  the  other  the  first  Monday  in  Septem- 
ber; and  no  term  is  allowed  to  be  less  than  forty-eight  juridical  days.  By  a  rule 
of  court,  any  party  may  appear  either  by  himself  or  his  counsel,  and  in  person  or 
by  brief.     And  a  majority  of  the  cases  have  been  decided  without  oral  argument. 

A  statute  of  1816  enacted,  that  "c// reports  of  cases  decided  in  England  since 
the  4th  of  July,  1776,  should  not  be  read  in  court  or  cited  by  the  court."  The 
object  of  this  strange  enactment  was  to  interdict  the  use  of  any  British  decision 
since  the  declaration  of  American  independence.  The  statute,  however,  literally 
imports,  not  that  no  such  decision  shall  be  read,  but  that  "  o//"  shall  not  be.  And 
this  self-destructive  phraseology  harmonises  with  the  purpose  of  the  act — that  is, 
to  smother  the  Tight  of  science  and  stop  the  growth  of  jurisprudence.  But  for 
many  years,  the  Court  of  Appeals  inflexibly  enforced  the  statute — not  in  its  let- 
ter, but  in  its  aim.  In  the  reports,  however,  of  J.  J.  Marshall,  and  Dana,  and 
Ben.  Monroe,  copious  references  are  made  (without  regard  to  this  interdict)  to 
post-revolutionary  cases  and  treatises  in  England,  and  now  that  statute  may  be 
considered  dead. 

The  Appellate  Court  of  Kentucky  has  generally  been  able,  and  always  firm, 
pure,  and  faithful.  It  has  been  illustrated  by  some  names  that  would  adorn  any 
bench  of  justice  or  age  of  jurisprudence.  And  it  might  have  been  oftener  filled 
by  such  jurists,  had  not  a  suicidal  parsimony  withheld  from  the  judges  an  ade- 
quate compensation  for  the  talents,  learning,  labor,  and  responsibility  which  the 
best  interests  of  the  commonwealth  demand  for  the  judicial  service,  in  a  court 
appointed  to  guard  the  rights  and  the  liberties  of  the  people,  and  to  settle  con- 
clusively the  laws  of  the  commonwealth. 


HISTORICAL   SKETCH 


BAPTIST      CHURCH 


The  Baptists  were  the  pioneers  of  religion  in  Kentucky.  They  came  with  the 
earliest  permanent  settlers.  In  1776, William  Hickman,  sr.,  commenced  here  his 
labors  in  the  Gospel  ministry.*  He  was  the  first  to  proclaim  "the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ,"  in  the  valley  of  the  Kentucky.  He  was  on  a  tour  of  observation 
merely,  and  after  a  stay  of  several  months,  returned  to  Virginia,  remained  several 
years,  and  then  located  in  this  state,  where  he  labored  faithfully  in  the  field  of 
the  g'ospel  for  more  than  fifty  years.  In  1779,  John  Taylor,  Joseph  Reding, 
Lewis  Lunsford,  (the  Patrick  Henry  of  the  pulpit),  and  several  other  ministers 
of  Virginia,  visited  Kentucky.  They  found  many  of  their  brethren,  but  owing 
to  the  constant  alarm  from  savage  depredations,  and  the  other  stirring  incidents 
peculiar  to  new  settlements  amid  the  wilds  of  a  strange  and  unbroken  forest, 
there  seemed  to  be  but  little  concern  manifested  for  religion.  These  ministers 
had  but  few  opportunities  for  preaching.  They  did  preach,  however,  at  a  few  of 
the  stations.  Their  object  was  chiefly  to  see  the  country,  with  reference  to  sub- 
sequent settlement.  They  found  it  destitute  of  almost  everything  except  grass 
for  their  horses,  and  meat  from  the  woods,  procured  at  the  risk  of  life.  They 
could  do  but  little  more  than  feast  their  eyes  upon  the  luxuriant  soil,  which  the 
Indians  had  resolved  should  never  be  cultivated. f  These  ministers,  except  Red- 
ing, returned  to  Virginia,  but  some  of  them,  a  few  years  later,  took  permanent 
residence  in  Kentucky. 

In  1780,  many  Baptists  removed  to  this  state,  chiefly  from  Virginia ;  but  it  was 
not  until  the  next  year,  that  there  was  an  organized  church.  This  was  the  Gil- 
bert's creek  church.  When  Lewis  Craig  left  Spottsylvania  county,  Va.,  most  of 
his  large  church  there  came  with  him.  They  were  constituted  when  they  started, 
and  were  an  organized  church  on  the  road — wherever  they  stopped,  they  could 
transact  church  business.  They  settled  at  Craig's  station  on  Gilbert's  creek,  a 
few  miles  east  of  where  the  town  of  Lancaster,  Garrard  county,  is  now  situated.:J: 
There  were  now  a  number  of  efficient  ministers  in  Kentucky. 

In  1782,  several  other  churches  are  known  to  have  been  constituted,  viz :  Sev- 
ern's valley, II  (now  Elizabethtovvn),  and  Nolynn,  both  now  in  Hardin  county. 
Also  Cedar  creek,  now  in  Nelson  county. § 

In  178.3,  the  first  Baptist  church  and  the  first  worshiping  assembly  of  any 
order,  was  organized  on  South  Elkhorn,  five  miles  south  of  Lexington,  by  Lewis 
Craig,  principally  out  of  members  dismissed  from  the  church  on  Gilbert's  creek. 
This  church  was  for  forty  years  one  of  the  most  prosperous  churches  in  the  state; 
but  its  candlestick  has  been  removed.** 

After  the  close  of  the  American  Revolution,  a  flood  of  Baptists  poured  into 
Kentucky,  chiefly  from  Virginia,  and  churches  began  to  spring  up  every  where 
in  the  wilderness.  It  was  still  a  time  of  great  peril.  Before  houses  of  worship 
were  erected,  the  worshipers  would  assemble  in  the  forest,  each  man  with  his 
gun;  sentinels  would  be  placed  to  guard  against  surprise  from,  the  Indians,  while 
the  minister,  with  a  log  or  stump  for  his  pulpit,  and  the  heavens  for  his  sounding 
board,  would  dispense  the  word  of  life  and  salvation. 

"  The  groves  were  God's  first  temples.     Ere  man  learned 
To  hew  the  shaft,  and  lay  the  architrave. 
And  spread  the  roof  above  them,  ere  he  framed 
The  lofty  vault,  to  gather  and  roll  back 
The  sound  of  anthems,  in  the  darkling  wood, 

•John  Taylor's  History  of  Ten  Churches,  p.  4S.  ||  Benedict,  vol.  2,  p.  542. 

t  Benediel's  History  of  the  Baptists,  vol.  2,  p.  228.  \  Asplund's  Rrcfister  of  1790,  p.  32. 

I  History  of  Ten  Churches,  p.  42.  ** History  of  Ten  Churches.p.  50. 
(108) 


HISTORICAL    SKETCH,  ETC.  109 

Amidst  the  cool  and  silence,  he  knelt  down, 
And  otiered  to  the  Mightiest  solemn  thanks 
And  supplications.'"* 

In  1785,  three  associations  were  organized,  viz.  :  The  Elkmorn,  comprising 
all  the  regular  Baptist  churches  then  north  of  the  Kentucky  and  Dix  rivers  ;  the 
Salem,  comprising  all  the  churches  of  the  same  order  south  of  those  rivers  ;  and 
the  South  Kentucki',  comprising  all  the  separate  Baptist  churches  in  the  State. 
These  associations,  which  were  constituted  of  some  three  or  four  churches  each, 
increased  with  great  rapidity.  In  1790,  there  were  attached  to  them  42  churches 
and  3105  members;  viz.:  Elkhorn,  15  churches  and  1389  members;  Salem,  8 
churches  and  405  members:  and  South  Kentucky,  19  churches  and  1311  members. 
The  population  of  Kentucky  at  that  period  was  about  73,000.  So  there  was 
one  Baptist  to  about  every  twenty-three  inhabitants.  Besides,  there  were  many 
churches  not  yet  associated;  and  many  members  just  moved  into  the  state,  who 
were  not  yet  attached  to  the  churches.  There  were,  too,  at  this  period,  42  or- 
dained roinisters  and  21  licentiates;  or  one  ordained  minister  to  every  1825  of  the 
inhabitants.  This  was  a  tolerably  fair  proportion  of  Baptist  leaven  to  the  whole 
lump  of  people.")" 

Among  the  ministers  of  that  day,  were  John  Gano,  Ambrose  Dudley,  John 
Taylor,  Lewis  Craig,  William  Hickman,  Joseph  Reding,  William  E.  Waller, 
Augustine  Eastin,  Moses  Bledsoe,  John  Rice,  Elijah  Craig,  William  Marshall, 
and  other  kindred  spirits — men  of  ardent  piety,  untiring  zeal,  indomitable  energy 
of  character,  of  vigorous  and  well-balanced  intellects,  and  in  every  way  adapted 
to  the  then  state  of  society.  Pioneers  to  a  wilderness  beset  with  every  danger 
and  every  privation,  they  were  the  first  ministers  of  the  brave,  the  daring,  and 
noble  spirits  who  first  settled  and  subdued  this  country — such  men  as  the  Boones, 
the  Clarkes,  the  Harrods,  the  Bullitts,  the  Logans,  the  Floyds,  and  the  Hardins 
would  respect  and  venerate,  and  listen  to  with  delight  and  profit.  It  has  been  the 
good  fortune  of  the  writer  to  hear  some  of  these  venerable  ministers  preach. 
Some  of  them  survived  many  years  the  men  of  their  own  generation.  But  age 
seemed  to  bring  to  them  few  of  its  infirmities.  They  retained  almost  to  the  last 
the  vigor  of  their  manhood's  prime;  and  although  they  could  not  be  called  lite- 
rary men,  they  were  nevertheless  distinguished  for  their  intelligence,  for  com- 
manding talents,  for  profound  acquaintance  with  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  and 
were  possessed  of  a  knowledge  of  men  and  things,  which  eminently  qualified 
them  to  be  teachers  and  guides  of  the  people. 

In  1793,  an  attempt  was  made  to  bring  about  a  union  between  the  Regular  and 
Separate  Baptists,  which  failing  of  success,  sundry  churches  of  the  South  Ken- 
tucky association  withdrew  from  that  body,  and  organized  the  Tate's  creek  as- 
sociation.:}: The  oldest  churches  in  this  association  were  organized  at  the  dates 
following:  Tate's  creek,  now  in  Madison  county,  1785  ;§  White  Oak,  in  the 
same  county,  1790  ;||  and  Cedar  creek,  now  Crab  Orchard,  Lincoln  county, 
1791.§ 

In  1798,  the  number  of  churches  in  the  Elkhorn  association  being  33,  and  its 
territory  extending  from  the  Holstein  on  the  south,  to  Columbus,  Ohio,  on  the 
north;  and  from  the  mouth  of  Beargrass  on  the  west,  to  the  Virginia  line  on  the 
east,  it  was  deemed  expedient  to  dismiss  the  churches  north  of  Licking  river  for 
the  purpose  of  forming  a  new  organization;  and  accordingly  the  Bracken  asso- 
ciation was  constituted.  The  oldest  churches  in  this  association  are,  Limestone 
creek**  (now  extinct),  near  the  present  city  of  Maysville,  and  Washington,  both 
constituted  in  1785;  and  Mayslick  church,  constituted  1791. "f-f 

The  general  harmony  of  the  denomination  was  undisturbed,  and  their  pro- 
gress steady  and  healthful.  In  1799,  commenced  what  is  known  to  this  day  as 
the  Great  Revival,  which  continued  through  several  years.  During  its  prevalence, 
the  accessions  to  the  churciies  in.  every  part  of  the  state  were  unprecedented.  The 
Baptists  escaped  almost  entirely  those  extraordinary  and  disgraceful  scenes  pro- 
duced by  i\\e  jerks,  the  rolling!;  and  the  barking  exercises,  &c.,  which  extensively 
obtained  among  some  other  persuasions  of  those  days.     The  work  among  the 

*  Bryant.  II  Benedict,  vol.  2,  p.  540. 

t  Aspliuul's  Register,  p.  .3:>.  §  Asplund.  p,  :V2.  **Ibid. 

t  Benedict,  vol.  2.,  p.  S08.  tt  Benedict,  ut  supra. 


110  HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 

Baptists  was  deep,  solemn,  and  powerful ;  but  comporting  with  that  decency  and 
order  so  emphatically  enjoined  in  the  scriptures.  During  this  revival,  large  ad- 
ditions were  made  to  the  churches  in  every  quarter  of  the  State.  The  Elkhorn 
association,  at  its  annual  meeting  in  1801,  reported  an  addition  of  3011  members 
by  baptism  during  the  current  year;  and  in  1802,  an  accession  of  twelve  churches 
was  reported,  making  tlu;  whole  number  of  members,  5310.  Ho  numerous  were 
the  churches,  and  so  extensive  still  were  the  boundaries,  it  was  thought  advisable 
again  to  divide  the  association,  and  accordingly  those  churches  lying  along  the 
Ohio  river,  west  of  the  Bracken  association,  were  dismissed  and  organized  into 
the  North  Bend  association. 

To  the  South  Kentucky,  the  accessions  were  almost  equal  to  those  of  the  Elk- 
horn  association.  It  too  became  of  such  unwieldy  dimensions,  as  to  demand  a 
division.  It  was  accordingly  separated  into  two  bodies,  in  1802  ;  the  part  north 
of  the  Kentucky  river  being  denominated  the  North  District  association,  and 
the  part  south  of  the  river,  the  South  District  association. 

The  Tate's  creek  association  reported  in  1801,  the  addition  of  1148  members 
by  baptism.  The  Salem  association  also  shared  largely  in  the  blessings  of  this 
revival.  It  received  upwards  of  2000  members.  Its  boundaries  were  extended 
north  of  Salt  river,  where  enough  churches  were  gathered  to  justify  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Long  Run  association  in  1803.* 

The  Grken  river  association,  lying  in  what  are  now  Warren,  Barren,  Green, 
and  Adair  counties,  was  constituted  in  1800,  about  the  beginning  of  the  Great 
Revival  in  that  section  of  the  state.  It  contained  at  Jirst,  nine  churches,  ejcrht 
ministers,  and  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  members.  The  very  first  year  of  its 
existence,  it  increased  to  more  than  one  thousand  members,  and  in  1804,  it  con- 
tained 38  churches,  and  comprised  so  much  territory  that  it  was  deemed  sound 
policy  to  divide  it  into  three  bodies.  The  middle  portion  of  the  churches  retained 
the  old  name  of  the  association  :  those  of  the  northern  portion  were  organized 
into  the  Russel's  creek  association  :  and  those  of  the  southern  portion,  into  the 
Stockton's  valley  association,  f 

This  revival  had  the  happy  effect  to  bring  about  a  union  between  the  Regular 
and  Separate  Baptists.  These  distinctive  names  were  imported  from  Virginia, 
and  mean  the  same  as  those  of  Particular  and  General  Baptists  in  England — the 
former  meaning  those  who  hold  to  Calvinistic,  and  the  latter  those  holding  Ar- 
minian  sentiments.  Several  unsuccessful  efforts  had  been  made  to  effect  a  union 
between  the  Regular  and  Separate  Baptists  in  Kentucky;  but  the  Great  Revival 
removed  all  obstacles.  Melted  into  love  by  its  influences,  these  kindred  parties 
then  mingled  into  one.  In  1801,  terms  of  union  previously  agreed  upon  by  a 
committee  appointed  for  the  purpose,  were  ratified  by  the  two  parties  in  their 
respective  associations.  The  names  Regular  and  Separate  were  henceforth  to 
be  laid  aside,  and  that  of  the  United  Baptists  used  in  their  stead.  Thus  was  con- 
summated the  "  General  Union." 

But  the  harsh  note  of  discord  was  heard  just  as  the  sweet  melody  of  revival  and 
brotherly  love  began  to  subside,  and  ere  they  had  ceased.  In  1796,  James  Gar- 
rard, a  Baptist  minister  and  a  member  of  Cooper's  run  church,  Bourbon  county, 
was  elected  Governor  of  Kentucky.  He  appointed  to  the  office  of  secretary  of 
state,  Harry  Tonlmin,  who  had  been  a  follower  of  Dr.  Priestly  in  England,  and 
a  minister  of  the  Unitarian  persuasion.  Mr.  Toulmin  was  a  gentleman  of  talents 
and  erudition.:!:  It  was  owing  perhaps  to  the  intimacy  existing  between  Gov. 
Garrard  and  Secretary  Toulmin,  arising  in  part  from  their  official  relations,  that 
the  former  became  tinctured  with  Unitarian  sentiments.  Be  that  as  it  may,  it  is 
certain  that  in  1802,  Mr.  Garrard  and  the  pastor  of  Coo])er's  run  church,  Augus- 
tine Eastin,  a  minister  of  considerable  eminence,  began  to  propagate  Arian,  or 
rather,  Socinian  sentiments.  The  majority  of  Cooper's  run  church,  and  several 
ni.'igliburing  churches  to  which  Mr.  Eastin  preached,  espoused  the  doctrines  of 
Garrard  and  their  ministers.  Every  effort  was  made  to  reclaim  these  individuals 
and  churches.  The  Elkhorn  association  promptly  attended  to  the  case,  but  failing 
to  effect  their  return  to  the  old  paths,  reluctantly  dropped  them  from  connection 
and  correspondence.     It  may  be  recorded  to  the  credit  of  this  association,  and  of 

*  Renediot.  vol.  2,  pp.  230-241.  }  Butler's  History  of  Kentucky,  p.  262. 

t  lb.  p.  239. 


THE   BAPTIST   CHURCH  111 

the  Baptists,  that  although  Garrard  and  Eastin  were  much  beloved,  and  of  pow- 
erful influence,  yet  they  could  take  but  a  very  inconsiderable  fraction  with  tliem, 
which  declined  gradually  and  noiselessly  away.  Unitarianism  could  never  obtain 
favor  with  the  Baptists.* 

About  the  same  lime,  in  the  South  District  association,  a  very  popular  minister, 
John  Bayiey,  embraced  the  sentiments  of  the  Restorationists.  He  was  generally 
believed  to  be  a  very  pious  man,  and  the  majority  of  the  association  was  devo- 
tedly attached  to  him;  and  insisted,  that  although  he  preached  this  doctrine,  yet 
he  did  it  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  offend  the  must  delicate  ear.  The  minority, 
however,  thought  differently,  refused  all  fellowship  for  him  and  his  adherents,  and 
claimed  to  be  the  association.  The  neighboring  associations  acknowledged  their 
claim  :  the  other  party  could  not  obtain  any  countenance  from  the  associations 
in  the  General  Union,  and  again  assumed  the  old  name  of  the  South  Kentucky 
association  of  Separate  Baptists. j" 

About  1804,  Carter  Tarrant,  David  Barrow,  John  Sutton,  Donald  Holmes,  Ja- 
cob Gregg,  George  Smith,  and  other  ministers  of  less  note,  with  many  of  their 
members,  declared  for  the  abolition  of  slavery;  alledging  that  no  fellowship 
should  be  extended  to  slaveholders,  as  slavery,  in  every  branch  of  it,  both  in 
principle  and  practice,  was  a  sinful  and  abominable  system,  fraught  with  peculiar 
evils  and  miseries,  which  every  good  man  ought  to  abandon  and  bear  testimony 
against.  They  called  themselves  "  Friends  of  Humanity,"  but  are  known  in  the 
records  of  those  times  by  the  name  of  "  Emancipators."  The  associations 
generally  declared  it  "  improper  for  ministers,  churches,  or  associations  to  meddle 
with  the  emancipation  of  slavery,  or  any  other  political  subject;  and  advised 
them  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  it  in  their  religious  capacity."  These  resolu- 
tions gave  great  offence  to  the  "Friends  of  Humanity;"  and  they  withdrew  from 
the  General  Union  of  Baptists,  and  in  1807,  formed  an  association  of  their  own, 
called  "The  Baptized  Licking-Locust  Association,  Friends  to  Humanity."  They 
were  quite  numerous  at  first,  but  they  soon  dwindled — consumed  in  the  fires  of 
their  own  zeal.     Not  a  vestige  of  them  remains. :j; 

In  1809,  a  respectable  and  highly  influential  portion  of  the  ministers  and 
churches  of  the  Elkhorn  association  withdrew,  not  only  from  that  body,  but  from 
the  General  Union  of  Baptists  in  the  state,  and  organized  the  "  Licking  Asso- 
ciation OF  Particular  Baptists."  This  schism  had  its  foundation  in  a  personal 
difficulty  between  Jacob  Creath  and  Thomas  Lewis,  about  a  negro  trade!  The 
former  was  pastor,  and  the  latter  a  member  of  the  Town-fork  church,  a  few  miles 
west  of  Lexington.  The  matter  was  not  suffered  to  remain  in  the  church  where 
it  properly  belonged ;  it  became  a  topic  of  general  conversation,  and  of  the 
printing  press  ;  other  churches  became  involved  in  it;  it  gathered  other  matters 
in  its  progress  ;  when  finally,  it  was  thrust  upon  the  association,  and  schism 
ensued. II 

But  notwithstanding  these  adverse  events,  the  course  of  the  Baptists  was  on- 
ward. They  were  refreshed  with  many  revival  seasons.  In  1812,  they  had  13 
associations,  285  churches,  183  ministers,  and  22,694  members.  The  population 
of  the  state  at  that  time  was  rising  400,000.  So  that  the  proportion  of  the  Bap- 
tists to  that  of  the  inhabitants  was  about  one  to  twenty .§ 

During  the  next  twenty  years,  no  event  transpired  among  the  Baptists  deemed 
of  sufficient  consequence  to  claim  a  notice  in  this  brief  sketch,  except  the  schism 
produced  by  what  is  generally  known  as  the  "  reformation,"  begun  and  carried 
on  by  Alexander  Campbell.  This  is  not  the  place  nor  the  occasion  to  discuss  the 
principles  involved  in  that  unfortunate  controversy.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  in  1829, 
and  for  several  years  thereafter,  until  1832,  a  great  many  divisions  in  associations 
and  churches  occurred.  But  in  spite  of  all  this,  the  Ba])tists  stood  firm,  and 
still  retained  their  accustomed  ratio  to  the  population  of  the  state.  In  1832,  after 
this  storm  had  s|)ent  its  fury,  after  the  greatest  secession  from  the  Baptist  ranks 
ever  known  in  tlieir  history  in  Kentucky,  they  had  33  associations,  484  churches, 
236  ordained  ministers,  and  34,124  members.  The  population  of  the  state,  by 
the  census  of  1830,  was  687,917 — so  that  the  Baptists  still  retained  their  propor- 
tion of  about  one  to  twenty  of  the  inhabitants.** 

*  Benedict,  vol.  2,  p.  231.  |]  Benedict,  vol.  2,  p.  23.%4. 

t  II)..  241.  §  Benedict,  vol.  2..  p.  545.  and  Bap.  Mem'l.  Feb.  1848,  p.  54. 

t  Baptist  Herald  of  ISl 4,  p.  SO.  **  Baptist  Memorial,  i/i  supra,  p.  55. 


112  HISTORICAL   SKETCH    OF 

The  depletion  proved  to  be  sanative  The  increase  of  the  Baptists  since  then 
has  been  unprecedented.  Disturbed  by  no  serious  discord,  if  we  except  tlie 
clamor  raised  against  missionary  and  other  benevolent  efforts,  they  have  been 
blessed  with  many  remarkable  instances  of  divine  favor.  In  the  next  ten  years 
they  had  doubled  their  numbers  !  But  it  is  not  in  this  way  alone  that  they  have 
been  the  most  blessed.  They  have  been  aroused  to  every  good  work.  They  have 
engaged,  with  considerable  zeal,  in  the  cause  of  missions,  foreign  and  domestic. 
They  have  now  a  Genkral  Association,  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  weak  churches, 
and  of  supplying  the  destitute  portions  of  the  state  with  the  gospel.  They  have 
also  a  state  society  for  foreign  missions;  and  a  state  bible  society  for  the  circula- 
tion of  the  holy  scriptures  in  all  lands.  The  board  of  the  American  Indian  mis- 
sion association  is  located  in  Louisville.  They  have  a  weekly  newspaper  and  a 
monthly  magazine  published  in  the  state.  The  subject  of  education,  too,  has 
engrossed  a  large  share  of  their  attention.  The  Georgetown  college  is  under 
their  patronage,  and  is  one  of  the  most  respectable  and  flourishing  literary  insti- 
tutions in  the  West.  The  Western  Theological  institute  of  the  Baptists  is  situa- 
ted in  Covington.  We  have  not  the  means  of  arriving  at  the  precise  number  of 
Baptists  now  (March  1847),  in  the  state;  but  there  are  in  the  General  Union,  43 
associations,  685  churches,  and  at  least  65,000  members.  To  these  add  the 
7,085  anti-missionary  Baptists,  many  of  whom  claim  to  be  United  Baptists,  and 
differ  from  the  great  body  of  their  brethren  only  in  relation  to  the  propriety  of 
missionary  and  kindred  institutions,  and  we  have  the  present  grand  total  of  the 
Baptists  in  Kentucky,  72,085  members,  which  we  are  sure  falls  under  the  actual 
number.  The  proportion  of  the  Baptists  to  the  population  of  the  state  may  safely 
be  set  down  at  one  to  eleven.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Baptists  have  steadily 
and  rapidly  increased — that  they  have  come  triumphantly  through  every  trial. 
Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  them. 

In  looking  over  the  list  of  the  early  Baptist  ministers,  the  pioneers  of  the  gos- 
pel in  our  state,  we  cannot  choose  one  for  a  biographical  sketch,  agreeably  to  the 
suggestion  of  the  compiler  of  this  work.  Out  of  a  host  equally  deserving,  it 
would  be  invidious  to  make  a  selection.  Besides,  the  brief  space  that  remains 
for  us,  would  not  allow  of  justice  to  any  one  of  them.  We  will  therefore  let  it 
suffice  to  submit  some  characteristic  anecdotes  and  sketches  of  several  of  them. 

W'lLLTAM  Hickman,  as  the  first  preacher  in  Kentucky,  claims  of  course,  the 
first  attention.  He  commenced  his  ministry  in  this  state.  Then  he  returned  to 
Virginia,  and  for  several  years  labored  there  with  great  success.  In  1784,  he  be- 
came a  permanent  resident  in  the  state.  Here  he  encountered  peculiar  trials. 
The  country  was  sparsely  populated,  while  tribes  of  wandering  savages  were 
continually  making  depredations  on  the  property  and  lives  of  the  settlers.  But 
Mr,  Hickman  was  not  silent  because  of  danger.  He  traveled  extensively,  and 
even  in  the  most  distant  and  exposed  settlements,  and  at  the  peril  of  his  life,  bore 
the  tidings  of  salvation.  Elder  John  Taylor  said  of  him  in  1822,  "  Though  now 
about  76  years  of  age,  he  walks  and  stands  erect  as  a  palm  tree,  being  at  least 
six  feet  high,  and  of  rather  slender  form.  His  whole  deportment  is  solemn  and 
grave,  and  is  much  like  Caleb,  the  servant  of  the  Lord,  who  at  fourscore  years 
of  age  was  as  capable  to  render  service  in  war,  as  when  young.  This  veteran 
can  yet  perform  a  good  part  in  the  gospel  vineyard.  His  style  of  preaching  is 
plain  and  solemn,  and  the  sound  of  it  like  thunder  in  the  distance;  but  when  he 
becomes  animated,  it  is  like  thunder  at  home,  and  operates  with  prodigious  force 
on  the  consciences  of  his  hearers."  He  was  pastor  a  number  of  years  to  the 
church  at  the  "  Forks  of  Elkhorn."  He  baptised,  it  is  thought,  as  many  persons 
as  any  minister  that  ever  labored  in  the  state. 

Lewis  Craig  was  the  founder  of  the  first  worshipping  congregation  in  Ken- 
tucky. He  had  been  a  valiant  champion  of  the  cause  in  Virginia.  He  was  sev- 
eral times  imprisoned  in  that  state  for  preaching  the  gosjiel.  The  first  time,  he 
was  arrested  in  company  with  several  other  ministers.  'I'he  prosecuting  attorney 
represented  them  to  be  a  great  annoyance  to  the  county  by  their  zeal  as  preachers. 
"  May  it  please  your  worships,"  said  he,  "  they  cannot  meet  a  man  upon  the  road, 
but  they  must  ram  a  text  of  scripture  down  his  throat."  As  they  passed  on  to 
prison,  through  the  streets  of  Fredericksburgh,  they  united  in  singing  the  lines, 
"  Broad  is  the  road  that  leads  to  death,"  &c. 


THE  BAPTIST    CHURCH.  113 

They  remained  in  prison  one  month,  and  while  there,  Mr.C.  preached  through  the 
grate  to  large  crowds,  and  was  the  means  of  doing  much  good.  Once  after  this,  he 
was  imprisoned  three  months.  Mr.  Taylor  says  of  him,  "  He  was  in  the  gospel 
ministry  near  sixty  years,  and  was  about  eighty-seven  when  he  gave  up  the  ghost. 
As  an  expositor  of  scripture,  he  was  not  very  skillful,  but  dealt  closely  with  the 
heart.  He  was  better  acquainted  with  men  than  with  books.  He  never  dwelt 
much  on  doctrine,  but  most  on  experimental  and  practical  godliness.  Though  he 
was  not  called  a  great  preacher,  perhaps  there  was  never  found  in  Kentucky  so 
great  a  gift  of  exhortation  as  in  Lewis  Craig  :  the  sound  of  his  voice  would  make 
men  tremble  and  rejoice.  The  first  time  I  heard  him  preach,  I  seemed  to  hear 
the  sound  of  his  voice  for  many  months.  He  was  of  middle  stature,  rather 
stoop  shouldered,  his  hair  black,  thick  set  and  somewhat  curled,  a  pleasant  coun- 
tenance, free  spoken,  and  his  company  very  interesting;  a  great  peace-maker 
among  contending  parties.  He  died  suddenly,  of  which  he  was  forewarned, 
saying,  I  am  going  to  such  a  house  to  die  ;  and  with  solemn  joy  he  went  on  to  the 
house,  and  with  little  pain,  left  the  world." 

John  Taylor  was  well  qualified  to  labor  as  a  pioneer,  having  learned  by  pre- 
vious hazards  in  Virginia,  to  endure  hardness  as  a  good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ. 
When  first  settled  in  Kentucky,  he  itinerated  for  ten  years  with  much  credit  to 
himself,  and  profit  to  the  cause.  He  had  a  fine  constitution  and  much  bodily 
strength ;  was  as  bold  as  a  lion,  yet  meek  as  a  lamb.  In  preaching,  he  attempted 
nothing  but  scriptural  plainness.  The  weapons  of  his  warfare  were  wielded  with 
much  power.  No  man  knew  better  than  he,  how  to  reprove,  rebuke,  and  exhort, 
with  all  long  suSering  and  doctrine.  When  he  used  the  rod  of  correction,  all 
were  made  to  tremble.  He  was  very  efficient  as  a  preacher.  His  judicious 
zeal,  strong  faith,  and  remarkable  industry,  qualified  him  to  be  useful  to  many 
souls.  He  was  always  cheerful,  yet  solemn,  and  willing  to  preach  when  reques- 
ted. His  whole  demeanor,  at  home  and  abroad,  was  uniformly  Christian-like. 
The  labors  of  his  ministry  extended  from  the  Kentucky  to  the  Ohio  river.  It 
was  his  custom  to  visit  six  or  eight  associations  every  year.  His  great  skill  in 
discipline  and  faithfulness  in  preaching  endeared  him  to  all  the  followers  of 
Christ.  He  lived  to  see  his  children  and  his  children's  children  rise  up  and  call 
him  blessed.     He  died  in  his  82d  year.* 

John  Gang  settled  in  Kentucky  in  1787.  He  was  one  of  the  most  eminent 
ministers  in  his  day.  He  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey.  He  spent  many  years 
as  an  itinerant,  traveling  over  the  United  States,  from  New  England  to  Georgia. 
He  was  pastor  for  about  twenty-five  years  in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  his  la- 
bors were  greatly  blessed.  During  the  revolutionary  war,  he  was  chaplain  to  the 
army,  and  by  his  counsels  and  prayers  greatly  encouraged  the  American  soldiery 
in  those  times  of  peril  which  tried  meii's  souls.  Many  interesting  anecdotes  are 
related  of  him,  several  of  which  we  will  quote  from  Benedict.  One  morning, 
while  in  the  army  and  on  his  way  to  pray  with  the  regiment,  he  passed  by  a 
group  of  oflficers,  one  of  whom  (who  had  his  back  towards  him)  was  uttering  his 
profane  expressions  in  a  most  rapid  manner.  The  officers,  one  after  another, 
gave  him  the  usual  salutation.  "  Good  morning,  Doctor,"  said  the  swearing 
Lieutenant.  "  Good  morning,  sir,"  replied  the  chaplain  ;  "  you  pray  early  this 
morning."  "  I  beg  your  pardon,  sir."  "  O,  I  cannot  pardon  you :  carry  your 
case  to  your  God." 

One  day  he  was  standing  near  some  soldiers  who  were  disputing  whose  turn 

it  was  to  cut  some  wood  for  the  fire.     One  profanely  said,  he  would  be  d d 

ifhecutit.  But  he  was  soon  afterwards  convinced  that  the  task  belonged  to 
him,  and  took  up  the  axe  to  perform  it.  Before,  however,  he  could  commence, 
Mr.  Gano  stepped  up  and  asked  for  the  axe.  "  O  !  no,"  said  the  soldier,  "  the 
chaplain  shan't  cut  w^ood."  "  Yes,"  replied  Mr.  Gano,  "  I  must."  "  But  why?" 
asked  the  soldier.  "  The  reason  is,"  answered  Mr.  G.,  "I  just  heard  you  say  that 

you  would  be  d d  if  you  cut  it,  and  I  had  much  rather  take  the  labor  off  your 

hands,  than  that  you  should  be  made  miserable  forever." 

While  he  resided  in  New  York,  he  was  introduced  to  a  young  lady  as  the 

*  Lives  of  Virginia  Baptist  Ministers,  p.  220. 

8 


114  HISTORICAL   SKETCH   OF 

daughter  of  a  very  prominent  citizen.  "Ah  !  "  replied  he.  "and  I  can  tell  a  good 
match  for  her,  and  he  is  an  only  son."  The  young  lady  understood  his  meaning; 
she  was,  not  long  after,  united  to  this  Son,  and  has,  for  about  forty  years,  been 
an  ornament  to  his  cause. 

Dr.  Furman,  of  Charleston,  S.  C,  who  knew  him  intimately,  says :  "As 
a  minister  of  Christ,  he  shone  like  a  star  of  the  first  magnitude  in  the  American 
churches,  and  moved  in  a  widely  extended  field  of  action.  For  this  office,  God 
had  endowed  him  with  a  large  portion  of  grace,  and  with  excellent  gifts.  He 
believed,  and  therefore  spake.''^  Having  discerned  the  excellence  of  gospel  truths, 
and  the  importance  of  eternal  realities,  he  felt  their  power  on  his  own  soul,  and 
accordingly  he  inculcated  and  urged  them  on  the  minds  of  his  hearers  with  per- 
suasive eloquence  and  force.  He  was  not  deficient  in  doctrinal  discussion,  or 
what  rhetoricians  style  the  demonstrative  character  of  a  discourse;  but  he  ex- 
celled in  the  pathetic — in  pungent,  forcible  addresses  to  the  heart  and  conscience. 
The  careless  and  irreverent  were  suddenly  arrested,  and  stood  awed  before  him, 
and  the  insensible  were  made  to  feel.  *  *  *  *  He  lived  to  a  good  old  age; 
served  his  generation  according  to  the  will  of  God  ;  saw  his  posterity  multiply- 
ing around  him  ;  his  country  independent,  free,  and  happy  ;  the  church  of  Christ, 
for  which  he  felt  and  labored,  advancing;  and  thus  he  closed  his  eyes  in  peace ; 
his  heart  expanding  with  the  sublime  hope  of  immortality  and  heavenly  bliss. 
Like  John,  the  harbinger  of  our  Redeemer,  "  he  was  a  burning  and  a  shining 
light,  and  many  rejoiced  in  his  light."  Resembling  the  sun,  he  arose  in  the 
church  with  morning  brightness,  advanced  regularly  to  his  station  of  meridian 
splendor,  and  then  gently  declined  with  mild  eflTulgence,  till  he  disappeared, 
without  a  cloud  to  intercept  his  rays,  or  obscure  his  glory." 

Such  were  some  of  the  early  ministers  of  Kentucky.  They  are  but  examples 
of  the  dispositions,  and  talents,  and  high  moral  worth  of  their  companions  and 
compeers,  a  sketch  of  whom  we  must  omit,  and  who  aided  these  to  unfurl  the  ban- 
ner of  the  cross  in  the  valley  of  the  Kentucky,  and  to  maintain  it  against  every 
danger  and  privation.  The  Christians  of  this  State  may  as  proudly  refer  to  their 
ancestors,  in  all  that  is  noble  and  elevating  in  man,  as  may  the  politician.  If 
theirs  were  mighty  in  battle  and  wise  in  counsel,  ours  were  no  less  so,  and  in  a 
nobler  sense,  because  in  a  higher  and  holier  enterprise. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


CHRISTIAN      CHURCH 


BACON    COLLEGE. 

This  institution,  located  at  Harrodsburg,  Ky.,  was  chartered  by  the  common- 
wealth of  Kentucky  in  the  winter  of  183G-7.  Though  it  has  not  yet  completed 
the  tenth  year  of  its  existence,  and  has  had  to  contend  with  no  ordinary  difficul- 
ties, it  has  already  secured  an  enviable  reputation,  and  is  making  steady  progress 
in  gaining  the  confidence  of  the  public.  The  course  of  studies  is  equal  to  that 
which  is  generally  adopted  in  the  best  regulated  American  colleges ;  and  the  of- 
ficers, without  exception,  have  had  long  and  successful  experience  in  the  busi- 
ness of  teachingr.     The  followinnr  is  a  list  of  the 


THE    CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.  115 


James  Shannon,  President,  and  Professor  of  Intellectual,  Moral,  and  Political 
Science. 

Samuel  Hatch,  Professor  of  Chemistry,  Natural  Philosophy,  Geology,  &c. 
Henry  H.  White,  Professor  of  Mathematics  and  Civil  Engineering. 
George  H.  Matthews,  Professor  of  Ancient  Languages. 
E.  Askew,  Teacher  of  the  Preparatory  Department. 

During  the  last  session,  one  hundred  and  thirteen  students  were  received  into 
Bacon  college,  from  the  states  of  Kentucky,  Virginia,  Georgia,  Alabama,  Mis- 
sissippi, Lousiana,  Indiana,  Ohio,  and  New  York.  About  the  same  number  have 
already  been  received  the  present  session,  with  a  reasonable  prospect  of  a  large 
increase.  Tuition  for  the  college  year  of  ten  months  is  forty  dollars,  with  an 
extra  charge  for  fuel  of  one  dollar  each  half  session. 

Boarding  can  be  had  in  respectable  families,  in  the  town  and  its  vicinity,  at 
rates  varying  from  one  dollar  and  seventy-five  cents  to  two  dollars  per  week ;  so 
that  the  whole  cost  of  boarding  and  tuition  for  the  college  year  of  forty-two 
weeks  need  not  exceed  one  hundred  and  fifteen  dollars. 

The  session  begins  on  the  first  Monday  in  September,  and  ends  on  the  last 
Friday  in  June,  which  is  the  annual  commencement. 

Connected  with  the  Institution,  are  two  literary  and  debating  societies,  each  of 
which  has  a  respectable  library.  Whole  number  of  volumes  in  the  libraries  per- 
taining to  the  college  about  sixteen  hundred. 

In  Bacon  college  the  authority  of  Christianity  is  fully  recognized  ;  but  nothing 
that  savors  in  any  degree  of  a  sectarian  character  is  either  taught  or  required. 
The  institution  was  established  by  the  Christian  churches  of  Kentucky,  and 
from  them  it  derives  its  principal  support.  Efficient  aid  has  also  been  received, 
at  various  times,  from  men  of  liberal  and  enlightened  minds,  who  are  not  mem- 
bers of  any  religious  society. 

At  a  general  meeting  of  the  Christian  Churches  in  Kentucky,  held  at 
Harrodsburg,  in  May,  1834, 

An  agent  was  appointed  to  visit  the  churches,  ascertain  the  number  of  members 
in  each  congregation,  and  collect  such  other  information  as  he  might  deem  im- 
portant, and  report  the  result  at  the  next  general  meeting.  The  following  extract 
is  taken  from  this 

REPORT. 

"  I  find  in  the  state  380  congregations,  with  an  aggregate  number  of  33,830 
members ;  average  number  83  and  a  fraction. 

"  Number  of  additions  reported  for  twelve  months  prior  to  receiving  the  report 
from  each  church,  3,678 ;  number  since  reported,  206  ;  total  number  of  additions 
reported,  3,884.  It  must  be  remarked,  however,  that  these  additions  go  back  as 
far  as  June  1st,  1843  ;  yet,  as  the  report  is  for  12  months  prior  to  collecting  the 
items  from  each  church,  my  returns,  with  the  exception  of  the  206,  show  but  the 
increase  for  one  year.  It  must  also  be  remarked,  that  many  of  the  churches  report 
no  increase  at  all,  owing  mainly  to  the  fact,  that  the  information  was  collected 
from  individuals  unacquainted  with  this  item.  I  have  no  doubt,  could  the  in- 
crease have  been  obtained  from  all  the  churches,  it  would  exceed  four  thousand. 

"  Number  of  elders  reported,  666 ;  number  of  deacons,  676 ;  number  of  preach- 
ers, evangelist  and  local,  195. 

"  Of  the  380  churches,  163  meet  for  worship  every  Lord's  day ;  and,  in  many 
places,  three  times  on  Lord's  day,  and  several  times  through  the  week ;  68  meet 
semi-monthly,  6  tri-monthly,  92  monthly,  and  51  did  not  report  this  item.  A 
large  majority  of  those  that  meet  monthly  and  semi-monthly,  would  meet  every 
Lord's  day,  but  are  prevented  in  consequence  of  holding  houses  of  worship  in 
partnership  with  others. 

"I  deem  it  important  to  state,  that  136  of  these  churches  have  been  organized 
within  the  last  four  and  a  half  years." 

As  the  average  time  that  has  elapsed,  since  the  foregoing  information  was  col- 
lected, exceeds  two  years,  a  moderate  estimate  of  the  increase  to  the  present 


116  HISTORICAL    SKETCH    OF 

date  (Dec.  1846),  will  give  an  aggregate  number  of  41,186.  This  calculation  is 
based  upon  the  hypothesis,  that  the  annual  increase  for  the  last  two  years  has 
barely  equalled  the  ascertained  increase  for  twelve  months  prior  to  the  collection 
of  the  statistics  embodied  in  the  report.  It  is  confidently  believed  that  this  esti- 
mate falls  considerably  below  the  truth. 

The  churches  aforesaid  are  unanimous  in  repudiating  human  creeds  and  un- 
scriptural  names ;  believing  that  the  Bible  is  ordained  of  God  to  be  the  only 
authoritative,  as  it  is  the  only  infallible  rule  of  faith  and  practice;  and  that  all 
unscriptural  names,  and  all  ecclesiastical  organizations,  not  established  by  the 
inspired  Apostles,  are  unlawful,  and,  in  their  very  nature,  sectarian  and  divisive. 

Influenced  by  these  views,  they  call  themselves  Christians,  or  Disciples  of 
Christ,  and  feel  religiously  bound  to  repudiate  all  names,  that  are  not  applied  in 
the  New  Testament  to  those,  who  "  have  been  baptized  into  Christ,"  and  have 
thus  "put  on  Christ."  To  believe  what  God  says,  and  to  do  what  he  commands, 
they  regard  as  the  sum  total  of  human  duty ;  nor  do  they  believe  that  any  man 
is  authorized  to  hope  for  an  admission  into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord 
and  Savior  Jesus  Christ,  except  as  he  is  using  his  best  powers,  day  by  day,  to 
purify  himself  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  and  to  perfect  holiness 
in  the  fear  of  God.  When  the  believer  obeys  God's  commands,  then,  but  not 
till  then,  do  they  conceive,  that  he  has  a  right  to  appropriate  God's  promises. 
Consequently,  when  the  penitent  believer  confesses  Christ  before  men,  and  from 
the  heart  bows  to  his  authority,  being  baptized  in  obedience  to  his  command,  he 
has  a  right  to  appropriate  to  himself  all  those  promises  that  are  made  to  baptized 
believers  as  such ;  but  he  has,  even  then,  no  right  to  hope  for  a  continuance  of 
the  divine  favor,  except  so  far  as  he  makes  it  the  business  of  his  life  to  know  the 
will  of  God,  and  to  do  that  will  in  all  things. 

For  all  purposes  of  discipline  and  government,  they  regard  the  individual 
church  as  the  highest,  and  indeed  the  only  ecclesiastical  organization  recognized 
in  the  New  Testament.  "  As  for  associations,  conferences,  conventions,  &c., 
presuming  to  act  under  the  sanctions  of  a  divine  warrant,  or  claiming  to  be  a 
court  of  Jesus  Christ,  or  to  decide  on  any  matters  of  conscience,  or  to  do  any  act 
or  deed  interfering  with,  or  in  opposition  to,  the  perfect  independenc  of  each  indi- 
vidual congregation,  or  at  all  legislating  for  the  churches  in  any  district  of  the 
country," — they  regard  it  as  "  altogether  foreign  to  the  letter  and  spirit — to  the 
precepts  and  examples — to  the  law  and  to  the  testimony  of  the  Christian  books." 
One  and  all,  they  profess  to  be  engaged  in  persevering  eflforts  for  the  union  of 
all  saints,  by  the  restoration  of  unsectarian  Christianity  in  faith  and  practice,  as 
it  is  found,  pure  and  unpolluted,  on  the  pages  of  the  New  Testament. 

Among  the  host  of  worthies,  living  and  dead,  who  have  co-operated  hitherto 
in  this  grand  enterprise,  the  name  of  Alexander  Campbell  stands  deservedly 
pre-eminent.  Others  may  have  preceded  him,  and  no  doubt  did,  in  repudiating 
human  creeds  and  adopting  the  bible  as  the  only  and  all-sufficient  rule  of 
faith  and  practice ;  of  union,  communion,  and  co-operation  among  the  fol- 
lowers of  the  Lamb.  Others  may  have  been  more  successful,  and  no  doubt 
were,  as  proclaimers  of  the  Gospel,  in  making  proselytes  to  the  cause,  and  add- 
ing members  to  the  various  churches.  But,  as  a  master  spirit,  exciting  investi- 
gation, overturning  antiquated  prejudices,  enlightening  the  master  spirits  of  the 
age,  and  setting  them  to  work,  each  in  his  own  sphere,  it  is  the  deliberate  opinion 
of  a  mighty  host,  that,  in  the  current  reformation  of  the  nineteenth  century,  Al- 
exander Campbell  has  no  equal.  On  this  subject  the  venerable  and  beloved 
Barton  W.  Stone,  in  1843,  and  shortly  before  his  death,  remarks — "I  will  not 
say  there  are  no  faults  in  brother  Campbell ;  but  that  there  are  fewer,  perhaps, 
in  him,  than  any  man  I  know  on  earth ;  and  over  these  few  my  love  would  draw 
a  veil,  and  hide  them  from  view  forever.  I  am  constrained,  and  willingly  con- 
strained to  acknowledge  him  the  greatest  promoter  of  this  reformation  of  any  man 
living.     The  Lord  reward  him  I" 

The  writer  of  this  article  applied  to  President  Campbell  for  facts  and  docu- 
ments, that  might  furnish  the  basis  of  a  short  biographical  sketch,  and  received 
for  reply  the  following  information — "  Averse  to  autobiography,  and  to  giving  a 
man's  biography  while  living,  I  have  left  the  task  for  one  who  may  survive  me." 

A  few  leading  fvicts,  however,  may  be  noted  for  the  information  of  the  reader. 
Alexander  Campbell  was  born,  about  the  year  1787  or  8,  in  the  county  of  Down, 


THE  CHRISTIAN   CHURCH.  117 

in  the  north  of  Ireland,  where  he  spent  the  first  fourteen  years  of  his  life,  and 
was  then  removed  to  Scotland,  the  land  of  his  fathers,  to  complete  his  education 
for  the  Presbyterian  ministry.  In  1809  he  came  to  America  with  his  father,  El- 
der Thomas  Campbell,  who  is  still  livinjr.  Naturally  of  an  independent  and 
investigating  mind,  he  soon  became  convinced  that  infant  sprinkling  is  unscrip- 
tural,  and  was  forthwith  baptized  upon  a  profession  of  his  faith.  Prosecuting 
his  inquiries  still  farther,  he  soon  discovered  that  he  had  imbibed  many  other 
doctrines  unauthorised  by  the  Scriptures,  and  contrary  to  them.  All  such  he 
relinquished  without  delay,  having  nobly  resolved,  that  he  would  sacrifice  every 
thing  for  the  truth,  but  the  truth  for  nothing. 

In  allusion  to  this  part  of  his  life,  he  remarks,  in  the  conclusion  of  the  Chris- 
tian Baptist — "  Having  been  educated  as  Presbyterian  clergymen  generally  are, 
and  looking  forward  to  the  ministry  as  both  an  honorable  and  useful  calling,  all 
ray  expectations  and  prospects  in  future  life  were,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one,  iden- 
tified with  the  office  of  the  ministry.  But  scarcely  had  I  begun  to  make  sermons, 
when  I  discovered  that  the  religion  of  the  New  Testament  was  one  thing,  and 
that  of  any  sect  which  I  knew  was  another.  I  could  not  proceed.  An  unsuccessful 
effort  by  my  father  to  reform  the  presbytery  and  synod  to  which  he  belonged,  made 
me  despair  of  reformation.  I  gave  it  up  as  a  hopeless  effort,  but  did  not  give  up 
speaking  in  public  assemblies  upon  the  great  articles  of  Christian  faith  and 
practice.  In  the  hope,  the  humble  hope,  of  erecting  a  single  congregation,  with 
which  I  could  enjoy  the  social  institutions,  I  labored.  I  had  not  the  remotest  idea 
of  being  able  to  do  more  than  this  ;  and,  therefore,  betook  myself  to  the  occupa- 
tion of  a  farmer,  and  for  a  number  of  years  attended  to  this  profession  for  a  sub- 
sistence, and  labored  every  Lord's  day  to  separate  the  truth  from  the  traditions  of 
men,  and  to  persuade  men  to  give  up  their  fables  for  the  truth — with  but  little 
success  I  labored." 

In  1816  he  was  urged  by  some  of  the  most  influential  Baptists  in  New  York 
and  Philadelphia,  to  settle  in  one  of  those  cities,  but  declined — alledging  in  justi- 
fication of  his  course,  that  he  did  not  think  the  church  in  either  city  would  sub- 
mit to  the  primitive  order  of  things;  and  rather  than  produce  divisions  among 
them,  or  adopt  their  order,  he  "  would  live  and  die  in  the  backwoods." 

In  August  1823,  soon  after  the  Debate  with  MacCalla,  he  commenced  the  pub- 
lication of  the  "  Christian  Baptist,"  a  monthly  pamphlet,  the  design  of  which 
was  "  to  restore  a  pure  speech  to  the  people  of  God — to  restore  the  ancient  order 
of  things  in  the  Christian  kingdom — to  emancipate  the  conscience  from  the  do- 
minion of  human  authority  in  matters  of  religion — and  to  lay  a  foundation — an 
imperishable  foundation,  for  the  union  of  all  Christians,  and  for  their  co-operation 
in  spreading  the  glorious  gospel  throughout  the  world." 

In  the  debate  aforesaid,  Mr.  Campbell  contended  that  "  baptism  was  a  divine 
institution,  designed  for  putting  the  legitimate  subject  of  it  in  actual  possession 
of  the  remission  of  his  sins."  In  January  1828,  he  remarks,  "  It  was  with  much 
hesitation  I  presented  this  view  of  the  subject  at  that  time,  because  of  its  perfect 
novelty.  I  was  then  assured  of  its  truth,  and,  I  think,  presented  sufficient  evi- 
dence of  its  certainty.  But  having  thought  still  more  closely  upon  the  subject, 
and  having  been  necessarily  called  to  consider  it  more  fully,  as  an  essential  part 
of  the  Christian  religion,  1  am  still  better  prepared  to  develop  its  import." 

From  the  time  of  the  debate,  baptism  for  the  remission  of  sins  seems  to  have 
been  but  little  agitated,  if  at  all  publicly,  till  1827.  In  that  year  Walter  Scott 
and  John  Secrest  began  to  preach  in  the  bounds  of  the  Mahoning  association, 
Ohio,  the  apostolic  doctrine  of  remission,  recorded  in  Acts  2d,  38.  The  effect 
was  astounding  to  the  advocates  of  the  worn-out  and  powerless  systems  of  human 
origin.  During  the  last  six  months  of  the  year.  Elder  Secrest  immersed  with 
his  own  hands  for  the  remission  of  sins,  "  five  hundred  and  thirty  persons." 

The  writer  has  not  the  means  of  ascertaining  exactly  how  many  were  im- 
mersed during  the  year  by  the  pious,  indefatigable,  and  talented  Walter  Scott. 
It  is  certain,  however,  that  he  converted  and  baptized  a  mighty  host — more,  per- 
haps, than  any  other  uninspired  man  ever  did  in  the  same  length  of  time. 

The  Mahoning  association,  at  their  meeting  of  that  year,  determined  to  em- 
ploy Brother  Scott  for  the  whole  of  his  time  the  next  twelve  months,  preaching 
and  teaching  in  the  bounds  of  the  association.  This  appointment  was  highly 
commended  by  Bro.  Campbell  in  the  "  Christian  Baptist"  for  October  following. 


118  HISTORICAL    SKETCH  OF 

The  editor  remarks,  "  Brother  Walter  Scott,  who  is  now  in  the  field,  accepted 
of  the  appointment ;  and  few  men  on  this  continent  understand  the  ancient  order 
of  things  better  than  he.     His  whole  soul  is  in  the  work." 

The  results  of  this  appointment,  and  the  success  of  the  pleadings  for  the  ancient 
gospel  were  everywhere  triumphant.  Soon  a  host  of  able  advocates  in  various 
parts  embraced  the  same  views,  and  began  to  propagate  them  with  zeal  and  suc- 
cess— especially  in  Kentucky  and  Ohio.  The  clergy  became  alarmed.  The 
work  of  proscription  and  anathema  commenced ;  and,  in  a  short  time,  the  advo- 
cates of  the  same  gospel  that  was  preached  by  Peter  on  the  day  of  Pentecost, 
and  by  all  the  apostles,  were  driven  out  of  the  Baptist  communion,  and  reluc- 
tantly compelled  to  establish  separate  churches,  that  they  might  enjoy  the  lib- 
erty wherewith  Christ  had  made  them  free.  Sons,  whilst  they  read  the  record, 
in  a  more  enlightened  and  Christian  age,  will  blush  for  the  bigotry  and  intoler- 
ance of  their  sires. 

At  the  completion  of  the  7th  volume  of  the  Christian  Baptist,  in  1830,  the  Ed- 
itor thus  writes — "  I  had  but  very  humble  hopes,  I  can  assure  the  public,  the  day 
I  wrote  the  first  essay,  or  the  preface  for  this  work,  that  I  could  at  all  succeed  in 
gaining  a  patient  hearing.  But  I  have  been  entirely  disappointed.  The  success 
attendant  on  this  effort  has  produced  a  hope,  which  once  1  dared  not  entertain, 
that  a  blissful  revolution  can  be  effected.  It  has  actually  begun,  and  such  a  one 
as  cannot  fail  to  produce  a  state  of  society,  far  surpassing,  in  the  fruits  of  right- 
eousness, and  peace,  and  joy,  any  result  of  any  religious  revolution,  since  the 
great  apostacy  from  Christian  institutions." 

In  1830,  the  Millennial  Harbinger  was  begun,  and  has  cohtinued  to  be  issued 
monthly  down  to  the  present  time.  These  periodicals,  aided  by  several  others, 
and  by  a  numerous  host  of  zealous  and  indefatigable  advocates,  have  spread  the 
principles  of  this  reformation  with  a  rapidity  that  has  perhaps  no  parallel  in  the 
history  of  the  world,  except  the  progress  of  primitive  Christianity  in  the  times 
of  the  apostles.  Already  do  the  "  Christian  Churches"  in  these  United  States 
number,  as  it  is  confidently  believed,  more  than  200,000  members ;  and  the 
cause  is  successfully  pleaded,  not  merely  in  the  Canadas,  in  England,  Scotland, 
and  Wales,  but  also  in  almost  every  part  of  the  civilized  world. 

While  A.  Campbell  was  thus  laboring  in  the  western  part  of  Virginia,  and 
even  before  he  made  his  appearance  on  the  public  stage,  another  distinguished 
actor,  impelled  by  a  kindred  spirit,  was  shaking  time-honored  religious  systems 
to  their  very  center  in  the  heart  of  Kentucky.  I  mean  that  much  calumniated, 
but  great  and  good  man 

BARTON    WARREN   STONE. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Maryland  on  the  24th  day  of  Decem- 
ber, 1772.  His  father  dying  while  he  was  very  young,  his  mother  in  1779,  with 
a  large  family  of  children  and  servants,  moved  into  what  was  then  called  the 
backwoods  of  Virginia — Pittsylvania  county,  near  Dan  river.  Here  he  went  to 
school  for  four  or  five  years  to  an  Englishman,  named  Sommerhays,  and  was  by 
him  pronounced  a  finished  scholar.  In  February,  1790,  he  entered  a  noted  acad- 
emy in  Guilford,  North  Carolina,  under  the  care  of  Dr.  David  Caldwell,  deter- 
mined, as  he  himself  says,  to  "  acquire  an  education,  or  die  in  the  attempt."  His 
design  at  that  time  was  to  qualify  himself  for  a  barrister. 

When  he  first  entered  the  academy,  about  thirty  or  more  of  the  students  had 
embraced  religion  under  the  labors  of  James  McGready,  a  Presbyterian  preacher 
of  great  popularity  and  zeal.  In  about  a  year  from  this  time,  after  a  long  and 
painful  "expmerice,"  he  became  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  turned 
his  thoughts  to  the  ministry. 

In  1793,  at  the  close  of  his  academic  course,  he  commenced  the  study  of  di- 
vinity under  the  direction  of  Wm.  Hodge,  of  Orange  county.  North  Carolina. 
Here  Witsius  on  the  Trinity  was  put  into  his  hands.  The  metaphysical  reason- 
ings of  this  author  perplexed  his  mind,  and  he  laid  the  work  aside  as  unprofitable 
and  unintelligible.  He  heard  of  Dr.  Watts'  treatise  on  the  Glory  of  Christ; 
sought  after  and  obtained  the  work  ;  read  it  with  pleasure,  and  embraced  its 
views.  The  venerable  Henry  Patillo,  on  whom  it  devolved,  at  the  next  meeting 
of  the  Presbytery,  to  examine  the  candidates  on  the  subject  of  theology,  had 


THE   CHRISTIAN  CHURCH.  119 

himself  embraced  Watts'  views  of  tiie  Trinity.  As  might  reasonably  be  expected 
under  such  circumstances,  the  examination  on  this  topic  was  short,  and  embra- 
ced no  peculiarities  of  the  system. 

In  April,  1796,  he  was  licensed  by  the  Orange  Presbytery,  North  Carolina, 
and  shortly  afterwards  directed  his  course  westward  (preaching  at  various  points 
on  the  route),  to  Knoxville  and  Nashville,  in  Tennessee,  and  thence  to  Bourbon 
county,  Kentucky,  where  about  the  close  of  the  year  1796  he  settled  within  the 
bounds  of  the  congregations  of  Cane-ridge  and  Concord.  Here  he  labored  with 
great  zeal,  acceptance  and  success ;  about  eighty  members  having  been  added  to 
his  church  in  a  few  months  !  ! 

In  the  fall  of  '98,  he  received  a  unanimous  call  from  those  congregations  to 
become  their  settled  pastor,  which  call  he  accepted.  A  day  was  set  apart  by  the 
presbytery  of  Transylvania  for  his  ordination.  Having  previously  notified  the 
leading  members  of  the  presbytery  with  respect  to  his  difficulties  on  the  subject 
of  the  Trinity,  also  on  the  doctrines  of  election,  reprobation,  and  predestination, 
as  taught  in  the  Confession  of  Faith,  when  he  was  asked,  "  Do  you  receive  and 
adopt  the  Confession  of  Faith,  as  containing  the  system  of  doctrine  taught  in  the 
Bible?"  he  answered  aloud,  so  that  the  whole  congregation  might  hear — "I  do, 
as  far  as  I  see  it  consistent  with  the  word  of  God."  No  objection  being  made, 
he  was  ordained. 

Early  in  1801,  "the  Great  Revival"  commenced  in  Tennessee,  and  in  the 
southern  part  of  Kentucky,  under  the  labors  of  James  McGready,  and  other  Pres- 
byterian ministers.  Determined  to  hear  and  judge  for  himself.  Barton  W.  Stone 
hastened  to  a  great  Presbyterian  camp-meeting  in  Logan  county,  Kentucky,  where 
for  the  first  time  he  witnessed  those  strange  exercises  of  falling,  jerking,  dan- 
cing, &c. 

Filled  with  the  spirit  of  the  revival,  he  returned  to  his  congregations — related 
what  he  had  seen  and  heard,  and,  with  great  earnestness  and  zeal,  dwelt  on  the 
universality  of  the  gospel,  and  urged  the  sinner  to  believe  now,  and  be  saved. 
The  effects  were  immediate  and  powerful;  the  "exercises"  made  their  appear- 
ance ;  a  series  of  meetings  followed  ;  the  work  spread  in  all  directions  ;  multi- 
tudes united  with  the  different  churches  ;  and,  for  a  time,  party  creeds,  names, 
and  feelings,  seemed  to  be  buried  in  Christian  love  and  union. 

The  "  Great  Caneridge  Meeting"  commenced  in  August  following,  and  con- 
tinued some  six  or  seven  days.  From  twenty  to  thirty  thousand  were  supposed 
to  be  collected.  Many  had  come  from  Ohio,  and  other  remote  parts,  who,  on 
their  return,  diffused  the  spirit  in  their  respective  neighborhoods.  Methodist  and 
Baptist  Preachers  united  heartily  in  the  work,  and  the  salvation  of  sinners 
seemed  to  be  the  great  object  of  all. 

About  this  time,  Robert  Marshall,  John  Dunlavy,  Richard  McNemar,  B.  W. 
Stone,  and  John  Thompson,  all  members  of  the  synod  of  Kentucky,  renounced 
the  dogmas  of  Calvinism,  and  taught  wherever  they  went,  that  Christ  died  for 
all — that  the  divine  testimony  was  sufficient  to  produce  faith — and  that  the  spirit 
was  received,  not  in  order  to  faith,  but  through  faith.  The  sticklers  for  orthodoxy, 
seeing  the  powerful  effects  of  these  doctrines,  were  for  a  time  afraid  to  oppose. 
At  length  the  friends  of  the  Confession  determined  to  arrest  the  progress  of  these 
anti-calvinistic  doctrines,  and  put  them  down.  The  presbytery  of  Springfield,  in 
Ohio,  first  took  McNemar  under  dealings;  and  from  that  presbytery  the  case 
came  before  the  synod  of  Lexington,  Ky.,  in  September,  1803. 

So  soon  as  they  discovered,  from  the  tone  of  the  synod,  that  its  decision  in 
McNemar's  case  would  be  adverse,  the  five  drew  up  a  protest  against  the  pro- 
ceedings, and  a  declaration  of  tlieir  independence,  and  withdrawal  from  the  juris- 
diction of  that  body.  Immediately  after  their  withdrawal  from  the  synod,  they 
constituted  themselves  into  a  presbytery,  which  they  called  the  Springfield  pres- 
bytery. They  had  not,  however,  worn  this  name  more  than  one  year,  before  they 
saw  that  it  savored  of  a  party  spirit.  With  the  man-made  creeds  they  threw  it 
overboard,  and  took  the  name  Christian — the  name  given  to  the  disciples  by  di- 
vine appointment  first  at  Antioch.  "  From  this  period  "  (says  Stone),  "  I  date 
the  commencement  of  that  reformation,  which  has  progressed  to  this  day." 
(1843).  Soon  after  their  withdrawal  from  the  synod,  they  were  joined  by 
Matthew  Houston  and  David  Purviance. 

In  1805,  Houston,  McNemar,  and  Dunlavy  joined  the  Shakers;  and  in  1807, 


120  HISTORICAL   SKETCH   OF  THE 

Marsha]]  and  Tliompson,  after  vainly  attempting  to  enslave  tlieir  associates  a 
second  time  to  a  creed,  returned  bacli  into  tlie  bosom  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
Meanwhile  the  subject  of  baptism  had  begun  to  arrest  the  attention  of  the 
churches.  Many  became  dissatisfied  with  their  infant  sprinliling.  The  preachers 
baptized  one  another,  and  crowds  of  the  private  members  came,  and  were  also 
baptized.  The  congregations  generally  submitted  to  it,  and  yet  the  pulpit  was 
silent  on  the  subject. 

About  the  same  time,  Barton  W.  Stone  and  some  others  began  to  conclude  that 
baptism  was  ordained  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ought  to  be  administered  in 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  to  all  believing  penitents.  Ai  a  great  meeting  at  Con- 
cord, he  addressed  mourners  in  the  words  of  Peter,  (Acts  ii,  38),  and  urged  upon 
them  an  immediate  compliance  with  the  exhortation.  He  informed  us,  however, 
that  "  into  the  spirit  of  the  doctrine  he  was  never  fully  led,  until  it  was  revived 
by  Bro.  Alexander  Campbell  some  years  after." 

Although  Elder  Stone  repudiated  the  orthodox  views  on  the  subject  of  the 
Trinity,  Sonship,  and  Atonement,  he  never  acknowledged  the  sentiments  with 
which  he  was  so  frequently  charged  by  his  opponents.  And  in  the  latter  part  of 
his  life,  he  often  regretted  that  he  had  allowed  himself  to  be  driven  in  self-defence 
to  speculate  on  these  subjects  as  much  as  he  had  done.  In  the  near  prospect  of 
death  he  averred,  that  he  had  never  been  a  Unitarian,  and  had  never  regarded 
Christ  as  a  created  being. 

He  died  in  the  triumphs  of  faith,  on  the  9th  day  of  November,  1844,  univer- 
sally beloved  and  regretted  by  all  who  knew  him.  A  worthy  Methodist  preacher 
in  Jackson,  Louisiana,  once  remarked  to  the  writer  of  this  article,  in  the  presence 
of  two  old-school  Presbyterian  clergymen — "  I  know  Barton  W.  Stone  well, 
having  lived  neighbor  to  him  for  a  considerable  time  in  Tennessee.  A  lovelier 
man,  or  a  better  Christian,  in  my  judgment,  never  lived;  and  he  is  no  more  a 
Unitarian,  than  those  brethren  there  are" — addressing  himself  at  the  same  time  to 
the  two  preachers.  The  person  who,  from  a  regard  to  truth  and  justice,  bore  this 
honorable  testimony,  w^as  Mr.  Finley,  son  of  Dr.  Finley,  (a  former  president  of 
the  University  of  Georgia),  and  brother  of  the  Secretary  of  the  American  Coloni- 
zation Society. 

Stone  justly  occupies  a  high  rank  as  a  scholar,  a  gentleman,  and  a  Christian. 
In  the  department  of  poetry,  his  talents  fitted  him  to  shine,  had  they  been  culti- 
vated. There  can  hardly  be  found,  in  the  English  language,  a  lovelier,  sweeter 
hymn,  than  one  from  his  pen,  written  during  the  revivals  about  the  beginning  of 
the  present  century,  and  universally  admired  by  the  Christian  world  ever  since. 
Be  it  known  to  the  orthodox  calumniators  of  Barton  W.  Stone,  and  to  all  men 
who  have  souls  to  feel  the  power  either  of  religion  or  of  poetry,  that  he  is  the 
author  of  that  soul-inspiring  hymn,  in  which  the  orthodox  world  has  so  greatly 
delighted  for  nearly  half  a  century,  viz., 

"  The  Lord  is  the  fountain  of  goodness  and  love." 

A  short  account  of  the  union  between  Stone's  friends  and  those  of  Alexander 
Campbell,  in  1832,  shall  close  this  hasty  and  imperfect  sketch.  In  1843,  B.W. 
Stone  writes  thus  : — "  I  saw  no  distinctive  feature  between  the  doctrine  he  (A. 
Campbell)  preached,  and  that  which  we  had  preached  for  many  years,  except  on 
baptism  for  the  remission  of  sins.  Even  this  I  had  once  received  and  taught,  as 
before  stated,  but  had  strangely  let  it  go  from  my  mind,  till  Brother  Campbell 
revived  it  afresh.  *  *  *  n  j^g  boldly  determined  to  take  the  Bible  alone 
for  his  standard  of  faith  and  practice,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  other  books  as  au- 
thoritative. He  argued  that  the  Bible  presented  sufficient  evidence  of  its  truth  to 
sinners,  to  enable  them  to  believe  it,  and  sufficient  motives  to  induce  them  to  obey 
it — that  until  they  believed  and  obeyed  the  gospel,  in  vain  they  expected  salva- 
tion, pardon,  and  the  Holy  Spirit — that  now  is  the  accepted  time,  and  now  is  the 
day  of  salvation." 

"These  truths  we  had  proclaimed  and  reiterated  through  the  length  and  breadth 
of  the  land,  from  the  press  and  from  the  pulpit,  many  years  before  A.  Campbell 
and  his  associates  came  upon  the  stage,  as  aids  of  the  good  cause.  Their  aid 
gave  a  new  impetus  to  the  reformation  which  was  in  progress,  especially  among 
the  Baptists  in  Kentucky ;  and  the  doctrines  spread  and  greatly  increased  in  the 
west.     The  only  distinguishing  doctrine  between  us  and  them  was,  that  they 


CUMBERLAND  PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH.  121 

preached  baptism  for  remission  of  sins  to  believing  penitents.  This  doctrine  had 
not  generally  obtained  amongst  us,  though  some  few  had  received  it,  and  prac- 
tised accordingly.  They  insisted  also  on  weekly  communion,  which  we  had 
neglected."     *         *         * 

"Among  others  of  the  Baptists  who  received,  and  zealously  advocated  the 
teachincr  of  A.  Campbell,  was  John  T.  Johnson,  than  whom  there  is  not  a  better 
man.  We  lived  together  in  Georgetown,  had  labored  and  worshipped  together. 
We  plainly  saw,  that  we  were  on  the  same  foundation,  in  the  same  spirit,  and 
preached  the  same  gospel.  We  agreed  to  unite  our  energies  to  effect  a  union  be- 
tween our  different  societies.  This  was  easily  effected  in  Kentucky ;  and  in  order 
to  confirm  this  union,  we  became  co-editors  of  the  Christian  Messenger.  This 
union,  I  have  no  doubt,  would  have  been  as  easily  effected  in  other  states  as  in 
Kentucky,  had  not  there  been  a  few  ignorant,  headstrong  bigots  on  both  sides, 
who  were  more  influenced  to  retain  and  augment  their  party,  than  to  save  the 
world  by  uniting  according  to  the  prayer  of  Jesus." 

The  biographer  of  Elder  Stone  informs  us,  that  the  union  was  consummated  in 
the  following  manner: 

"A  meeting  of  four  days  was  held  at  Georgetown,  embracing  the  Christmas 
of  1831,  and  another  at  Lexington  of  the  same  length,  embracing  the  New  Year's 
day  of  1832.  The  writer  had  the  happiness  to  be  in  attendance  at  both  these 
meetings. 

"At  these  meetings  the  principles  of  our  union  were  fully  canvassed,  which 
were  such  as  we  have  stated.  We  solemnly  pledged  ourselves  to  one  another 
before  God,  to  abandon  all  speculations,  especially  on  the  Trinity,  and  kindred 
subjects,  and  to  be  content  with  the  plain  declarations  of  scripture  on  those  top- 
ics, on  which  there  had  been  so  much  worse  than  useless  controversy.  Elder 
John  Smith  and  the  writer  were  appointed  by  the  churches,  as  evangelists  to  ride 
in  this  section  of  Kentucky,  to  promote  this  good  work.  In  that  capacity  we 
served  the  churches  three  years.  Thousands  of  converts  to  the  good  cause  was 
the  result  of  the  union  and  co-operation  of  the  churches,  and  their  many  evangel- 
ists during  that  period  ;  and  I  look  back  to  those  years  as  among  the  happiest  of 
my  life." 

As  the  short  space  allowed  to  this  article  precludes  the  possibility  of  doing  it 
justice,  the  reader  who  desires  further  information,  is  referred  to  the  Christian 
Baptist,  and  to  the  "  Biography  of  Barton  W.  Stone,"  by  Elder  John  Rogers,  of 
Carlisle,  Kentucky — an  excellent  work  just  out  of  press. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


CUMBERLAND  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


The  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church  was  organized  in  Tennessee  in  1810,  by 
the  constitution  of  the  Cumberland  Presbytery.  One  of  the  leading  ministers, 
however,  resided  in  Kentucky  at  the  time  of  the  organization.  In  1813  the 
original  presbytery  was  divided  into  three  presbyteries,  one  of  which  included 
those  ministers  and  congregations  that  adhered  to  the  Cumberland  presbytery  in 
its  difficulties  with  the  Presbyterian  church.  There  are  now  two  synods  in  the 
state,  the  Green  river  and  the  Kentucky  synods.  The  number  of  ordained  min- 
isters in  the  two  synods  is  sixty-five ;  of  licentiates,  thirty ;  of  candidates  for  the 
ministry,  twenty-five.   The  whole  number  of  communicants  is  estimated  at  7000. 


122  HISTORICAL  SKETCH   OF 

The  operations  of  the  church  have  been  mainly  confined  to  the  south-western 
portion  of  the  state.  Many  of  its  ministers  and  members  were  pioneers  in  that 
section  of  country.  They  found  much  of  the  country  physically  and  morally  in 
a  state  of  nature.  Their  labors,  sacrifices,  and  self-denial  were  necessarily  very 
great;  but  it  will  be  seen  from  the  preceding  statistics  that  they  did  not  labor  in 
vain.  The  early  ministers  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church  were  remark- 
able for  a  bold,  manly,  and  impressive  eloquence.  They  were  western  men  in 
the  full  sense  of  the  expression.  Without  the  training  of  the  schools,  they  were 
nevertheless  reared  up  and  brought  into  the  ministry  under  circumstances  well 
calculated  to  develop  all  their  energies.  With  indomitable  perseverance,  and 
without  worldly  compensation,  they  performed  an  important  part  in  converting  a 
"  wilderness,"  a  moral  desolation,  into  a  "  fruitful  field."  They  were  men  for 
the  country  and  the  times.  Long  will  they  live  in  the  memory  of  that  generation 
iu  which  they  labored,  and  Jong  in  south-western  Kentucky  will  their  influence 
be  felt  after  a  short-lived  generation  shall  have  passed  away. 


HISTORICAL    SKETCH 


EPISCOPAL     CHURCH 


The  convention  of  the  diocese  of  Kentucky  was  organized  in  1830.  Its  first 
bishop  was  consecrated  Oct.  31st,  1832. 

There  are  about  20  clergymen  in  the  diocese,  13  of  whom  are  officiating  in  as 
many  organized  parishes.  There  are  six  missionary  stations,  and  sixteen  church 
edifices.     The  whole  number  of  families  is  about  600,  and  of  communicants  650. 

Shelby  college  was  organized  in  1836,  and  transferred  to  the  Episcopal  church 
in  1841.  It  has  graduated  two  very  small  classes.  Its  presidency  is  now  tempo- 
rarily vacant. 

The  Theological  Seminary  was  chartered  in  1834.  It  has  an  excellent  library 
of  above  three  thousand  volumes,  and  funds  to  the  amount  of  $12,000.  Its  library 
is  now  deposited  in  the  library  room  of  Shelby  college. 

The  Rev.  John  Lythe,  of  the  Episcopal  church,  or  church  of  England,  came 
early  to  Kentucky.  When  Col.  Henderson  established  his  proprietary  govern- 
ment in  1775,  Mr.  Lythe  was  a  delegate  from  the  Harrodsburgh  station  or  settle- 
ment to  the  legislative  assembly.  The  delegates  met  on  the  23d  of  May,  1775, 
and  the  assembly  being  organized,  "divine  service  was  performed  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Lythe,  one  of  the  delegates  from  Harrodsburg."  In  the  records  of  this  legis- 
lative assembly,  we  note  the  following  proceedings  : 

"The  Rev.  Mr.  Lythe  obtained  leave  to  bring  in  a  bill  to  prevent  profane  swear' 
ing  and  Sabbath  breakng.  After  it  was  read  the  first  time,  it  was  ordered,  says 
the  journal,  '  to  be  re-committed ;  and  that  Mr.  Lythe,  Mr.  Todd,  and  Mr.  Har- 
rod  be  a  committee  to  make  amendments.^ 

"  Mr.  Todd,  Mr.  Lythe,  Mr.  Douglas,  and  Mr.  Hite  were  appointed  a  commit- 
tee to  draw  up  a  contract  between  the  proprietors  and  the  people  of  the  colony." 

On  the  day  succeeding  the  adjournment  of  the  legislature  of  Transylvania,  (for 
80  this  legislative  council  was  termed,)  "  divine  service,"  the  same  journal  re- 
cords, "  was  performed  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lythe,  of  the  church  of  England."  And 
it  was  under  the  shade  of  the  same  magnificent  elm,  that  the  voices  of  these  rude 
hunters  rose  in  accents  of  prayer  and  thanksgiving  to  the  God  of  their  fathers — 


THE  EPISCOPAL   CHURCH.  123 

that  the  verdant  groves  of  the  land  of  the  savage  and  the  buffalo,  first  rang  with 
the  anthems  of  the  Christian's  worship,  and  echoed  back  the  message  of  the  Re- 
deemer of  the  world.    It  was  fit  it  should  be  so,  for 

"  The  grovea  were  God's  first  temples."* 

We  know  nothing  further  of  the  Rev.  John  Lythe,  except  what  is  contained  in 
these  extracts  of  the  proceedings  of  the  "  Legislature  of  Transylvania."  He  Avas 
doubtless  the  first  minister  of  the  gospel  who  penetrated  the  wilds  of  Kentucky ; 
and,  from  the  fact  that  he  was  elected  to  the  legislative  assembly — that  he  offici- 
ated as  chaplain — and  that  his  name  appears  on  some  important  committees,  he 
must  have  been  a  man  of  some  note. 

The  Rev.  James  Moore  was  the  first  minister  of  the  Episcopal  church  of  the 
United  States,  who  permanently  located  in  Kentucky.  He  emigrated  to  the 
State  in  1792,  from  Virginia,  and  was  at  that  time  a  candidate  for  the  ministry  in 
the  Presbyterian  church.  His  trial  sermons  not  being  sustained  by  the  Transyl- 
vania presbytery,  Mr.  Moore  became  displeased  with  what  he  considered  rigor- 
ous treatment,  and  in  1794  sought  refuge  in  the  bosom  of  the  Episcopal  church. 
Soon  afterwards  he  became  the  first  rector  of  Christ's  church  in  Lexington.  In 
1798,  he  was  appointed  acting  president  of  Transylvania  university,  and  pro- 
fessor of  Logic,  Metaphysics,  Moral  Philosophy,  and  Belles-Lettres.  This  situ- 
ation he  held  for  several  years,  during  which  Transylvania  enjoyed  a  good  degree 
of  prosperity.  Mr.  Moore  was  distinguished  for  sound  learning,  devoted  piety, 
courteous  manners,  and  liberal  hospitality. 

The  Rev.  Benjamin  Orr  Peers  was  born  in  Loudon  county,  Virginia,  in  the 
year  1800.  His  father,  the  late  Major  Valentine  Peers,  of  Maysville,  (a  soldier 
of  the  revolutionary  army)  emigrated  to  Kentucky  in  1803,  when  the  subject  of 
this  brief  notice  was  only  three  years  old.  Mr.  Peers  received  the  first  rudiments 
of  an  academical  education  in  the  Bourbon  academy,  and  completed  his  scholastic 
course  at  Transylvania  university,  while  under  the  administration  of  Dr.  Holley. 
He  studied  theology  at  Princeton.  After  completing  his  course  in  that  institution, 
he  connected  himself  with  the  Episcopal  church,  having  previously  belonged  to 
the  Presbyterian.  He  located  in  Lexington,  where  he  established  the  Eclectic 
Institute,  which  became,  under  his  supervision,  one  of  the  most  valuable  insti- 
tutions of  learning  in  the  west.  During  the  time  he  was  at  the  head  of  the  Ec- 
lectic Institute,  and  subsequently,  he  spent  much  time,  labor,  and  money  in  the 
cause  of  common  school  education,  and  was  instrumental  in  arousing  the  public 
attention  to  the  importance  of  the  subject — the  present  common  school  system  of 
Kentucky  being  the  result  of  the  popular  will  thus  brought  to  bear  upon  the 
question. 

Mr.  Peers,  while  at  the  head  of  the  Eclectic  Institute,  was  chosen  president  of 
Transylvania  university,  which  position  he  accepted,  in  opposition  to  the  advice 
of  many  warm  friends,  and  which  he  held  but  a  very  brief  period.  At  the  time 
of  his  decease,  in  the  year  1842,  at  Louisville,  he  was  editor  of  the  Episcopal 
Sunday  School  Magazine  at  New  York,  and,  also,  editor  of  the  Sunday  School 
publications  of  the  church.  He  was  distinguished  not  only  for  his  zealous  devo- 
tion to  the  cause  of  general  education,  but  for  his  sound  learning  and  ardent 
piety.  His  published  writings  were  not  extensive — the  work  on  Christian  Educa- 
tion appears  to  have  been  his  favorite.  He  fell  early,  but  fell  at  the  post  of 
duty. 

•Gov.  Morehead's  Boonesborough  Address. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

) 

The  early  history*  of  Methodism  in  Kentucky,  is,  to  a  certain  extent,  obscure 
and  indefinite,  arising  partly  from  the  want  of  proper  documents,  and  partly  from 
the  difficulty  of  collecting  those  that  are  in  existence. 

The  most  authentic  and  reliable  information  in  regard  to  the  origin  and  progress 
of  Methodism  in  the  United  States,  is  to  be  gathered  from  the  minutes  of  the 
several  annual  conferences ;  but  these,  consisting  mainly  of  statistical  accounts, 
are  rather  meager  and  unsatisfactory.  Yet  brief  as  these  records  are,  they  throw 
a  steady  and  continuous  light  upon  the  rise  and  progress  of  Methodism  in  Ken- 
tucky, down  to  the  present  time.  From  these  conference  documents  we  gather  the 
fact,  that  the  first  traveling  preachers  appointed  to  labor  in  the  State  of  Kentucky, 
were 

JAMES    HAW  AND   BENJAMIN   OGDEN. 

These  two  men  were  appointed  to  travel  the  entire  State  in  the  year  1786,  and 
were  the  first  regular  itinerant  ministers,  who,  under  the  control  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  commenced  the  work  of  spreading  "  Scriptural  holiness  over 
these  lands." 

At  the  time  of  their  appointment,  it  appears  that  there  were  no  regular  societies 
in  existence  in  Kentucky,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  entire  absence  of  statistical 
information  in  the  minutes.  James  Haw  and  Benjamin  Ogden  were,  therefore, 
the  first  to  collect  the  scattered  Methodist  emigrants  of  the  "  Dark  and  Bloody 
Ground"  into  classes,  and  organize  them  into  societies.  The  first  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  organized  in  Kentucky,  was  in  the  cabin  of  Thomas  Stevenson, 
about  two  and  a  half  miles  south-west  of  Washington,  Mason  county,  by  Ben- 
jamin Ogden,  some  time  during  the  year  1786. 

1787.  The  appointments  for  this  year  were 

Kentucky — James  Haw,  Elder.    Thomas  Williamson,  Wilson  Lee. 
Cumberland^Benjamin  Ogden. 

The  numbers  in  society,  reported  at  the  close  of  this  year  were,  whites,  90,  col- 
ored, none. 

1788.  Kentucky — Francis  Poythress,  James  Haw,  Elders. 
Lexington  ct. — Thomas  Williamson,  Peter  Massie,  Benjamin  Snelling. 
Cumberland — D.  Combs,  B.  McHenry. 

Danville — Wilson  Lee. 

Numbers  at  the  close  of  this  year,  whites,  479,  colored,  64. 

Lexington  circuit  embraced  the  northern  part  of  the  State ;  Cumberland  cir- 
cuit, the  few  societies  which  were  in  the  lower  end  of  the  State  and  middle 
Tennessee  :  Danville  circuit  the  center  of  Kentucky  south  of  the  Kentucky  river. 

1789.  The  same  number  of  ministers  were  sent  this  year  to  the  Kentucky 
work  as  on  the  previous  year,  and  the  arrangement  of  the  circuits  remained  the 
same. 

The  summer  and  fall  of  '89  and  spring  of  '90,  was  a  season  of  gracious  revi- 
val; the  "desert  was  made  to  rejoice,  and  the  wilderness  and  the  solitary  place 
to  blossom  as  the  rose."  The  word  of  God,  among  the  early  settlers,  was  ac- 
companied "  with  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  power,"  and  the  numerical 
strength  of  the  church  was  more  than  doubled. 

The  numbers  in  society  at  the  close  of  this  year  were,  whites,  1037,  colored,  51. 

1790.  Conference  was  held  this  year  for  the  first  time  in  Kentucky,  on  the  26th 
of  April,  at  Masterson's  station,  about  five  miles  west  of  Lexington. 

This  conference  was  the  first  attended  in  the  west  by  Bishop  Asbury.     The 

•For  the  facts  in  these  sketches,  we  are  indebted  mainly  to  the  Rev.  William  Burke,  of  Cincin- 
nati, and  to  the  published  minutes  of  conference ;  many  of  the  sketches  of  pioneer  ministers  are  in 
the  language  of  the  minutes. 
(124) 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL   CHURCH.  125 

conference  was  composed  of  twelve  preachers,  the  bishop,  and  Hope  Hull,  the 
traveling  companion  of  the  bishop.  At  the  close  of  the  conference,  which  was  held 
this  year  in  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  Bishop  Asbury,  attended  by  Hope  Hull, 
started  on  his  journey  to  Kentucky,  to  meet  the  western  preachers  in  conference. 
In  his  journal,  the  bishop  speaks  of  his  trip  in  the  following  language.  "After 
crossing  the  Kentucky  river,"  he  says,  "  I  was  strangely  outdone  for  want  of 
sleep,  having  been  greatly  deprived  of  it  during  my  journey  through  the  wilder- 
ness, which  is  like  being  at  sea  in  some  respects,  and  in  others  worse.  Our  way 
is  over  mountains,  steep  hills,  deep  rivers,  and  muddy  creeks,  a  thick  growth  of 
reeds  for  miles  together,  and  no  inhabitants  but  wild  beasts  and  savage  men. 
Sometimes,  before  I  was  aware,  my  ideas  would  be  leading  me  to  be  looking  out 
ahead  for  a  fence,  and  I  would,  without  reflection,  try  to  recollect  the  houses  we 
should  have  stopped  at  in  the  wilderness.  I  slept  about  an  hour  the  first  night, 
and  about  two  the  last.  We  ate  no  regular  meal — our  bread  grew  short,  and  I 
was  very  much  spent." 

Speaking  of  the  preachers  who  were  then  traveling  in  the  wilds  of  Kentucky, 
the  bishop  says:  "I  found  the  poor  preachers  indifferently  clad,  with  emaciated 
bodies,  and  subject  to  hard  fare,  but  I  hope  rich  in  faith."  At  the  winding  up  of 
the  first  visit,  he  says  :  "  My  soul  has  been  blessed  among  these  people,  and  I 
am  exceedingly  pleased  with  them.  I  would  not  for  the  worth  of  all  the  place, 
have  been  prevented  in  this  visit."  The  following  appointments  were  made  at 
this  conference : 

1790.  F.  Poythress,  presiding  elder. 

Lexington    circuit — Henry  Birchett,  David  Haggard. 

Limestone        "         S.  Tucker,  J.  Lillard. 

Danville  "        Thomas  Williamson,  Stephen  Brooks. 

Madison  "         B.  McHenry,  Benjamin  Snelling. 

Cumberland     "         Wilson  Lee,  James  Haw,  Peter  Massie. 

A  brief  sketch  of  the  life  and  labors  of  the  men  who  composed  this  first  con- 
ference, and  who  are  emphatically  the  pioneer  ministers  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church,  may  not  be  out  of  place. 

Francis  Asbury,  the  presiding  bishop,  stands  among  that  hardy  and  laborious 
band  supremely  pre-eminent, — "  In  labors  more  abundant  than  they  all."  Land- 
ing from  England,  on  the  shores  of  our  country,  on  the  27th  of  October,  1771, 
from  that  hour  until  the  termination  of  his  pilgrimage,  his  clear  and  manly  voice 
was  heard  upon  all  occasions,  lifting  itself  up  against  sin,  and  in  favor  of  the 
gospel  of  Christ.  The  trump  of  the  gospel,  when  applied  to  his  lips,  gave  no 
uncertain  sound  ;  his  mind  was  clear,  discriminating,  and  logical ;  he  was  rich — 
by  the  "word  of  God  dwelling  in  him  richly  in  all  wisdom;"  he  was  great — by 
the  spirit  of  glory  and  of  God  which  rested  upon  him  ;  and  for  the  space  of  forty- 
five  years,  he  moved  as  an  "angel"  among  the  churches,  "feeding  the  flock  of 
Christ,"  and  building  the  believer  up  in  his  most  holy  faith.  Perhaps  no  man, 
since  the  settlement  of  America,  has  traveled  as  extensively,  and  labored  as  un- 
tiringly, overcoming  so  many  serious  obstacles,  as  the  apostolic  Asbury,  His 
foot-prints  have  been  left  wide  and  deep  upon  "  the  sands  of  time."  He  preached 
"  Jesus  and  the  resurrection"  along  the  sea-board,  from  Maine  to  Georgia — from 
the  Atlantic  out  west,  until,  from  the  rude  cabin  of  the  frontier  squatter,  the  un- 
broken forest  re-echoed  back  the  burden  of  his  embassy.  Of  this  first  visit  to 
Kentucky,  in  his  journal  he  says  :  "I  rode  about  three  hundred  miles  to  Ken- 
tucky in  six  days,  and  back  by  way  of  Tennessee,  about  five  hundred  miles,  in 
nine  days.  O  I  what  exertions  for  man  and  beast."  While  performing  these 
journies,  too,  the  bare  earth  for  days  was  his  bed,  and  his  only  covering  the  pro- 
tecting wing  of  his  "ministering  angel."  After  spending  fifty-five  years  in  the 
ministry,  forty-five  of  which  were  spent  in  America,  he  was  transferred  by  the 
Great  Superintendent  to  the  church  above,  on  the  21st  of  March,  1816.  His 
name  unstained — his  labors  and  hardships  unsurpassed — the  name  of  Francis 
Asbury  will  be  remembered  in  all  the  greenness  of  affection,  while  the  pure  doc- 
trines of  Methodism  have  a  votary. 

Francis  Poythress  was  admitted  into  the  traveling  connection  at  a  conference 
held  in  Baltimore,  on  the  21st  of  May,  1776.  In  1778,  he  was  sent  out  to  Ken- 
tucky in  the  capacity  of  elder.     As  a  preacher,  few  in  those  days  excelled  him. 


126  HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  THE 

His  voice  clear  and  musical ;  his  knowledge  of  the  scriptures  vast  and  accurate ; 
his  sermons  bedewed  with  his  tears  in  his  closet,  fell  as  the  dews  of  life  upon 
the  hearts  of  his  congregation;  sinners  trembled  before  the  Lord,  and  the  keen 
flash  of  the  Spirit's  sword  was  felt  passing  all  through  the  soul,  discerning  by  its 
brightness,  "  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart."  In  the  visit  Bishop  Asbury 
made  to  Kentucky  in  1790,  a  single  note  made  in  his  journal  pours  a  flood  of 
light  upon  the  secret  of  his  success.  He  says :  "  I  met  the  preachers  in  con- 
ference," and  adds:  ''Brother  Poythress  is  much  alive  to  God."  Sermons 
anointed  with  the  spirit  of  God,  and  baptized  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  will 
always  "  burn  as  fire  in  dry  stubble."  Brother  Poythress  continued  to  travel  in 
the  west,  mainly  in  Kentucky,  until  the  spring  of  1800,  when  he  attended  the 
general  conference  held  in  Baltimore,  at  which  conference  he  was  appointed  to 
a  district  in  North  Carolina,  including  circuits  from  the  sea  shore  to  the  summit 
of  the  Blue  Ridge.  The  excessive  draughts  made  upon  his  mind  and  body,  by 
the  labor  of  this  district,  unsettled  his  mental  balance,  so  that  during  the  summer 
he  became  partially  deranged. 

In  the  fall  of  1800,  he  returned  to  Kentucky  to  his  sister's,  the  widow  Prior,  who 
then  resided  in  Jessamine  county,  about  three  miles  from  Nicholasville,  where 
he  remained  a  confirmed  lunatic  until  his  death. 

Henry  Birchett  was  born  in  Brunswick  county.  State  of  Virginia.  He  con- 
tinued between  five  and  six  years  in  the  ministry,  a  gracious,  happy,  useful  man, 
who  freely  offered  himself  for  four  years'  service  in  the  dangerous  stations  of 
Kentucky  and  Cumberland.  Birchett  was  one  among  the  worthies  who  cheer- 
fully left  safety,  ease,  and  prosperity,  to  seek  after  and  suffer  faithfully  for  souls. 
His  meekness,  love,  labors,  prayers,  tears,  sermons,  and  exhortations,  were  not 
soon  forgotten.  He  died  in  peace,  in  Cumberland  circuit,  on  the  western  waters, 
in  February,  1794. 

David  Haggard  came  out  with  Birchett,  as  a  volunteer  from  the  Virginia  con- 
ference, to  do  battle  in  the  hard  service  of  Kentucky.  He  was  appointed  as 
colleague  with  Birchett  on  the  Lexington  circuit  in  1790,  and  traveled  a  few 
years  in  Kentucky  with  considerable  acceptability,  when  he  joined  O'Kelley's* 
party,  returned  to  the  east,  and  died  in  connection  with  the  New  Lights. 

James  Haw  was  admitted  into  the  traveling  connection  at  a  conference  held 
on  the  17th  of  April,  1782,  at  "  Ellis's  preaching  house,"  in  Sussex  county,  Vir- 
ginia, and  appointed  to  labor  as  one  of  the  first  two  ministers  in  Kentucky,  in 
1786,  where  he  continued  to  travel  until  1791,  when  he  located  and  settled  in 
Sumner  county,  Tennessee.  In  1795,  he  joined  O'Kelly's  party.  In  1800,  he 
attached  himself  to  the  Presbyterian  church,  joined  in  with  the  Cumberland  Pres- 
byterians when  they  separated  from  the  mother  church,  and  finally  died  in  their 
communion,  a  few  years  after,  on  his  farm  in  Sumner  county. 

Peter  Massie  entered  the  connection  in  1789,  and  traveled  successively  the 
Danville,  Cumberland,  and  Limestone  circuits.  At  the  close  of  '91,  he  departed 
for  a  purer  clime.  The  published  account  briefly  states  that,  "He  labored  faith- 
fully in  the  ministry  for  upwards  of  three  years,  confirmed  and  established  in  the 
grace  of  God,  and  useful.  An  afflicted  man,  who  desired  and  obtained  a  sudden 
death,  by  falling  from  his  seat  and  expiring  December  19th,  1791,  at  Hodge's 
station,  five  miles  south  of  Nashville."  He  was  the  first  who  fell  in  the  harness 
on  the  western  waters. 

Samuel  Tucker  was  appointed  from  the  Baltimore  conference  of  1790,  to 
Limestone  circuit  (now  Maysville).  Leaving  his  friends  and  all  behind,  he  started 
to  preach  Jesus  on  the  work  assigned  him,  but  in  descending  the  Ohio  river,  at  or 
near  the  mouth  of  Brush  creek,  about  thirty  miles  below  Portsmouth,  the  boat  in 
which  he  was  descending  was  attacked  by  Indians,  and  the  most  of  the  crew 
were  killed;  but  he  continued  to  defend  the  boat  with  his  rifle,  until  it  floated  out 
into  the  stream,  beyond  the  reach  of  the  Indians  pursuing.  He  arrived  at  Lime- 
stone, and  there  died  of  his  wounds.  His  remains  now  lie  in  the  cemetery  in 
Maysville,  unhonored — the  spot  unknown. 

*0"Kelly  separated  from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  on  the  subject  of  episcopacy  and  the 
elecuve  franchise,  in  November,  1792. 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL   CHURCH.  127 

Benjamin  Snelling  was  admitted  into  connection  in  1788,  and  sent  to  travel 
the  Lexington  circuit  that  year.  He  continued  in  Kentucky  but  a  short  lime, 
and  then  returned  to  the  east,  and  after  remaining  some  time,  he  returned  to 
Kentucky,  settled  in  Bath  county,  where  he  finally  died. 

Joseph  Lillard  was  born  in  Kentucky,  not  far  from  Harrodsburg,  and  admit- 
ted into  the  traveling  connection  at  the  first  conference  held  in  Kentucky,  at 
Masterson's  station,  April  26th,  1790.  He  was  appointed  that  year  to  Limestone 
circuit.  He  traveled  but  a  few  years,  and  died  near  Harrodsburgh,  in  a  located 
relation. 

Barnabas  McHknby  embraced  religion  and  attached  himself  to  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  in  the  infancy  of  Methodism  in  the  United  States.  Believing 
it  to  be  his  duty  to  preach  the  gospel,  he  joined  the  traveling  connection  in  1787. 
In  1788,  he  was  sent  to  Cumberland  circuit,  and  continued  to  labor  in  the  various 
circuits  of  Kentucky,  faithfully  and  successfully,  until  1796,  when,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  loss  of  health,  he  located.  In  1819,  he  was  re-admitted  into  the 
traveling  connection ;  but  his  strength  not  being  sufficient  for  the  labors  of  an 
effective  man,  he  was,  in  1821,  returned  superannuated.  This  relation  he  sus- 
tained until  death  by  cholera,  June  16th,  1833,  relieved  him  of  all  his  infirmities. 
As  an  old  apostle  of  Methodism,  he  was  fond  of  the  doctrines  of  the  church,  and 
took  delight  in  teaching  them  to  others.  He  lived  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  bless- 
ing of  sanctification,  and  died  in  peace,  going  up  from  earth  to  take  a  position  of 
nearer  concernment  in  the  lofty  worship  of  heaven. 

Wilson  Lee  was  born  in  Sussex  county,  Delaware,  November,  1761,  and 
admitted  into  the  traveling  connection  in  1784.  He  was  sent  out  to  labor  in  Ken- 
tucky in  1787,  and  continued  to  labor  in  the  different  appointments  assigned  him, 
as  a  man  of  God  esteemed  very  highly,  for  his  work's  sake,  until  1792.  From 
that  conference  he  was  transferred  to  the  east,  where  he  continued  to  labor  until 
he  finished  his  course,  by  the  rupture  of  a  blood  vessel,  in  Anne  Arundel  county, 
Maryland,  October  11th,  1804.  Wilson  Lee  was  a  preacher  of  no  ordinary 
acceptability,  correct  in  the  economy  of  himself  and  others.  As  an  elder  and 
presiding  elder  he  showed  himself  a  workman  that  needed  not  to  be  ashamed. 
Professing  the  sanctifying  grace  of  God,  he  carried  about  him  the  air  and  port 
of  one  who  had  communion  with  heaven;  his  life  and  conversation  illustrated 
the  religion  he  professed.  He  was  neat  in  his  dress,  affable  in  his  manners, 
fervent  in  his  spirit,  energetic  in  his  ministry,  and  his  discourses  were  fitted  to 
the  characters  and  cases  of  his  hearers.  His  labors  and  his  life  were  laid  down 
together.  It  may  be  truly  said,  that  he  hazarded  his  life  upon  all  the  frontier 
stations  he  filled,  from  the  Monongahela  to  the  Cumberland  river,  all  through 
Kentucky,  in  many  of  which  stations  there  were  savage  cruelty  and  frequent 
deaths.  He  had  to  ride  from  station  to  station,  and  from  fort  to  fort,  sometimes 
with,  and  sometimes  without  a  guide. 

Benjamin  Ogden  was  born  in  New  Jersey  in  1764.  In  early  life  he  was  a 
soldier  of  the  revolution,  which  gave  distinction  and  independence  to  his  coun- 
try. He  embraced  religion  in  1784,  at  the  age  of  20.  Progressing  like  Timothy 
in  the  knowledge  of  religion,  he  united  himself  with  the  traveling  connection  in 
1786,  and  received  his  first  appointment  to  the  then  wilderness  of  Kentucky,  in 
connection  with  James  Haw,  as  a  missionary :  and  to  him  belongs  the  honor  of 
organizing  the  first  Methodist  Episcopal  church  in  Kentucky,  in  the  house  of 
Thomas  Stevenson,  of  Mason  county.  Ill  health  compelled  him  to  desist  from 
traveling  in  1788,  remaining  in  a  located  relationship  for  nearly  thirty  years.  In 
1817,  he  re-entered  the  traveling  connection,  but  soon  sunk  again  under  the  press- 
ure of  ill  health — but  earnestly  desirous  to  be  more  extensively  useful  than  he 
could  be  in  that  relation,  he  attempted  the  work  of  an  itinerant  again  in  1824, 
and  continued  an  effective  man  until  1827,  when  he  was  placed  upon  the  superan- 
nuated list,  and  remained  so  until  his  death  in  1834.  Benjamin  Ogden  was  a  man 
of  good  natural  intellect,  and  various  attainments  as  a  Christian  minister.  He 
was  especially  well  instructed  in  the  principles,  and  deeply  imbued  with  the 
spirit  of  his  vocation,  as  a  primitive  Methodist  preacher.  After  a  long  life  of 
laborious  toils  and  effective  service  in  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel,  this  venerable 
servant  of  God  and  his  church — one  of  the  first  two  missionaries  who  penetrated 


128  HISTORICAL   SKETCH    OF  THE 

the  vast  valleys  of  the  Mississippi — was  released  by  death  from  his  militant 
charge — expiring  in  all  the  calmness  and  confidence  of  faith  and  hope,  went  to 
his  reward. 

John  Page  was  admitted  into  the  traveling  connection  at  Holstein  on  the  15th 
of  May,  1791.  He  came  over  with  Bishop  Asbury  to  Kentucky,  and  was  sta- 
tioned on  the  Lexington  circuit.  Traveled  Danville  circuit  in  '93 — Salt  river  in 
'94 — Limestone  in  '95 — Green  circuit,  Holstein  conference  in  '96 — Hinkston  in 
'97 — Salt  river  and  Shelby  in  '98 — Cumberland  in  '99 — Holstein,  Russell,  and 
New  river  in  1800 — Cumberland  in  1801 — ditto  in  1802.  In  1803,  he  was 
appointed  as  presiding  elder  on  the  Cumberland  district.  In  1804  he  located. 
Sometime  afterwards  he  joined  in  a  superannuated  relation,  and  now  lives  on  the 
Cumberland  river,  in  Tennessee,  near  the  mouth  of  Caney  fork. 

Benjamin  Northcott  was  admitted  on  trial  at  the  second  conference  that  was 
held  in  Kentucky,  at  Masterson's  station.  May  1st,  1792,  and  appointed  that  year 
to  Lexington  circuit.  In  1793  he  was  sent  to  Limestone  circuit.  This  year  he 
married  and  settled  in  the  neighborhood  of  Flemingsburg,  where  he  now  lives — 
a  preacher  of  holiness — illustrating  the  same  in  life. 

James  O'Cull  was  admitted  on  trial  at  Uniontown,  Pennsylvania,  July  28th, 
1791,  and  appointed  with  Barnabas  McHenry  to  Cumberland  circuit,  (compre- 
hending middle  Tennessee).  From  Cumberland  he  returned  back  to  Kentucky, 
married  near  Lexington,  and  afterwards  settled  on  the  North  fork  of  Licking 
river,  in  Mason  county,  Kentucky,  where  a  few  years  past  he  left  for  the  "  land 
that  is  afar  off,  where  the  King  is  seen  in  his  beauty." 

John  Ray  was  admitted  on  trial  in  1791,  and  appointed  to  Limestone  circuit. 
Traveled  Green  circuit  in  '93 — New  river  circuit,  Virginia,  in  '94 — Bedford,  Vir- 
ginia, in  '95 — Amherst,  Virginia,  in  '96 — Tar  river  circuit.  North  Carolina,  in 
'97 — Roanoke,  North  Carolina,  in '98 — Tar  river  circuit  in '99 — Caswell  circuit, 
North  Carolina,  in  1800.  Located  in  1801,  and  returning  to  Kentucky,  settled 
near  Mount  Sterling,  where  he  lived  a  number  of  years,  after  which  he  was  re- 
admitted into  the  Kentucky  conference,  and  a  few  years  past  moved  to  Indiana, 
and  there  passed  from  earth  to  the  spirit  land. 

W^iLLiAM  Burke  was  born  in  Loudon  county,  Va.,  on  the  13th  of  January,  1770, 
and  was  received  into  the  traveling  connection  in  1791,  at  McKnight's,  on  Tar 
river.  North  Carolina,  and  appointed  to  West  New  river,  in  Virginia.  Met  again  in 
conference  in  the  next  year  in  the  rich  valley  of  Holstein,  near  the  salt  works,  on 
the  15th  May,  and  appointed  to  Green  circuit,  in  the  Western  Territory  (now  East 
Tenn.).  Met  again  in  conference  at  Nelson's  on  the  13th  of  April,  1793,  at  which 
conference  he  volunteered  for  Kentucky,  came  out  and  attended  the  conference  held 
at  Masterson's  station  on  the  6th  of  May,  1793,  and  was  appointed  that  year  to 
Danville  circuit.  Met  again  in  conference  at  Bethel  Academy,  in  Jessamine  county, 
on  the  15th  of  April,  1794,  and  appointed  to  Hinkston  circuit.  During  the  year 
traveled  Hinkston,  Salt  river,  and  Lexington.  As  a  faithful,  effective,  and  labo-. 
rious  itinerant,  William  Burke  continued  to  travel  various  circuits  and  districts 
in  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  North  Carolina,  and  Ohio,  until  1808,  when  he  was 
changed  from  effective  to  a  supernumerary  relation,  and  appointed  to  Lexington 
circuit.  In  1809  he  was  appointed  to  the  Green  river  district,  and  continued  in 
that  extensive  and  laborious  work,  until  conference  met  in  Cincinnati,  October 
1st,  1811,  when  he  was  appointed  to  the  Miami  circuit,  including  Cincinnati.  In 
1812,  from  the  conference  which  met  that  year  in  Chillicothe,  he  was  appointed 
to  Cincinnati  station,  ihe  first  station  west  of  the  mountains.  In  the  fulfilling  of 
that  work,  he  lost  his  voice  entirely,  and  was  placed  in  a  supernumerary  relation 
for  several  years.  He  then  superannuated,  which  relation  he  now  sustains  to  the 
Kentuckj'  conference.  As  a  preacher,  William  Burke  stood  among  the  first  in 
his  day.  Possessing  a  cultivated  and  accurate  memory,  he  stored  it  richly  with 
Bible  truths,  and  joining  with  his  biblical  knowledge  a  deep  acquaintance  with 
human  nature,  he  was  enabled  to  adapt  his  sermons  to  the  varied  characters  of  his 
hearers ;  nor  did  he  fail,  whenever  a  fit  occasion  offered,  to  rebuke  sin  boldly  in 
high  places.  Possessing  a  large,  muscular  frame,  he  had  a  great  deal  of  native 
physical  courage,  and  this,  added  to  high  moral  purpose,  made  him  one  of  the 


METHODIST   EPISCOPAL    CHUECH  129 

most  fearless  and  at  the  same  time  most  effective  men  in  planting  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ  in  a  new  country.  There  are  thousands  in  Kentvicky,  who  yet 
remember  the  voice  of  William  Burke  pealing  the  thunders  of  Sinai  around 
them,  and  then  softly  wooing  the  melted  heart  to  the  foot  of  the  cross.  He  is 
still  livino-  in  Cincinnati,  his  faculties  unimpaired,  and  his  attachment  to  the 
cause  of  Christ  undiminished.  Long  may  he  be  spared  to  guide  by  his  discrim- 
inating counsel  the  ark  of  Methodism. 

Methodism,  planted  as  we  have  seen  in  Kentucky,  as  late  as  1786,  grew 
rapidly  up  to  1790  in  numbers.  In  that  year,  at  the  conference  held  at  Masterson's 
station,  the  numbers  reported  were 

Whites.  Colored. 

Lexington 424 32 

Limestone 66... — 

Danville 322 26 

Madison 212 8 

Cumberland 241 41 

1265  107 

Limestone  circuit  was  taken  from  Lexington,  and  Madison  from  Danville  cir- 
cuit, this  year.  When  we  take  into  consideration  the  fact  that  the  country  was 
at  that  time  sparsely  populated,  the  increase  of  numbers  is  somewhat  surprising.. 
In  a  little  more  than  three  years  from  the  hour  that  the  first  missionary  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  began  to  preach  among  them  a/ree,  present,  and  full 
salvation,  we  find  that  a  church  has  sprung  up,  embracing  within  its  pale  a  mem- 
pership  of  nearly  1400.  Well  might  the  hardy  pioneers  of  that  day  say  "behold 
what  God  has  wrought."  The  increase  of  membership  in  Kentucky  appears  to 
have  been  steady  and  uniform  in  its  growth. 

In  1791  there  were Whites  lAbQ  Colored    94 

In  1792         "     "      2059  "         176 

Bishop  Asbury,  in  his  journal,  speaks  of  attending  the  Kentucky  conference 
this  year,  which  was  held  on  the  26th  of  April,  at  Masterson's  station,  and  says, 
"  Vast  crowds  of  people  attended  public  worship, — the  spirit  of  matrimony  is 
prevalent  here ;  in  one  circuit  both  preachers  are  settled — the  land  is  good — the 
country  new — and  indeed  all  possible  facilities  to  the  comfortable  maintainance 
of  a  family  are  afforded  to  an  industrious,  prudent  pair." 
In  1795  there  were  whites  2262,  colored  99. 

This  year  Francis  Acuff,  for  three  years  a  traveling  preacher,  was  called 
home  to  his  reward.  He  was  a  young  man  of  genius  and  improvable  talents  :  he 
was  brought  up  in  Sullivan  county,  Tennessee,  and  died  in  August,  1795,  near 
Danville  in  Kentucky,  in  the  twenty-fifth  year  of  his  age.  Bishop  Asbury,  speak- 
ing of  his  death  says,  "Francis  Acuff  from  a  fiddler,  became  a  christian — from 
a  christian  a  preacher — from  a  preacher  I  trust  a  glorified  saint." 

In  1800,  the  ordained  preachers  who  had  been  traveling  in  the  west,  were  re- 
quested by  Bishop  Asbury,  to  attend  the  general  conference  held  that  year  in 
Baltimore,  in  order  that  their  fields  of  labor  might  be  changed,  and  new  preachera 
sent  out  to  the  western  work.  Consequently  the  majority  of  the  old  traveling 
preachers  were  recalled  from  the  west,  and  an  almost  entirely  new  supply  sent  out. 
The  minutes  for  1800  stand  thus —  no's,  in  connection. 

Whites.    Colored. 

Scioto  and  Miami — Henry  Smith 467 1 

Limestone — William  Algood 417 20 

Hinkstone — William  Burke 283 4 

Lexington — Thomas  Allen 273 15 

Danville — Hezekiah  Harriman 339 67 

Salt  river  and  Shelby— John  Sale 167 7 

Cumberland — William  Lambeth 247 40 

Green — James  Hunter 434 22 

"a^N^V'^rf  l'»h"^»'^°"'  '""P^S' i!i--i! 

^  3248        240 


130  HISTORICAL    SKETCH    OF    THE 

No  presiding  elder  being  appointed  that  year,  the  first  five  circuits  named 
above,  were  taken  oversight  of  by  William  Burke.  Harriman  and  Sale,  being 
the  only  other  elders  in  the  entire  western  country,  took  charge  of  the  remainder. 
The  time  of  the  meeting  of  the  conference  was  changed  this  year  from  spring  to 
the  fall,  and  met  in  October  at  Bethel  academy.  Bishops  Asbury  and  Whatcoat 
attended  at  this  conference.  William  McKendree  was  appointed  presiding  elder 
for  Ohio,  Kentucky,  Tennessee  and  part  of  Western  Virginia. 

William  McKendree,  whose  name  is  in  all  the  churches,  and  who  was  like 
an  illuminated  torch  sent  down  for  awhile  from  the  upper  sanctuary,  to  burn  in 
the  golden  candlesticks  of  God's  house  on  earth, — came  out  with  Asbury  and 
Whatcoat  in  the  fall  of  1800  from  the  Virginia  conference,  and  at  the  conference 
held  that  year  at  Bethel  in  October,  was  appointed  presiding  elder  for  all  the 
western  country,  comprehending  in  his  district  the  whole  of  Kentucky  and  part 
of  three  other  states,  viz :  Ohio,  Virginia  and  Tennessee.  He  continued  travel- 
ing as  elder  over  that  immense  scope  of  country  for  two  years,  when  the  dis- 
trict was  divided  into  three  parts — Holstein  district.  Cumberland  district  and 
Kentucky  district.  McKendree  remained  presiding  elder  of  the  Kentucky  dis- 
trict for  three  years,  when  he  was  appointed  to  Cumberland  district  in  the  fall  of 
1806,  and  continued  traveling  in  that  work,  until  the  general  conference  of  1808, 
held  that  year  in  Baltimore,  when  he  was  elected  bishop,  and  in  that  relation  he 
continued  for  twenty-five  years,  visiting  successively  all  the  states  in  the  Union, 
often  made  the  instrument  in  the  hands  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  breathing  fresh  life 
into  the  churches,  and  then  again  like  the  youthful  David,  of  smiting  some 
proud  defier  of  Israel  low.  As  a  christian,  William  McKendree  combined 
solemnity  and  cheerfulness  together  in  such  a  manner  as  to  command  the  rever- 
ence  and  esteem  of  all  about  him.  As  a  preacher  of  the  gospel,  his  sermons 
were  replete  with  the  sweet  story  of  the  cross — mingling  together  the  sublime 
discoveries  of  faith  and  the  sweet  anticipations  of  hope,  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
captivate  and  entrance  the  hearts  of  his  hearers.  He  departed  for  a  home  in 
Heaven  in  1833.     He  sleeps  sweetly. 

From  the  conference  of  1800,  the  church  continued  steadily  to  advance  both  in 
numbers  and  spirituality.  The  summer  and  fall  of  this  year  witnessed  the  com- 
mencement of  those  gracious  outpourings  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  soon  obtained 
the  appellation  of  "The  Great  Revival."  This  work,  commencing  in  Tennes- 
see and  the  lower  parts  of  the  state  of  Kentucky,  gradually  spread  upwards  into 
the  interior  of  the  State,  leavening  the  country  all  around  ;  camp  meetings  at- 
tended by  convening  thousands,  and  continuing  for  days  and  nights  and  sometimes 
weeks  together,  took  the  place  of  the  ordinary  stated  ministrations,  and  the  water 
flowing  from  the  smitten  rock  of  Horeb,  rolled  its  life-giving  current  to  thou- 
sands of  souls  thirsting  for  salvation.  In  May  1801,  the  work  broke  out  in 
Madison  county,  Kentucky,  and  at  a  meeting  on  Cabin  creek,  the  scene  was 
awful  beyond  description — the  novelty  of  the  manner  of  worship — "  the  ranges  of 
tents — the  fires  reflecting  light  amidst  the  branches  of  the  towering  trees — the 
candles  and  lamps  illuminating  the  encampment — hundreds  moving  to  and  fro, 
with  lights  and  torches  like  Gideon's  army;  the  preaching,  praying,  singing  and 
shouting,  all  heard  at  once  rushing  from  different  parts  of  the  ground,  like  the 
sound  of  many  waters,  was  enough  to  swallow  up  all  the  powers  of  contempla- 
tion." Meeting  after  meeting  followed  in  quick  succession  until  the  6th  of 
August,  1801,  when  '"  the  great  general  camp  mceiing^^  was  held  at  Cane  Ridge, 
about  7  miles  from  Paris  (Bourbon  county).  This  meeting  was  the  climax  of 
all  the  rest,  rendered  wonderful  by  the  almost  incredible  numbers  that  attended, 
as  well  as  by  the  extraordinary  scenes  and  developments  there  witnessed.  "The 
concourse  in  attendance  was  most  prodigious,  being  computed  by  a  revolutionary 
officer  who  was  accustomed  to  estimate  encampments,  to  amount  to  not  less  than 
20,000  souls."  Although  there  were  many  extravagances  and  irregularities  con- 
nected with  and  growing  out  of  these  protracted  and  highly  excited  meetings, 
yet  good  men  of  all  denominations,  now  concur  in  the  opinion  "That  the  spirit 
of  God  was  really  poured  out,  and  that  many  sincere  converts  were  made."  The 
evidence  of  the  genuine  nature  of  the  work  being  seen  in  the  humble,  loving  and 
holy  walk  of  those  who  were  the  subjects  of  this  work. 


METHODIST    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH.  131 

The  first  Methodist  meeting-house  erected  in  Kentucky,  was  a  log  one,  put  up 
at  Masterson's  station,  in  the  Lexington  circuit,  in  1787  or  '88. 

The  next  house  of  worship,  was  erected  at  Poplar  Flats,  in  Salt  river  circuit, 
about  1790,  called  Ferguson's  chapel. 

About  the  same  time,  a  log  meeting-house  was  erected  in  Jessamine  county, 
near  Bethel  Academy,  called  Lewis'  meeting  house. 

In  Danville  circuit,  a  log  meeting-house  called   Procter's  chapel,  was  erected 
in  Madison  county,  about  the  same  time.   In  the  fall  of  1793,  the  second  meeting- 
house in  Danville  circuit,  was  built  in  Garrard  county,  called  Burke's  chapel. 
The  first  in  Limestone  circuit  was  Bracken  meeting-house. 
The  first  brick  church  built  in  Kentucky,  was  at  Flemingsburg,  and  the  second 
in  Shelby  county,  called  the  brick  chapel. 

The  limits  assigned  to  this  sketch  forbid  a  more  extended  history  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  From  the  statistical  accounts  of  the  church,  how- 
ever, it  will  be  seen  that  from  that  period  up  to  the  present  time,  her  march  has 
been  steady  and  onward. 

There  were  within  the  limits  of  the  Kentucky  conference 

Whites.     Colored. 

In  1800 1626....   115 

"  1810 5513....  243 

"  1820 11,887....  1199 

"  1830 22,074.... 4682 

"  1840 30,939.... 6321 

"  1845 39,756.... 9362 

From  the  above  statistics  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
has  a  little  more  than  doubled  its  numbers  every  ten  years,  until  the  year  1830. 
In  the  spring  of  1846,  the  church  in  Kentucky  was  divided  into  two  conferences, 
the  upper  called  "  The  Kentucky  Conference,"  the  lower  called  "  The 
Louisville  Conference."  The  first  session  of  the  Kentucky  conference  was 
held  in  September,  1846,  at  Covington. 

The  first  session  of  the  Louisville  conference  was  held  in  October,  at  Hop- 
kinsville. 

The  numbers  embraced  in  the  bounds  of  the  Kentucky  conference  were  in  the 
fall  of  1846,  Whites.     Colored. 

21,559.... 5,151 

Traveling  Preachers 90 

Local  "  240 

Total 27,040 

In  the  Louisville  conference  there  are  about 25,000 

52,040 
Add  the  ratio  of  increase  up  to  this  time  from  the  conferences  of  1846, 
and  it  will  be  about 2,371 


54,411 

These  statistical  accounts  will  close  this  imperfect  sketch  of  the  rise  and  pro- 
gress of  Methodism  in  Kentucky.  Though  later  than  some  others  in  entering  into 
this  interesting  field,  yet  with  her  characteristic  energy,  from  the  hour  that  she 
first  planted  her  banner  in  "Kentucky's  tangled  wilderness,"  down  to  the  present 
time,  she  has  been  first  with  the  foremost,  entering  heartily  into  every  benevo- 
lent plan  having  for  its  object  the  amelioration  or  evangelization  of  our  race. 
Tens  of  thousands  have  already  risen  up  and  called  her  "blessed,"  and  if  she 
will  continue  to  stand  by  the  ancient  land-marks,  which  have  guided  her  thus 
far,  generations  yet  unborn,  feeling  her  influence  and  bowing  before  the  force 
and  purity  of  her  doctrines,  will  say  of  her  what  has  been  said  by  an  eloquent 
divine,  "across  the  waters,"  that  "Methodism  is  Christianity  in  earnest.'''' 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


PRESBYTERIAN      CHURCH 


In  the  year  1783,  the  Rev,  David  Rice  immigrated  to  Kentucky,  and  was  the 
first  Presbyterian  minister  who  crossed  the  mountains.  He  gathered  the  scattered 
Presbyterians  into  regular  congregations,  at  Danville,  Cane  run,  and  the  forks 
of  Dick's  river.  He  was  followed  the  next  year  by  the  Rev.  Adam  Rankin,  who 
gathered  the  church  at  Lexington,  and  the  Rev.  James  Crawford,  who  set- 
tled at  Walnut  Hill.  In  the  year  1786,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Craighead,  and  the 
Rev.  Andrew  McClure  were  added  to  the  number.  These  ministers  were  shortly 
after  organized  into  a  presbytery  under  the  name  of  the  presbytery  of  Transyl- 
vania ;  a  euphonious  and  classical  epithet  for  the  backwoods.  All  the  above 
named  persons  were  from  Virginia,  except  Mr.  Craighead,  who  was  of  North 
Carolina. 

The  presbytery  of  Transylvania  met  in  the  court  house  at  Danville,  on  Tues- 
day, October  17,  1786.  Mr.  Rice  presided  as  moderator,  by  appointment  of  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  Mr.  McClure  acted  as  clerk. 
The  following  ministers  were  present:  Rev.  David  Rice,  Adam  Rankin,  Andrew 
McClure,  .Tames  Crawford,  and  Terah  Templin,  recently  ordained  by  a  commis- 
sion of  Hanover  presbytery.  There  were  five  ruling  elders  present,  as  repre- 
sentatives of  as  many  churches,  viz  :  Messrs.  Richard  Steele,  David  Gray,  John 
Bovel,  Joseph  Reed,  and  Jeremiah  Frame. 

There  were  at  this  time  twelve  congregations  in  a  more  or  less  perfect  state  of 
organization,  viz.:  Cane  River,  Concord  (Danville),  the  forks  of  Dick's  run. 
New  Providence  (McAfee's  station).  Mount  Zion  (Lexington),  Mount  Pisgah, 
Salem,  Walnut  Hill,  Hopewell,  Paint  Lick,  Jessamine  creek,  Whitley's  station, 
and  Crab  Orchard. 

By  the  year  1802,  the  number  of  Presbyterians  had  so  multiplied,  as  to  call  for 
the  erection  of  a  synod.  Accordingly,  on  Tuesday,  October  14,  1802,  the  synod 
of  Kentucky  held  its  first  meeting,  in  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Lexington.  Mr. 
Rice  preached  the  opening  sermon,  and  was  elected  moderator.  Mr.  Marshall 
was  chosen  clerk.  The  number  of  members  present  was  thirty ;  of  whom  sev- 
enteen were  ministers,  and  thirteen  elders.  The  total  number  of  ministers  within 
the  bounds  was  thirty-seven.  The  synod  was  composed  of  the  three  presbyte- 
ries of  Transylvania,  West  Lexington,  and  Washington,  in  Ohio.  During  the 
sessions,  Cumberland  presbytery  was  set  off  from  Transylvania,  embracing  the 
south-western  portion  of  the  State,  and  part  of  Tennessee.  Thus  it  will  be  seen, 
that  the  territorial  jurisdiction  of  the  synod  was  co-extensive  with  the  settlement 
of  the  entire  region  west  of  the  mountains. 

The  members  of  the  synod  were  as  follows : 

Of  the  presbytery  of  Transylvania,  Ministers  present,  David  Rice,  Samuel  Fin- 
ley,  Matthew  Houston,  Samuel  Robertson,  Archibald  Cameron.  Elders,  Andrew 
Wallace,  James  Bigham,  Court  Voris,  (Voorhees).  Ministers  absent,  Thomas 
Craighead,  Terah  Templin,  James  Balch,  James  McGready,  William  Hodge, 
John  Bowman,  William  McGee,  John  Rankin,  Samuel  Donald,  William  Mahon, 
Samuel  McAdow,  John  Howe,  James  Vance,  Jeremiah  Abel. 

Of  the  presbytery  of  West  Lexington,  Ministers  present,  James  Crawford, 
Samuel  Shannon,  Isaac  Tull,  Robert  Marshall,  James  Blythe,  James  Welch,  Jo- 
seph P.  How,  Samuel  Rannels,  John  Lyle,  William  Robinson.  Elders,  James 
Bell,  Robert  Maffet,  Malcolm  Worley,  William  Scott,  Joseph  Walker,  William 
McConnel,  Samuel  Hayden,  William  Henry.     Absent,  Rev.  Barton  W.  Stone. 

Of  the  presbytery  of  Washington,  Ministers  present,  James  Kemper,  John  P. 
Campbell,  Richard  McNemar,  John  Thompson,  John  Dunlavy.  Elders,  Robert 
Gill,  John  Campbell.   Ministers  absent,  John  E.  Finley,  Matthew  G.  Wallace. 

The  limits  of  the  synod  were  reduced,  in  1814,  by  the  erection  of  the  synod 
(132) 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH.  133 

of  Ohio  ;  and  in  1817,  by  the  erection  of  the  synod  of  Tennessee;  since  which 
time  its  boundaries  have  corresponded  with  those  of  the  State.  It  consists  at 
present  of  six  presbyteries:  Transylvania,  West  Lexington,  Louisville,  Muhlen- 
burg,  Ebenezer,  and  Bowling  Green ;  comprising  seventy-nine  ministers,  one 
hundred  and  forty  churches,  and  eight  thousand  and  forty-eight  communicants. 
This  statement  does  not  embrace  the  members  of  twenty-seven  churches,  which 
failed  to  report  the  number  of  their  communicants  to  the  General  Assembly  of 
1846,  and  which  are  supposed  to  contain  about  fifteen  hundred  communicants ; 
making  the  whole  number  in  the  State  about  nine  thousand  and  five  hundred.  la 
1838,  there  were  several  ministers  and  churches  which  separated  from  the  synod, 
and  formed  a  new  synod,  which  is  commonly  designated  the  New  School  synod, 
and  which  embraces  three  presbyteries,  fourteen  ministers,  twenty-one  churches, 
and  nine  hundred  and  fifty-four  members. 

The  contributions,  during  the  year  1843-6,  to  the  General  Assembly's  Boards 
of  Education  and  Missions,  foreign  and  domestic,  exceeded  $13,000,  indepen- 
dently of  all  that  has  been  done  for  Center  College,  which  is  under  its  control, 
and  has  an  endowment  of  over  $70,000. 

The  Rev.  David  Rice  (or  "  Father  Rice,''''  as  that  venerable  man  was  familiarly 
known),  was  born  in  Hanover  county,  Va.,  December  20,  1733.  He  was  con- 
verted under  the  preaching  of  President  Edwards,  and  studied  Theology  under 
Rev.  John  Todd.  In  the  struggle  for  national  independence,  he  took  a  warm 
and  zealous  part,  and  did  not  esteem  it  unbecoming  his  clerical  profession  to 
harangue  the  people  on  their  grievances  at  county  meetings. 

In  1783,  he  removed  to  Kentucky,  and  identified  his  fortunes  with  the  infant 
colony.  Besides  his  active  duties  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  the  organiza- 
tion of  many  churches,  he  was  zealously  engaged  in  advancing  the  cause  of  edu- 
cation. He  was  the  first  teacher  in  the  Transylvania  seminary,  and  for  several 
years  the  chairman  of  its  board  of  trustees ;  and  when  that  seminary,  after  its 
removal  to  Lexington,  fell  under  deistical  influence,  he  took  an  active  part  in  rais- 
ing up  a  rival  in  the  Kentucky  academy.  The  public  estimation  in  which  he  was 
held,  may  be  inferred  from  his  election  as  a  member  of  the  convention  which  met 
in  Danville  in  1792,  to  frame  a  state  constitution.  He  exerted  his  influence  in 
that  convention,  but  without  success,  for  the  insertion  of  an  article  providing  for 
the  gradual  extinction  of  slavery  in  Kentucky. 

Previous  to  Mr.  Rice's  arrival  in  Kentucky,  marriages  had  been  solemnized  by 
the  magistrates ;  but  after  that  event,  the  people  made  it  a  point  to  procure  the 
services  of  a  clergyman.  On  the  3d  of  June,  1784,  he  married  a  couple  at  Mc- 
Afee's station,  and  on  the  4th,  preached  the  funeral  sermon  of  Mr.  James 
M'Cann,  sen.,  the  first  sermon  ever  preached  on  the  banks  of  Salt  river. 

Father  Rice's  talents  were  of  a  plain,  practical  cast — not  of  a  commanding  or- 
der. His  judgment  was  sound,  his  disposition  conservative,  and  his  deportment 
exemplary.  He  spent  much  time  in  prayer.  In  the  pulpit,  his  manner  was  sol- 
emn and  impressive  ;  in  his  intercourse  with  society,  dignified  and  grave.  His 
person  was  slender,  but  tall  and  active,  and  even  at  the  age  of  seventy,  he  exhib- 
ited an  astonishing  degree  of  alertness.  He  died  in  Green  county,  on  the  18th 
of  June,  1816,  in  the  83d  year  of  his  age.  His  last  words  were — "Oh,  when 
shall  I  be  free  from  sin  and  sorrow  !  "* 

Rev.  James  Crawford  removed  with  his  family  to  Kentucky  in  1784.  Like 
most  of  the  pioneer  Presbyterian  ministers,  he  was  from  Virginia.  He  settled 
at  Walnut  Hill,  where  he  gathered  and  organized  a  flourishing  church.  Although 
laboring  under  feeble  health,  he  was  zealous  and  active  in  the  cause  of  his  Mas- 
ter, and  numerous  converts  were  added  to  the  church  through  his  instrumentality. 
He  was  a  plain  looking  man,  of  very  grave  demeanor ;  not  a  popular  preacher, 
but  highly  useful  and  instructive.     He  died  in  March,  1803. 

The  Rev.  Terah  TEMPLm,  having  been  licensed  by  the  Hanover  (Va.)  pres- 

*This  sketch,  as  well  as  most  of  those  which  follow,  is  abridged  from  "  The  History  of  the  Presby- 
terian  Church  of  Kentucky^''  by  the  Rev.  Robert  Davidson,  D.  D.. — a  work  eloquently  and  classically 
written,  and  displaying  very  extensive  research — published  at  New  York  early  in  the  present  year. 


134  HISTORICAL    SKETCH    OF 

bytery  in  1780,  soon  after  came  to  Kentucky,  where  he  received  ordination  in 
1785.  He  located  in  Washington  county,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Kentucky 
river,  where  he  organized  several  churches,  and  did  the  work  of  an  evangelist 
faithfully.  He  also  organized  several  churches,  and  supplied  destitute  congrega- 
tions in  Livingston  county.  He  died  October  6,  1818,  at  the  advanced  age  of 
seventy-six.  Faithful  to  the  attachment  of  his  early  years,  which  had  been  pre- 
maturely sundered,  he  never  married.  His  talents  were  respectable,  his  manner 
solemn  and  impressive,  and  his  deportment  exemplary,  guileless,  and  unassu- 
ming. 

The  Presbyterian  ministry  of  Kentucky  was  reinforced,  in  1786,  by  the  acces- 
sion of  the  Rev.  Thomas  B.  Craighead,  and  Rev.  Andrew  McCi.ure.  Mr. 
Craighead  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina.  Shortly  after  his  arrival  in  Kentucky, 
he  was  called  to  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Shiloh  congregation  in  Sumner 
county,  Tenn.  Here,  being  opposed  to  the  extravagancies  of  the  times,  and  sus- 
pected of  favoring  Pelagianism,  he  became  unpopular.  In  1805,  a  commission 
was  appointed  by  the  synod  of  Kentucky,  which  was  directed  to  investigate  the 
correctness  of  the  report  of  his  unsoundness.  The  investigation  which  suc- 
ceeded, a  long  and  protracted  one,  resulted  in  the  suspension  of  Mr.  Craighead 
from  the  gospel  ministry.  He  made  several  ineffectual  efforts  to  have  the  sus- 
pension removed,  but  did  not  succeed  until  the  year  1824,  when  he  was  enabled 
to  make  so  good  a  vindication  of  himself,  and  to  explain  his  views  so  much  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  General  Assembly,  that  they  restored  him  to  his  ministe- 
rial standing.  Not  long  after  this  event,  he  departed  this  life  in  Nashville,  aged 
about  seventy  years.  For  some  time  before  his  death,  he  had  suffered  under  the 
combined  misfortunes  of  poverty  and  blindness.  Mr.  Craighead  was  of  a  tall 
but  spare  figure,  not  less  than  six  feet  in  height.  He  excelled  as  an  extempora- 
neous orator — his  eloquence  being  of  that  fervid  kind  which  captivates  and  car- 
ries away  the  hearer  in  spite  of  himself.  The  Hon.  John  Breckinridge  said  of 
him,  that  his  discourses  made  a  more  lasting  impression  upon  his  memory  than 
those  of  any  other  man  he  had  ever  heard. 

The  Rev.  Andrew  McClure,  who  removed  to  Kentucky  in  company  with  Mr. 
Craighead,  in  1787,  organized  the  Salem  and  Paris  churches;  and  in  1789  took 
charge  of  the  latter,  where  he  remained  till  his  decease  in  1793,  in  the  39th  year 
of  his  age. 

In  1784,  the  Rev.  Adam  Rankin,  of  Augusta  county,  Va.  came  to  Kentucky, 
and  settled  in  Lexington.  He  immediately  became  the  pastor  of  Mount  Zion 
church,  and  subsequently,  in  conjunction,  of  that  of  Pisgah,  about  eight  miles 
south-west  of  Lexington.  In  1792,  he  separated  from  the  Presbyterian  church, 
on  account  of  psalmody,  carrying  with  him  a  majority  of  his  congregation,  and 
retaining  possession  of  the  church  edifice  in  Lexington.  The  portion  adhering 
to  the  Presbyterian  communion  erected  a  new  building  ;  and  in  1795,  called 
the  Rev.  James  Welch  to  the  pastoral  charge. 

Eight  Missioners  of  the  Synod  entered  Kentucky  in  the  following  order,  viz: 
Robert  Marshall  in  1791;  Carey  H.  Allen  and  William  Calhoon  in  1792  ;  John 
P.  Campbell  and  Samuel  Rannells  in  1794  ;  Robert  Stuart  and  Robert  Wilson 
in  1798  ;  and  John  Lyle  in  1800. 

Rev.  Robert  Marshall  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  emigrating  to  Pennsylvania 
in  his  12th  year.  He  enlisted  in  the  American  army  when  sixteen  years  of  age, 
and  was  in  six  general  engagements  in  the  revolutionary  war,  one  of  which  was 
the  hard-fought  battle  of  Monmouth,  where  he  narrowly  escaped  with  his  life,  a 
bullet  grazing  his  locks.  He  was  licensed  by  Redstone  presbytery  to  preach 
the  gospel,  and  after  his  removal  to  Kentucky,  was  ordained,  in  1793,  pastor  of 
Bethel  and  Blue  spring  churches.  He  was  an  active  leader  in  the  great  revival 
of  1800,  and  carried  away  by  the  torrent  of  enthusiasm  that  swept  over  Kentucky. 
In  1803,  he  embraced  the  views  of  the  New  Lights,  but  afterwards  saw  his  error, 
and,  in  1811,  returned  to  the  bosom  of  the  church.  In  1812,  he  was  reinstated 
in  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Bethel  church,  where  he  continued  till  his  decease 
in  1833,  at  the  advanced  age  of  73.     As  a  preacher,  Mr.  Marshall  was  clear, 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  135 

logical,  systematic,  and  adliered  closely  to  his  text.  He  was  occasionally  calm, 
mild  and  persuasive;  but  more  generally  warm,  vehement,  and  even  startling  in 
his  language  and  manner,  particularly  when  he  attempted  to  rouse  and  impress 
his  audience. 

Rev.  Carey  H.  Allen,  on  the  11th  of  October,  1794,  was  ordained  pastor  of 
Paint  Lick  and  Silver  creek  churches.  He  was  a  mirthful,  fun  loving,  pleasant 
companion,  and  a  great  wit  and  satirist.  Sanguine  and  impulsive,  his  sallies 
partook  occasionally  of  no  little  eccentricity.  On  his  way  to  Kentucky,  he 
put  up  for  the  night  at  a  house  where  the  young  people  had  assembled  to 
dance.  The  handsome  stranger  was  invited  to  join  them,  and  no  denial  would  be 
taken.  At  length  he  suffered  himself  to  be  led  to  the  floor,  and  to  have  a  partner 
assigned  him,  when  all  at  once  he  called  to  the  musician — "  Stop  !  I  am  always 
in  the  habit,"  said  he,  "  when  I  enter  on  any  business  that  I  am  unaccustomed 
to,  first  to  ask  the  blessing  of  God  upon  it.  Now,  as  I  find  myself  in  new  and 
unexpected  circumstances,  I  beg  permission  to  implore  the  Divine  direction  in 
the  matter."  Suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  he  dropped  on  his  knees,  and  poured 
forth  a  prayer  in  his  characteristic  impassioned  manner:  then,  springing  to  his 
feet  he  followed  the  prayer  with  a  powerful  and  eloquent  exhortation.  Mute  with 
astonishment  at  such  an  unlooked-for  interruption,  the  company  stood  spell- 
bound. They  were  enchained  by  eloquence  such  as  they  had  never  listened  to 
before ;  the  orator's  burning  words  sank  into  their  souls,  and  found  an  echo  in 
their  consciences;  death  and  judgment  flashed  their  terrors  before  their  eyes;  and 
they  felt  how  unprepared  they  were  to  meet  their  God.  Bursting  into  tears,  they 
besought  him  to  tell  them  what  they  must  do  to  be  saved.  He  remained  and 
preached  in  the  neighborhood  a  few  days  ;  and  several  hopeful  conversions  were 
the  happy  result  of  a  measure  which  many  would  consider  of  questionable  pro- 
priety, and  which  it  must  be  admitted,  in  less  skillful  hands,  might  have  proved 
a  signal  failure.  Mr.  Allen  was  a  man  of  highly  popular  talents,  impassioned 
eloquence  and  ardent  zeal.  He  was  remarkably  fluent — his  style  original  and 
forcible — and  he  never  failed  to  make  a  powerful  impression  wherever  he  went. 
After  a  brief  ministry  of  less  than  two  years,  he  was  carried  off  by  consumption 
amid  flattering  prospects  of  usefulness,  on  the  5th  of  August,  1795. 

The  Rev.  John  Poage  Campbell,  M.  D.,  unquestionably  the  most  brilliant  in 
this  constellation  of  missionaries,  was  born  in  Augusta  county,  Va.,  in  1767, 
and  removed  to  Kentucky  with  his  father  when  fourteen  years  of  age.  He  gradu- 
ated at  Hampden  Sidney  in  1790,  and  in  1792  was  licensed  to  preach.  Such 
was  the  esteem  in  which  he  was  held,  that  he  was  at  once  associated  with  his 
preceptor,  (Dr.  Moses  Hoge),  as  co-pastor  of  Lexington,  Oxford,  New  Mon- 
mouth and  Timber  Ridge  congregations.  In  1795,  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Ken- 
tucky, and  his  first  charge  was  the  churches  of  Smyrna  and  Flemingsburg.  He 
afterwards  exercised  his  ministry  in  various  places,  among  which  were  Danville, 
Nicholasville,  Cherry  Spring,  Versailles,  Lexington,  and  Chillicothe;  and  in 
1811,  he  officiated  as  chaplain  to  the  legislature.  Dr.  Campbell  possessed  an 
acute  and  discriminating  mind  ;  was  an  accurate  and  well  read  theologian;  an 
able  polemic;  and  decidedly  the  most  talented,  popular,  and  influential  minister 
of  his  day.  His  pen  was  very  prolific.  His  published  writings  were  numerous 
and  able,  among  them — Strictures  on  Stone's  Letters  on  the  Atonement — Essays 
on  Justification — Letters  to  Craighead — A  Sermon  on  Christian  Baptism — The 
Pelagian  Detected,  a  Reply  to  Craighead — An  Answer  to  Jones,  and  Review  of 
Robinson's  History  of  Baptism,  &c.,  &c.  Dr.  Campbell  was  married  three 
times,  and  on  his  demise,  left  a  family  of  nine  children.  His  death  occurred  on 
the  4th  of  November,  1814,  at  the  age  of  53,  in  the  vicinity  of  Chillicothe,  Ohio. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Rannells  was  born  in  Hampshire  county,  Va.,  December 
10th,  1765.  He  was  licensed  in  1794,  and  the  next  spring  visited  Kentucky  as 
one  of  the  synod's  missionaries.  In  1796,  he  was  ordained  over  the  united 
churches  of  Paris  and  Stonermouth,  which  charge  he  retained  for  twenty-two 
years,  until  his  death,  March  24th,  1817,  in  the  52d  year  of  his  age.  He  was  a 
man  of  eminent  piety,  of  exemplary  conduct,  and  of  respectable  talents — remark- 
ably gifted  in  prayer,  and  a  zealous  and  indefatigable  minister. 


136  HISTORICAL    SKETCH  OF 

The  Rev.  Robert  Stuart  came  to  Kentucky  in  1798.  In  December  of  the 
same  year,  he  was  appointed  Professor  of  Languages  in  Transylvania  University, 
but  resigned  in  the  year  following.  During  the  year  1803,  he  preached  to  the 
church  of  Salem;  and  in  1801,  took  charge  of  Walnut  Hill  church,  about  six 
miles  east  of  Lexington,  which  he  continued  to  retain  for  nearly  forty  years.  He 
has  performed  much  laborious  service  in  the  church — is  a  man  of  rare  pru- 
dence and  discretion — and  is  esteemed  by  all  who  know  him,  as  "an  Israelite 
indeed,  in  whom  there  is  no  guile."  This  venerable  father  still  lives,  in  the  75th 
year  of  his  age,  while  most  of  his  early  companions  in  the  ministry  of  Kentucky, 
have  gone  to  their  rest. 

The  Rev.  Robert  Wilson  was  descended  from  ancestors  whom  persecution  had 
driven  from  the  north  of  Ireland  to  western  Virginia.  He  entered  Kentucky  aa 
a  missionary  in  1798,  and  on  the  expiration  of  his  engagement,  married  and  set- 
tled in  Washington,  Mason  county,  where  he  remained  till  his  death,  October  31, 
1822,  in  the  fiftieth  year  of  his  age.  He  was  an  amiable  and  estimable  man, 
possessing  great  equanimity  of  temper,  and  remarkable  throughout  his  whole 
ministerial  career,  for  his  active,  humble  and  devoted  piety.  While  his  labors 
were  signally  blessed  among  his  own  flock,  it  was  through  his  unwearied  exertions 
that  the  churches  of  Augusta  and  Maysville  were  organized  ;  and  those  of  Smyrna 
and  Flemingsburg  owed  to  him  their  preservation  when  languishing  without  a 
pastor. 

The  Rev.  .Tohn  Lvle  was  a  native  of  Rockbridge  county,  Va.  born  on  20th 
October,  1769.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel  in  1795.  In  1797,  he  came 
to  Kentucky  as  a  missionary,  and  in  1800  took  charge  of  Salern  church,  where  he 
remained  for  several  years.  Mr.  Lyle  subsequently  removed  to  Paris,  where  he 
established  a  female  academy,  which  became  one  of  the  most  flourishing  in  the 
state,  embracing  from  150  to  200  pupils.  In  1809,  he  declined  teaching,  but  con- 
tinued in  the  active  discharge  of  his  ministerial  labors  until  1825,  on  the  22d  of 
July  of  which  year  he  departed  this  life.  He  bore  a  prominent  part  in  the  trying 
scenes  through  which  the  church  was  called  to  pass  during  the  early  period  of  his 
ministry.  He  was  a  man  of  sound  judgment  and  studious  habits ;  his  manner, 
in  the  pulpit,  feeling  and  earnest,  and  his  matter  sensible.  As  an  evidence  of 
the  blessed  fruits  of  his  faithful,  earnest  and  affectionate  style  of  preaching,  on 
one  occasion,  at  Mount  Pleasant,  the  Rev.  William  L.  McCalla  noted  the  names 
of  thirty-three  persons  impressed  by  the  sermon,  thirty-one  of  whom  afterward 
became  respectable  members  of  the  church. 

Rev.  Archibald  Cameron.  [A  sketch  of  this  distinguished  divine,  prepared 
by  a  friend,  but  too  long  for  insertion  under  this  head,  will  be  found  under  the 
head  of  Shelby  county.] 

Rev.  Joseph  P.  Howe  came  from  North  Carolina  in  1794,  and  was  ordained  in 
July,  1795,  over  Little  Mountain  (Mount  Sterling)  and  Springfield.  He  was  a 
good  man — prayed  and  sang  well — and  took  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  Great  Re- 
vival.    He  died  in  1830. 

Rev.  James  Welch,  from  Virginia,  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  Lexington  and 
Georgetown  churches,  in  1796,  in  which  charge  he  continued  till  1804.  He  was 
obliged  to  practice  medicine  for  the  support  of  his  family.  In  1799,  he  was  ap- 
pointed professor  of  ancient  languages  in  the  Transylvania  University,  which 
station  he  filled  for  several  years. 

Revs.  Matthew  Houston,  John  Dunlavy,  and  Richard  McNemar,  who  came 
to  Kentucky  about  the  close  of  the  last  century,  became  Shakers — the  latter  still 
living. 

Rev.  John  Howe  was  installed  pastor  of  Beaver  creek  and  Little  Barren,  in 
April,  1798.  He  is  still  living,  and  has  been  for  many  years  connected  with  the 
church  at  Greensburg. 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  137 

Many  other  ministers  came  to  Kentucky  about  the  close  of  the  last  century, 
among  them  the  Rev.  William  Robinson,  who,  in  1804,  was  dismissed  to  Wash- 
ington Presbytery ;  Rev.  Samuel  Finley,  from  South  Carolina ;  Rev.  James 
Vance,  from  Virginia ;  Rev.  James  Kemper,  and  Rev.  Samuel  B.  Robertson, 
and  Rev.  John  Bowman,  and  Rev.  John  Thompson,  from  North  Carolina. 

Rev.  James  Blythe,  D.  D.,  was  among  the  early  and  distinguished  preachers 
in  the  field.  He  was  born  in  North  Carolina  in  1765,  and  came  to  Kentucky,  as 
a  licentiate,  in  1791.  In  July,  1793,  he  was  ordained  pastor  of  Pisgah  and  Clear 
creek  churches.  To  these  churches  he  ministered,  as  pastor  or  stated  supply,  for 
upwards  of  forty  years.  Dr.  Blythe  took  an  active  part  in  the  establishment  of 
the  Kentucky  academy.  When  that  institution,  in  1798,  was  merged  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Transylvania,  he  was  appointed  professor  of  Mathematics,  Natural 
Philosophy,  Astronomy,  and  Geography ;  and,  subsequently,  on  the  resignation 
of  Mr.  Moore,  fulfilled  for  twelve  or  fifteen  years  the  duties  of  acting  president. 

On  the  election  of  Dr.  Holly,  as  president,  in  1818,  Dr.  Blythe  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  chair  of  Chemistry  in  the  medical  department,  which  situation  he 
retained  till  1831,  when  he  resigned. 

As  a  preacher.  Dr.  Blythe  was  full  of  energy  and  animation,  in  his  earlier  career; 
in  his  latter  years,  he  yielded  more  to  the  softer  emotions.  His  native  strength 
of  character,  prompt  decision,  and  practical  turn,  enabled  him  to  acquit  himself 
creditably  in  every  situation ;  while,  in  deliberative  bodies,  and  the  courts  of  the 
church,  these  qualities  gave  him  a  marked  ascendency,  to  which  his  portly 
figure  and  commanding  appearance  contributed  not  a  little.  He  died  in  1842, 
aged  seventy-seven  years. 

In  the  year  1820,  died  the  Rev.  James  McChord.  He  was  born  in  Baltimore 
in  1785,  and  removed  to  Lexington  when  five  years  of  age.  His  education  was 
liberal,  and  at  an  early  age  he  proceeded  to  read  law  with  the  Hon.  Henry  Clay. 
Becoming  pious,  he  devoted  his  life  to  the  ministry.  He  was  chosen  the  first 
pastor  of  the  second  Presbyterian  church  of  Lexington  in  1815,  which  situation 
he  held  till  the  year  1819,  when  he  removed  to  Paris.  His  published  writings 
■were  considerable,  among  them  two  volumes  of  sermons.  Mr.  McChord  was  a 
remarkably  brilliant  man — possessing  a  rapid  and  comprehensive  intellect,  a 
glowing  and  gorgeous  style,  and  an  exuberant  imagination.  His  successors  in 
the  second  or  McChord  church,  were  able  and  eloquent  men — the  Rev.  John  Breck- 
inridge in  1823;  Rev.  John  C.  Young  in  1829;  Rev.  Robert  Davidson  in  1832; 
Rev.  John  D.  Matthews  in  1841  ;  and  Rev.  John  H.  Brown,  in  1844. 

The  Rev.  Gideon  Blackburn  was  one  of  the  most  eloquent  divines  of  the 
west;  and  his  early  history  presents  a  most  remarkable  instance  of  perseverance 
in  the  face  of  difficulties.  Left  an  orphan  and  penniless  when  about  eleven  years 
of  age  (being  defrauded  out  of  the  handsome  patrimony  of  twenty  thousand  dol- 
lars), a  kind  school-master  gave  him  instruction  gratuitously;  and  he  obtained  a 
situation  in  a  saw-mill,  where  he  tended  the  saw  from  dark  till  day-light,  study- 
ing by  a  fire  of  pine-knots.  In  this  way  he  earned  a  dollar  every  night,  and 
made  rapid  proficiency  in  his  studies.  Thus  he  struggled  on  till  ready  to  enter 
college.  To  defray  this  new  expense,  he  labored  as  a  surveyor  for  four  months  ; 
frequently  sleeping  in  a  cane-brake  to  avoid  the  Indians,  and  having  no  shelter 
from  the  rain  but  a  blanket.  He  received  for  his  pay  fourteen  horses,  valued  at 
forty  dollars  a-piece.  These  he  took  to  Maryland  and  sold  for  fifteen  hundred 
dollars  ;  with  which  he  discharged  all  his  debts,  and  went  through  Dickinson 
college.  Thus  early  enured  to  hardships,  he  was  admirably  fitted  for  the  arduous 
duties  of  a  missionary  to  the  Cherokee  Indians,  to  which  he  was  appointed  by 
the  general  assembly  in  1803,  when  31  years  of  age.  In  1827,  he  was  appointed 
President  of  Centre  College  at  Danville,  which  situation  he  filled  till  1830, 
when  he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Young.  The  last  years  of  his  life 
were  spent  in  Illinois. 

The  Rev.  John  McFarland  and  the  Rev.  David  Nelson  were  clergymen  of 
a  high  order  of  talent.  The  former  died,  while  pastor  of  the  Paris  church,  in 
1828;  the  latter  departed  this  life,  in  Illinois,  in  1844. 


138  HISTORICAL   SKETCH    OF  THE 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Clelland,  D.  D.,  is  among  the  few  surviving-  ministers 
who  took  part  in  the  great  Revival  commencing  in  1800.  He  was  born  in  Mary- 
land in  1777,  and  came  to  Kentucky  when  very  young.  He  has  been  for  nearly 
half  a  century,  an  active,  laborious  and  remarkably  successful  herald  of  the  cross. 
His  printed  works  have  been  numerous  and  popular.  At  the  age  of  three  score 
and  ten,  there  seems  to  be  but  little  abatement  of  his  mental  and  physical  ener- 
gies. 

The  Rev.  John  Breckinridge,  D.  D.,  was  the  sixth  of  nine  children  of  the 
Hon.  John  Breckinridge,  (of  whose  life  a  sketch  will  be  found  under  the  head 
of  Breckinridge  county).  He  was  born  at  Cabell's-Dale,  on  North  Elkhorn,  on 
the  4th  day  of  July,  1797 ;  and  died  at  the  same  place  on  the  4th  day  of  August, 
1841,  having  just  completed  his  44th  year.  Some  account  has  been  given  of  his 
paternal  ancestors,  in  the  notice  of  his  father;  and  of  his  maternal,  in  that  of  his 
elder  brother,  Joseph  Cabell  Breckinridge.  His  father  died  when  he  was  nine 
years  old;  and  from  that  time,  he  was  reared  under  the  care  of  his  widowed 
mother,  and  brother  Cabell,  who  was  his  guardian.  His  education  was  conduct- 
ed at  the  best  schools  which  Kentucky  afforded,  and  completed  at  Princeton 
college,  N.  J.,  where  he  spent  about  three  years  as  a  pupil,  and  graduated  with 
great  distinction  in  the  autumn  of  1818,  having  just  completed  his  21st  year.  He 
was  destined  by  his  family  for  the  profession  of  the  law.  During  his  residence 
in  Princeton  college,  he  became  a  subject  of  divine  grace,  and  united  himself 
with  the  Presbyterian  church,  to  which  his  paternal  ancestors  had  been  attached 
from  the  period  of  the  reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century,  in  Scotland ;  and 
determined,  against  the  earnest  wishes  of  all  his  immediate  family — not  one  of 
whom  was  at  that  time  a  professor  of  religion — to  devote  himself  to  the  gospel 
ministry,  and,  as  it  is  believed,  to  the  work  of  foreign  missions.  The  providen- 
tial dealings  of  God  constantly  frustrated  this  latter  intention,  but  the  former  was 
carried  into  effect;  and  after  spending  several  years  more  in  Princeton,  as  a 
student  of  the  theological  seminary  there,  and  part  of  the  time  as  a  tutor  in  the 
college,  he  was  licensed  and  ordained  a  minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  Presby- 
terian church  of  the  United  States. 

In  1822,  he  was  chaplain  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  Congress  of 
the  United  States.  In  1823,  he  settled  in  Lexington,  Ky.,  as  pastor  of  the  Mc- 
Chord  church  of  that  place.  In  1826,  he  removed  to  the  city  of  Baltimore,  as 
co-pastor  of  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Glendy ;  and  afterwards,  as  sole  pastor  of  the  sec- 
ond Presbyterian  church  in  that  city.  In  1831,  he  removed  to  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia, as  secretary  and  general  agent  of  the  board  of  education  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church.  In  1836,  the  general  assembly  of  that  church  elected  him  a 
professor  in  the  theological  seminary  at  Princeton,  New  Jersey,  to  which  place 
he  then  removed.  Upon  the  organization  of  the  board  of  foreign  missions  by  the 
Presbyterian  church,  he  was  elected  its  secretary  and  general  agent,  and  contin- 
ued at  the  head  of  the  operations  of  that  board  from  about  1838  to  1840.  At  the 
period  of  his  death,  he  was  the  pastor  elect  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  the 
city  of  New  Orleans,  and  president  elect  of  the  university  of  Oglethorpe,  in 
Georgia. 

He  was  a  man  of  extraordinary  gifts.  To  great  gentleness  and  refinement  of 
manners  and  feelings,  he  added  remarkable  correctness  and  vigor  of  purpose  and 
force  of  will.  Ardent  and  intrepid,  as  ever  man  was,  he  was  also  patient  of  labor, 
calm  and  wary  in  the  formation  of  his  designs,  and  indomitable  in  the  resolution 
with  which  he  pursued  his  objects.  His  success  in  life  was,  of  necessity,  striking 
and  universal ;  and  at  the  period  of  his  death,  though  he  had  scarcely  attained 
the  meridian  of  life,  he  was  probably  as  universally  known,  and  as  universally 
admired  and  loved,  as  any  minister  of  the  gospel  in  America  had  ever  been.  A 
more  generous,  disinterested  and  benevolent  man,  never  lived.  His  talents  were 
of  a  high  order;  and  in  the  midst  of  a  life  of  incessant  activity,  he  acquired  very 
extensive  learning  in  his  immediate  profession,  and  was  justly  and  highly  dis- 
tinguished for  the  compass  and  elegance  of  his  general  attainments.  As  a  pub- 
lic speaker,  and  especially  as  a  pulpit  orator,  few  of  his  generation  equalled 
him — and  taken  for  all  in  all,  hardly  one  excelled  him.  So  greatly  was  he  ad- 
mired and  loved,  and  so  high  was  the  public  confidence  in  him,  that  calls  and  in- 
vitations to  churches,  colleges,  and  every  sort  of  public  employment,  suitable  to 


ROMAN   CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  139 

his  calling  as  a  christian  minister,  were  continually  pressed  upon  him  from  every 
section  of  the  United  States.  His  connection  with  the  great  movements  and 
controversie?  of  his  age,  so  far  as  they  bore  a  moral  or  religious  aspect,  was 
close  and  constant.  A  few  hours  before  his  death,  and  almost  as  his  last  words, 
he  uttered  these  sublime  words  :  "  I  am  a  poor  sinner,  who  have  worked  hard, 
and  had  constantly  before  my  mind  one  great  object — the  conversion  of  the 
WORLD."     It  was  a  true  and  an  honest  synopsis  of  his  life  and  labors. 

One  of  the  most  extraordinary  and  scandalous  events  that  ever  occurred,  was 
the  attempt  made  five  years  after  the  death  of  this  good  and  great  man,  by  cer- 
tain Roman  Catholics  of  St.  Louis  and  elsewhere,  to  prove  that  he  had  died  a 
convert  to  their  religion — a  religion  which  he  spent  many  years  of  his  life  in  the 
most  ardent  efforts  to  confute  and  expose — and  in  regard  to  which,  the  evidence 
was  perfectly  conclusive  that,  to  the  end  of  his  life,  he  thought  the  worse  of  it, 
as  he  more  and  more  examined  it. 

In  personal  appearance,  he  was  a  man  of  the  middle  stature — lightly,  but 
finely  and  elegantly  made — and  possessed  of  great  strength  and  activity.  His 
features  wore  an  habitual  aspect  of  mingled  gentlenessy  sadness,  and  almost 
severity.  His  eyes  and  hair  were  light  hazle.  He  was  twice  married — the  first 
time,  to  a  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Miller,  of  New  Jersey ;  the  second  time,  to 
a  daughter  of  Colonel  Babcock,  of  Connecticut.  His  second  wife,  and  three 
children  by  the  first,  and  one  by  the  second  marriage,  survive  him. 


HISTORICAL   SKETCH 

OF   THE 

EARLY  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH,  IN  KENTUCKY; 

WITH    BRIEF    BIOGEAFHICAL  NOTICES   OF  THE  PKINCIPAL  CATHOLIC  MISSIONARIES,  WHO 
HAVE  SUCCESSIVELY  LABORED  IN  THIS  STATE. 


The  glowing  accounts  of  the  surpassing  beauty  and  fertility  of  Kentucky,  fur- 
nished by  the  early  pioneers  on  their  return  to  the  bosom  of  their  families  in 
North  Carolina  and  Virginia,  created  a  deep  sensation  throughout  the  western 
borders  of  these  states,  and  awakened  a  spirit  of  adventure,  which  soon  extended 
to  Maryland  and  other  adjoining  states.  Large  bodies  of  emigrants  began  to 
pour  into  the  newly  discovered  and  but  half  explored  wilderness,  inhabited  till 
then  only  by  wild  beasts  and  by  roving  bands  of  savages.  The  daring  spirit  of 
Boone,  Harrod  and  Logan  was  soon  communicated  to  large  masses  of  popula- 
tion ;  and  the  consequence  was,  that  in  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  from  its 
first  discovery  or  exploration,  Kentucky  had  a  sufficient  population  to  be  admitted 
as  one  of  the  independent  states  of  this  great  confederacy;  the  second  that  was 
added  to  the  venerable  thirteen,  which  had  fought  the  battles  of  independence. 

Maryland  shared  abundantly  in  the  enthusiasm  which  had  already  set  one- 
fourth  of  the  adjacent  populations  in  motion  towards  the  west.  The  Catholics 
who  settled  in  Kentucky,  came  principally  from  this  state,  which  had  been 
founded  by  Lord  Baltimore,  and  a  band  of  colonists  professing  the  Roman 
Catholic  religion.  Bold,  hardy,  adventurous  and  strongly  attached  to  their  faith, 
but  tolerant  towards  those  of  other  denominations,  the  Catholic  emigrants  to 
Kentucky,  proved  not  unworthy  of  their  ancestors,  who  had  been  the  first  to  un- 
furl on  this  western  continent,  the  broad  banner  of  universal  freedom,  both  civil 
and  religious.*    They  cheerfully  underwent  the  labors,  privations  and  dangers, 

*  Bancroft  in  his  History  of  the  United  States,  (Vol.1.  Maryland),  awards  this  praise  to  the  Catholic 
colonists  of  Maryland;  and  so  do  our  other  historians, yoisi'm. 


140  HISTORICAL    SKETCH   OF   THE 

to  which  all  the  early  emigrants  were  exposed  ;  and  they  made  common  cause 
with  their  brethren  in  providing  for  the  security  of  their  new  homes  in  the  wil- 
derness, and  in  repelling  Indian  invasions.  Several  of  their  number  were  killed 
or  dragged  into  captivity  on  their  way  to  Kentucky  ;  others  passed  through  stir- 
ring adventures,  and  made  hair-breadth  escapes. 

The  first  Catholic  emigrants  to  Kentucky,  with  whose  history  we  are  ac- 
quainted, were  Dr.  Hart  and  William  Coomes.  These  came  out  in  the  spring 
of  1775,  and  settled  at  Harrod's  station.  Here  Dr.  Hart  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  medicine ;  and  the  wife  of  William  Coomes  opened  a  school  for  children. 
Thus  in  all  probability,  the  first  practising  physician  and  the  first  school  teacher 
of  our  infant  commonwealth  were  both  Roman  Catholics.  A  few  years  later  they 
removed  with  their  families  to  Bardstown,  in  the  vicinity  of  which  most  of  the 
Catholic  emigrants  subsequently  located  themselves.  Previously  to  their  removal, 
however,  they  were  both  actively  employed  in  the  defence  of  Harrod's  Station 
during  its  memorable  siege  by  the  Indians  in  1776-77.  William  Coomes  was 
with  the  party  which  first  discovered  the  approach  of  the  savages ;  one  of  his 
companions  was  shot  dead  at  his  side ;  and  he  made  a  narrow  escape  with  his 
life. 

In  the  year  1785  a  large  colony  of  Catholics  emigrated  to  Kentucky  from 
Maryland,  with  the  Haydens  and  Lancasters,  and  settled  chiefly  on  Pottinger's 
creek,  at  a  distance  of  from  ten  to  fifteen  miles  from  Bardstown.  They  were 
followed  in  the  spring  of  the  next  year,  by  another  colony  led  out  by  captain 
James  Rapier,  who  located  himself  in  the  same  neighborhood.  In  1787,  Thomas 
Hill  and  Philip  Miles  brought  out  another  band  of  Catholic  emigrants,  and  they 
were  followed  in  1788,  by  Robert  Abell,  and  his  friends;  and  in  1790-91,  by 
Benedict  Spalding  and  Leonard  Hamilton,  with  their  families  and  connexions. 
The  last  named  colonists  settled  on  the  Rolling  Fork,  a  branch  of  Salt  river, 
in  the  present  county  of  Marion. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year  1787,  there  were  already  about  fifty  Catholic  families 
in  Kentucky.  They  had  as  yet  no  Catholic  clergyman  to  administer  to  their 
spiritual  wants:  and  they  felt  the  privation  most  keenly.  Upon  application  to 
the  Very  Rev.  John  Carroll,  of  Baltimore,  then  the  ecclesiastical  superior  of  all 
the  Catholics  in  the  United  States,  they  had  the  happiness  to  receive  as  their 
first  pastor  the  Rev-  Mr.  Whelan,  a  zealous  and  talented  Irish  priest,  who  had 
served  as  chaplain  in  the  French  navy,  which  had  come  to  our  assistance  in  the 
struggle  for  independence.  He  remained  with  his  new  charge  till  the  spring  of 
1790,  when  he  returned  to  Maryland  by  the  way  of  New  Orleans. 

After  his  departure,  the  Catholics  of  Kentucky  were  again  left  in  a  destitute 
condition  for  nearly  three  years  ;  when  they  were  consoled  by  the  appearance 
among  them  of  the  Rev.  Stephen  Theodore  Badin,  who  was  sent  out  as  their 
pastor  by  bishop  Carroll,  of  Baltimore,  in  the  year  1793.  This  excellent,  learned, 
zealous  and  indefatigable  religious  pioneer  of  our  state,  still  lingering  in  venera- 
ble old  age  above  the  horizon  of  life,  labored  with  unremitting  zeal  among  the 
Catholics  of  our  state  for  more  than  thirty  years,  and  even  after  this  long  term  of 
service,  though  worn  down  with  previous  exertion,  and  induced  to  travel  and  take 
some  relaxation  for  his  health,  he  still  continued  to  work  at  intervals  in  the  vine- 
yard which  he  had  so  dearly  loved  and  so  long  cultivated. 

His  adventures  and  hardships  would  fill  a  volume;  and  the  varied  incidents  of 
his  remarkable  life  cannot  even  be  alluded  to  in  this  brief  sketch.  Wherever 
there  was  sickness  or  spiritual  destitution ;  wherever  error  or  vice  was  to  be 
eradicated,  and  virtue  inculcated ;  wherever  youth  was  to  be  instructed  and 
trained  to  religious  observances ;  wherever,  in  a  word,  his  spiritual  ministrations 
were  most  needed,  there  he  was  sure  to  be  found  laboring  with  all  his  native 
energy,  for  the  good  of  his  neighbor.  Difficulties  and  dangers,  which  would 
have  appalled  a  heart  less  stout  and  resolute,  were  set  at  naught  by  this  untiring 
man.  He  traversed  Kentucky  on  horseback  hundreds  of  times  on  missionary 
duty ;  and  he  spent  nearly  half  his  time  in  the  saddle.  Through  rain  and 
storm,  through  hail  and  snow;  along  the  beaten  path  and  through  the  trackless 
wilderness,  by  day  and  by  night,  he  might  be  seen  going  on  his  errand  of  mercy; 
often  for  years  together,  alone  in  the  field,  and  always  among  the  foremost  to 
labor,  even  when  subsequently  joined  by  other  zealous  Catholic  missionaries. 
He  was  intimate  with  the  most  distinguished  men  of  Kentucky  in  the  early 


ROMAN   CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  141 

times,  and  his  politeness,  learning,  affability  and  wit,  made  him  always  a  wel- 
come guest  at  their  tables. 

When  he  first  came  to  Kentucky  in  1793,  he  estimated  the  number  of  Catho- 
lic families  in  the  state  at  three  hundred;  he  has  lived  to  see  this  number  swell 
to  more  than  six  thousand.  When  he  first  entered  on  this  missionary  field,  there 
was  not  a  Catholic  church  in  the  entire  commonwealth,  and  there  were  few,  if 
any.  Catholic  schools;  at  present  there  are  more  than  forty  churches,  besides  a 
great  number  of  missionary  stations,  about  forty  Catholic  priests,  one  religious 
establishment  for  men,  two  colleges  for  young  men,  four  female  religious  in- 
stitutions, eleven  academies  for  girls,  five  or  six  charitable  institutions  :  besides 
an  ecclesiastical  seminary,  and  some  minor  schools.  The  entire  Catholic  popula- 
tion of  the  State,  may  be  now  estimated  at  thirty  thousand. 

After  having  remained  alone  in  Kentucky  for  nearly  four  years.  Rev.  M.  Badin 
was  joined  by  another  zealous  Catholic  missionary,  like  himself  a  native  of 
France;  the  Rev.  M.  Fournier,  who  reached  the  State  in  February,  1797.  Two 
years  later — in  February,  1799,  the  two  missionaries  were  cheered  by  the  arrival 
of  another,  the  Rev.  M.  Salmon,  likewise  a  Frenchman.  But  these  two  last  named 
clergymen  did  not  long  survive  the  arduous  labors  of  the  mission.  M.  Salmon 
after  a  serious  illness  contracted  by  exposure,  was  suddenly  killed  by  a  fall  from 
his  horse  near  Bardstown,  on  the 9th  of  November,  1799;  and  the  Rev.  M.  Fournier 
died  soon  after  on  the  Rolling  Fork,  probably  from  the  rupture  of  a  blood-vessel. 

Their  places  were  filled  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Thayer,  a  native  of  New  England, 
who  had  once  been  a  Congregational  minister  in  Boston,  but  had  from  convic- 
tion become  a  Catholic,  and  had  been  promoted  to  the  ministry  in  our  church. 
He  arrived  in  Kentucky  in  1799  ;  having  been  sent  out,  like  the  rest,  by  bishop 
Carroll,  of  Baltimore,  the  venerable  patriarch  of  the  Catholic  church  in 
America;  and  he  remained  in  the  State  till  1803.  After  his  departure,  M.  Badin 
was  again  left  alone  for  about  two  years, — until  the  year  1805. 

This  year  is  memorable  in  our  religious  annals,  as  marking  the  arrival  among 
ns  of  one  among  the  most  active  and  efficient  of  our  early  missionaries — the  Rev. 
Charles  Nerinckx,  a  native  of  Belgium,  who,  like  many  others  of  our  first  mis- 
sionaries, had  been  compelled  to  leave  Europe  in  consequence  of  the  disturbances 
caused  by  the  French  Revolution.  Strong,  healthy,  robust,  and  full  of  faith  and 
religious  zeal,  he  was  admirably  suited  to  endure  the  hardships  necessarily  con- 
nected with  our  early  missions.  He  shrank  from  no  labor,  and  was  disheartened 
by  no  difficulties.  He  labored  without  cessation,  both  bodily  and  mentally,  for 
nearly  twenty  years,  and  he  died  on  a  missionary  excursion  to  Missouri,  in  1824. 
He  erected  in  Kentucky  no  less  than  ten  Catholic  churches,  in  the  building  of 
which  he  often  worked  with  his  own  hands.  Two  of  these  were  of  brick,  and 
the  rest  of  hewed  logs. 

For  many  years  he  had  charge  of  six  large  congregations,  besides  a  great  num- 
ber of  minor  stations,  scattered  over  the  whole  extent  of  the  State.  Like  M. 
Badin,  he  spent  much  of  his  time  on  horseback,  and  traveled  by  night  as  well  as 
by  day.  On  his  famous  horse  Printer,  he  very  often  traveled  sixty  miles  in  the 
day;  and  to  save  time,  he  not  unfrequently  set  out  on  his  journeys  at  sunset.  He 
often  swam  swollen  creeks  and  rivers,  even  in  the  dead  of  winter;  he  frequently 
slept  in  the  woods :  and  on  one  occasion,  in  what  is  now  Grayson  county,  he  was 
beset  by  wolves  during  a  whole  night,  when  he  was  saved,  under  the  divine  pro- 
tection, by  his  presence  of  mind  in  sitting  on  his  horse  and  keeping  his  persecu- 
tors at  bay  by  hallooing  at  the  top  of  his  voice.  Exact  in  enforcing  discipline, 
he  was  more  rigid  with  himself  than  with  any  one  else.  He  cared  not  for  his 
bodily  comfort,  and  was  content  with  the  poorest  accommodations.  He  delighted 
to  visit  the  poor,  and  to  console  them  in  their  afflictions;  while  children  and  ser- 
vants were  the  special  objects  of  his  pastoral  solicitude. 

In  order  to  promote  female  piety  and  education,  this  good  man  founded  the 
Sisterhood  of  Loretto,  in  April,  1812.  The  objects  of  this  establishment  were; 
to  enable  those  young  ladies  who  wished  to  retire  from  the  world,  and  to  devote 
themselves  wholly  to  prayer  and  the  exercises  of  charity,  to  be  useful  to  them- 
selves and  to  others,  by  diffusing  the  blessings  of  a  Christian  education  among 
young  persons  of  their  own  sex,  especially  among  the  daughters  of  the  poor. 
They  were  also  to  receive  and  rear  up  orphan  girls,  who,  if  left  on  the  cold  char- 
ities of  ihe  world,  might  have  gone  to  ruin  themselves,  and  have  become  an 


142  HISTORICAL   SKETCH    OF   THE 

occasion  of  ruin  to  others.  The  institution  succeeded  even  beyond  his  most  san 
guine  expectations.  Within  the  twelve  years  which  elapsed  from  its  establish- 
ment to  the  death  of  its  founder,  the  number  of  sisters  who  devoted  themselves 
to  this  manner  of  life  had  already  increased  to  more  than  a  hundred  ;  and  they 
had  under  their  charge  more  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  girls,  distributed  through 
six  different  schools,  besides  many  orphans,  whom  they  fed,  clothed,  and  educated 
gratuitously.  The  institution  now  reckons  about  one  hundred  and  eighty  mem- 
bers ;  and  besides  the  mother  house,  which  is  at  Loretto,  in  Marion  county,  it  has 
eight  branch  establishments,  five  of  which  are  in  Kentucky,  and  three  in  IMis- 
souri.  All  of  these  have  female  schools  attached  to  them,  in  which  young  ladies 
are  taught  not  only  the  elements  of  English  education,  but  also  the  varied  accom- 
plishments which  fit  them  for  the  most  refined  society. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year  1806,  a  new  band  of  Catholic  missionaries  came  to 
Kentucky,  and  established  themselves  at  St.  Rose's,  near  Springfield.  They  were 
the  Rev.  Messrs.  Edward  Fenwick,*  Thomas  Wilson,  Wm.  Raymond  Tuite,  and 
R.  Anger;  the  first  a  native  ol  Maryland,  and  the  three  last  Englishmen.  They 
were  all  of  the  order  of  St.  Dominic.  They  took  charge  of  a  considerable  por- 
tion of  the  Catholic  missions,  and  labored  with  great  zeal  and  efficiency  in  the 
vineyard.  Connected  with  their  institution  were  a  theological  seminary  and  a 
college  for  young  men,  both  of  which  continued  to  flourish  for  many  years. 

About  a  mile  from  St.  Rose's,  there  was  also  established,  at  a  later  period,  the 
still  flourishing  female  institution  of  St.  Magdalene's,  conducted  by  sisters  of 
the  third  order  of  St.  Dominic,  which  has  now  a  branch  establishment  at  Somer- 
set, Ohio.  This  latter  institution,  the  permanent  establishment  of  which  is 
mainly  due  to  the  enlightened  zeal  of  Bishop  Miles,  of  Nashville,  has  done  great 
good  in  promoting  the  diffusion  of  female  education  among  all  classes  of  our 
population. 

In  the  fall  of  the  year  1805,  the  Trappists  came  to  Kentucky  with  the  Rev. 
Urban  Guillet,  their  superior;  and  they  remained  in  the  State,  at  their  establish- 
ment on  Pottinger's  creek,  near  Rohan's  knob,  for  about  four  years,  when  they 
removed  to  Missouri,  and  subsequently  to  Illinois.  They  were  a  body  of  religious 
monks  who  devoted  themselves  to  fasting  and  prayer,  and  lived  retired  from  the 
world.  They  were,  however,  of  great  assistance  to  the  infant  Catholic  missions 
of  Kentucky,  not  only  by  the  influence  of  their  prayers  and  good  example,  but 
also  by  their  efforts  to  promote  education,  especially  among  the  children  of  the 
poor.  They  established  a  school  for  boys,  in  which  manual  labor  and  instruc- 
tion in  the  mechanical  arts  were  combined  with  a  religious  training  and  the 
teaching  of  the  ordinary  rudiments  of  an  English  education. 

In  the  year  181 1,  the  Catholics  of  our  State  were  cheered  by  the  arrival  among 
them  of  their  first  bishop,  the  Rt.  Reverend  Dr.  Flaget,  who  had  been  consecrated 
in  Baltimore  by  Bishop  Carroll,  on  the  4th  of  November  of  the  previous  year. 
This  venerable  missionary  pioneer,  now  in  his  eighty-fourth  year,  had  been 
already  in  the  west,  having  been  stationed  for  two  years  at  Post  Vincennes,  as 
early  as  1792,  shortly  after  his  arrival  in  the  United  States  from  France,  his 
native  country.  When  he  passed  Cincinnati  in  that  year,  there  were  only  four 
rude  cabins  in  this  now  flourishing  city;  and  Louisville  was  but  little  farther  ad- 
vanced. How  different  is  the  entire  west  now,  from  what  it  was  on  occasion  of 
his  first  visit,  or  even  on  that  of  his  second  in  1811  !  What  was  then  an  unre- 
claimed wilderness,  filled  with  wild  beasts  and  still  fiercer  savages,  is  now  a 
smiling  garden  of  civilization. 

We  cannot  attempt  to  write  even  a  rapid  sketch  of  the  life  and  labors  of  Bishop 
Flaget  in  Kentucky,  during  the  last  thirty-six  years;  a  volume  would  be  neces- 
sary to  do  full  justice  to  his  excellent  and  admirable  character.  The  incidents 
of  his  life  are  familiar  to  all  the  Catholics  of  the  State;  while  the  many  benev- 
olent and  literary  institutions  he  has  reared,  are  the  best  monuments  to  his  mem- 
ory. Suffice  it  to  say,  that  he  has  ever  blended  the  active  benevolence  and 
charity  of  the  Christian  missionary  with  the  amiable  politeness  of  the  accom- 
plished gentleman.  He  had  and  still  has  a  multitude  of  warm  friends,  even 
among  the  dissenting  communions  :  he  never  had  one  enemy. 

Among  the  companions   of  Bishop   Flaget,  when  he  came  to  take   up    his 

*  Subsequently  the  first  bishop  of  Cincinnati. 


ROMAN    CATHOLIC    CHURCH.  143 

permanent  abode  in  Kentucky,  were  the  Rev.  J.  B.  M.  David,  and  the  Rev.  G. 
J.  Chabrat — the  latter  not  yet  a  priest;  both  of  whom  afterwards  were  succes- 
sively appointed  his  coadjutors.  The  latter  was  the  first  priest  ordained  by  Bishop 
Flaget  in  Kentucky. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  David,  or,  as  he  was  familiarly  called,  Father  David,  was  con- 
secrated bishop  in  the  newly  dedicated  cathedral  of  Bardstown,  on  the  15th  of 
August,  1819;  and  he  died  on  the  r2th  of  July,  1841,  in  the  eighty-first  year 
of  his  age.  He  was  the  founder  of  the  theological  seminary  of  Bardstown,  and 
of  the  order  of  Sisters  of  Charity,  in  Kentucky.  In  the  former  institution,  founded 
in  1811,  were  educated  most  of  the  clergymen  now  on  the  missions  of  Ken- 
tucky, many  of  them  under  his  own  eye.  The  society  of  Sisters  of  Charity  was 
commenced  at  St.  Thomas,  four  miles  from  Bardstown,  in  November,  1812;  and 
the  number  of  its  members  increased  apace,  until  it  was  soon  able  to  send  out 
new  colonies  to  different  parts  of  the  State.  The  society  now  has  four  branch 
establishments  under  the  general  supervision  of  the  parent  institution  at  Naza- 
reth, near  Bardstown ;  it  has  more  than  seventy-five  members ;  it  educates 
annually  about  five  hundred  young  ladies,  and  has  charge  of  an  infirmary  and 
orphan  asylum,  in  the  latter  of  which  there  are  at  present  about  seventy  orphan 
girls,  rescued  from  want,  and  trained  to  virtue  and  learning. 

Among  the  most  zealous  and  efficient  deceased  Catholic  clergymen  of 
our  State,  we  may  reckon  the  Rev.  William  Byrne  and  the  Rev.  G.  A.  M.  Elder ; 
the  former  an  Irishman,  and  the  founder  of  St.  Mary's  college,  in  Marion  county  ; 
the  latter  a  Kenluckian,  and  the  founder  of  St.  Joseph's  college,  in  Bardstown. 
These  two  institutions,  which  have  continued  to  flourish  ever  since,  and  which 
have  been  of  immense  advantage  to  the  cause  of  education  in  Kentucky,  stand 
forth  the  fittest  and  most  durable  monuments  to  their  memory.  Having  been  for 
many  years  bound  together  by  ties  of  the  closest  Christian  friendship,  they  were 
both  ordained  together  in  the  cathedral  of  Bardstown,  by  Bishop  David,  on  the 
18th  of  September,  1819. 

As  an  evidence  of  the  unconquerable  energy  of  these  two  men,  we  may  re- 
mark, that  the  two  institutions  which  they  respectively  founded,  and  in  the 
welfare  of  which  they  felt  so  lively  an  interest,  were  both  reduced  to  ashes 
under  their  very  eyes, — St.  Mary's  college  at  two  different  times  ;  and  that  they 
were  immediately  rebuilt  by  their  founders,  who,  far  from  being  discouraged  by 
the  afflicting  disaster,  seemed  in  consequence  of  it  to  be  clothed,  on  the  contrary, 
with  new  vigor  and  resolution.  No  difficulties  terrified  them  ;  no  obstacles  were 
deemed  by  them  insurmountable.  The  State  never  contributed  one  dollar  to 
either  of  these  institutions,  nor  were  they  erected  by  the  wealth  of  their  founders 
or  the  liberal  contributions  of  individuals.  The  persevering  industry  and  untir- 
ing energy  of  two  men,  wholly  unprovided  with  pecuniary  means,  and  yet  deter- 
mined to  succeed  at  all  hazards,  built  up,  rebuilt,  and  maintained  those  two  institu- 
tions of  learning.  They  and  their  associates  asked  no  salary,  no  worldly  retribu- 
tion for  their  labors  ;  and  the  entire  proceeds  of  the  institutions  thus  went  towards 
paying  the  debts  contracted  for  the  erection  of  them.  So  great  was  the  confi- 
dence reposed  in  the  two  founders  by  all  classes  of  the  community,  that  they  had 
credit,  to  an  unlimited  amount ;  and  it  is  almost  needless  to  add,  that  not  one  of 
their  creditors  ever  lost  a  dollar  by  the  trust  reposed  in  their  integrity  and  ability 
to  meet  all  their  liabilities. 

The  Rev.  William  Byrne  died  of  the  cholera,  at  St.  Mary's  college,  on  the 
5th  of  June,  1833  ;  and  his  friend  followed  him  on  the  28th  of  September,  1838. 
The  latter  died  at  St.  Joseph's  college,  of  an  afTection  of  the  heart,  which  he  had 
contracted  many  years  before,  while  a  student  at  Emmetsburgh  college,  Maryland. 
Both  fell  victims  of  their  zeal  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  their  office  ;  both 
died  in  the  arms  of  their  dearest  friends,  in  the  institutions  which  they  had  reared, 
and  which  they  left  behind  them  as  their  sepulchral  monuments. 

Here  we  must  close  this  hasty  and  imperfect  sketch.  The  narrow  limits  by 
which  we  were  confined,  prevented  us  from  speaking  of  several  other  things  wor- 
thy of  notice  in  our  religious  history  ;  while  we  have  on  purpose  abstained  from 
saying  much  of  those  who  are  still  living,  whose  biographies  will  be  more  ap- 
propriately written  when  they  shall  be  no  more. 


MISCELLANEOUS    STATISTICS. 


GOVERNORS,   LIEUTENANT   GOVERNORS   AND   SECRETARIES  OF  THE 
COMMONWEALTH. 

I.  Isaac  Shelby,  the  first  governor,  took  the  oath  of  office  on  the  4th  of  June,  1792,  under 

the  first  constitution.     James  Brown,  secretary  of  slate. 
II.  James  Garrard  took  the  oath  of  office  June  1,  1796.    Harry  Toulman,  secretary.    The 
present  constitution  was  formed  1799. 

III.  James  Garrard,  being  eligible,  was  again  elected  governor;  Alexander  S.  Bullitt,  lieu- 

tenant governor ;  Harry  Toulman  secretary — 1800. 

IV.  Christopher  Greenup,  governor ;    John  Caldwell,  lieutenant  governor ;  John  Rowan, 

secretary — 1804. 
V.  Charles   Scott,  governor;    Gabriel   Slaughter,  lieutenant   governor;    Jesse  Bledsoe, 
secretary — 1808. 

VI.  Isaac  Shelby,  governor;  Richard  Hickman,  lieutenant  governor;  Martin  D.  Hardin, 

secretary — 1812. 

VII.  George  Madison,  governor ;  Gabriel  Slaughter,  lieutenant  governor ;  Charles  S,  Todd, 

secretary — 1816.  Governor  Madison  died  at  Paris,  Kentucky,  on  the  14th  October, 
1816,  and  on  the  21st  of  the  same  month,  Gabriel  Slaughter,  lieutenant  governor,  as- 
sumed the  duties  of  executive.  John  Pope,  and  after  him,  Oliver  G.  Waggoner, 
secretary. 

Vin.  John  Adair,  governor ;  William  T.  Barry,  lieutenant  governor;  Joseph  Cabell  Breck- 
inridge, and  after  him,  Thomas  B.  Monroe,  secretary — 1820. 

IX.  Joseph  Desha,  governor;  Robert  B.  M'Afee,  lieutenant  governor;  William  T.  Barry, 

succeeded  by  James  C.  Pickett,  secretary — 1824. 
X.  Thomas  Metcalfe,  governor;  John  Breathitt,  lieutenant  governor;  George  Robertson, 
succeeded  by  Thomas  T.  Crittenden,  secretary — 1828. 

XI.  John  Breathitt,  governor :  James  T.  Morehead,  lieutenant  governor;  Lewis  Sanders, 
jr.,  secretary.  Governor  Breathitt  died  on  the  21st  of  February,  1834,  and  on  the 
22d  of  the  same  month,  James  T.  Morehead,  the  lieutenant  governor,  took  the  oath  of 
office  as  governor  of  the  state.  John  J.  Crittenden,  WiUiam  Owsley  and  Austin  P. 
Cox,  were  successively,  secretary — 1832. 

Xn.  James  Clark,  governor;  Charles  A.  Wicklifle,  lieutenant  governor ;  James  M.Bul- 
lock, secretary.  Governor  Clark  departed  this  Ufe  on  the  27th  September,  1839, 
and  on  the  5th  of  October,  Charles  A.  Wickliffe,  lieutenant  governor,  assumed  the 
duties  of  Governor — 1836. 

XIII.  Robert  P.  Letcher,  governor ;    Manlius  V.  Thomson,  lieutenant  governor ;   James 

Harlan,  secretary — 1840. 

XIV.  WiUiam  Owsley,  governor;  Archibald  Dixon,  lieutenant  governor ;  Benjamin  Har- 

din, George  B.  Kinkead  and  William  D.  Reed,  successively,  secretary — 1844. 


LIST  OF  SENATORS  IN  CONGRESS,  FROM  1792  TO  1847. 


In.  Out. 

Adair,  John 1805-06 

Barry,  William  T 1814-16 

„.,,    „  ,, C  1811-14 

Bibb,  George  M  j  1829-35 

Bledsoe,  Jesse 1813-15 

Breckinridge,  John 1801-05 

Brown,  Jolin 1792-95 

r 1806-07 

Clay,  Henry <  1810-11 

(^1831-42 

ri817-19 

Crittendem,  John  J ^1835-41 

.    .    .  (^1842-49 
(144) 


In.  Out 

Edwards,  John 1792-95 

Hardin,  Martin  D 1816-17 

Johnson,  Richard  M 1819-29 

Logan,  William 1819-20 

Marshall,  Humphrey 1795-1801 

Morehead,  James  T 1841-47 

Pope,  John 1807-13 

Rowan,  John 182.5-31 

Talbot,  Isham <  1820-25 

Thurston,  John  Buckner  .    .    .    .     1805-10 

Underwood,  Joseph  R 1847-53 

WaUu-r,  George d814-15 


REPRESENTATIVES  IN   CONGRESS. 


145 


LIST    OF    REPRESENTATIVES    IN    CONGRESS. 


In.  Out 

Adair,  John 1831-33 

Allan,  Chilton 1831-37 

Anderson,  Richard  C 1817-21 

Anderson,  S.  H 1839-41 

Andrews,  L.  W 1839-43 

Barry,  William  T 1810-11 

Beatty,  Martin 1833-35 

Bedinger,  George  M 1803-07 

Bell,  Joshua  F 1845-47 

o      ,   T •  ^ 1835-37 

^°y^''  ^''"^      t  1839-47 

Boyle,  John 1803-09 

Breckenridge,  J.  D 1821-23 

Brown,  William 1819-21 

Buckner,  Richard  A 1823-29 

Bullock,  Wingfield 1820-21 

Butler,  William  0 1839-43 

Caldwell,  G.  A 1843-45 

Calhoun,  John 1835-39 

Campbell,  John 1837-38 

,,,       ,          ,  .  C 1828-29 

Chambers,  John <  1q'^<S  ^q 

Chilton,  Thomas <  io.>o~oc 

(^  1833—05 

Christie,  Henry        1809-11 

Clark,  James {  I825I3I 

ri811-14 
Clay,  Henry ^1815-21 

(^1823-25 

Coleman,  Nicholas  D 1829-31 

Daniel,  Henry 1827-33 

Davi.s,  Amos 1833-35 

Davis,  Garret 1839-47 

Davis,  Thomas  T 1797-1803 

Desha,  Joseph  .    . 1807-19 

Duval,  William  P 1813-15 

Fletcher,  Thomas 1816-17 

Fowler,  John 1797-1807 

French,  Richard i  10^0"^  = 

^ 1843-45 

Gaithor,  Nathan 1829-33 

Graves,  William  J 183.5-41 

Green,  Willis 1839-45 

Greenup,  Christopher 1792-97 

Grider,  Henry 1843-47 


Hardin,  Benjamin 


Harlan,  Jumes 1835-39 

Hawes,  Albert  G 1831-37 

Hawes,  Richard 1837-41 

Hawkins,  Joseph  W 1814-15 

Henry,  Robert  P 1823-27 

Hopkins,  Samuel 1813-15 

Howard,  Benjamin 1807-10 

Johnson,  Francis 1821-27 

Johnson,  James 1825-26 

Johnson,  Richard  M k  .  o.^Q^oy 

10 


John.son,  John  T.    .  , 
Kincaid,  John  .    .    . 
Lecompte,  Joseph    . 

Letcher,  Robert  P.  .  , 

Love,  James      .    .    .  , 

Lyon,  Chittenden     .  , 

Lyon,  Matthew    .    .  , 

Marshall,  'J'homas  A.  . 

Marshall,  Thomas  F.  . 

Martin,  John  P.    .    .  . 

McHatton,  Robert    .  , 

McHenry,  John  H.  .  , 

McKee,  Samuel    .    .  , 

McLean,  Alney    .    .  . 

Menifee,  Richard  H.  . 

Metcalfe,  'I'homas    ,  , 

Montgomery,  Thomas 


Moore,  Thomas  P. 
Murray,  John  L.  . 


New,  Anthony 


Ormsby,  Stephen  .  . 
Orr,  Alexander  D.  .  . 
Owsley,  Bryan  Y.    .    . 

Pope,  John 

Pope,  P.  H 

Quarles,  Tunstall  .  . 
Robertson,  George  .  . 
Rowan,  John  .... 
Rumsey,  Edward  .  . 
Sanford,  Thomas  .  .  , 
Sharpe,  Solomon  P.  .  . 
Smith,  John  S,  ... 
Southgate,  William  W. 
Speed,  Thomas  .  .  . 
Sprigg,  James  C.  .  .  . 
Stone,  James  .... 
Taul,  Micah  .... 
Thoinpson,  John  B.  . 
Thompson,  Philip  .  . 
Tibbatts,  John  W.  .  , 
Tompkins,  Christopher 
Trimble,  David  .  .  . 
Triplett,  Philip  .  .  . 
Trumbo,  Andrew  .  . 
Underwood,  Joseph  R. 
Walker,  David  .  .  . 
Walton,  Matthew  .  . 
White,  David  .... 
White,  John  .... 
Wickliffe,  Charles  A.  . 
Williams,  Sherrod  .  , 
Woodson,  Samuel  H.  . 
Yancey,  Joel  .... 
Y'oung,  Bryan  Y.  .  . 
Young,  WUliam  F. .    . 


In.  Out. 

,  1821-25 

.  1829-33 

.  1825-33 

1823-33 

.  1833-35 

,  1827-35 

,  1803-11 

1831-35 

1841-43 

184  5-47 

,  1826-29 

.  1845-47 

1809-17 

: 1815-17 

'  1819-21 

■  1837-39 

1819-29 

;  1813-15 

'  1821-23 

;  1823-29 

'  1833-;34 

" 1828-39 

'1811-13 

I  1817-19 

'  1821-23 

"1811-17 

1792-97 

1841-43 

1837-43 

1833-35 

1817-20 

1817-21 

1807-09 

1837-39 

1803-07 

1813-17 

1821-23 

1837-39 

1817-19 

1841-43 

1843-45 

1815-17 

1841-47 

1823-25 

1843-47 

1831-35 

1817-27 

1839-4.3 

1845-47 

1835-43 

1817-20-. 

1803-07 

1823-25 

1835-45- 

1823-33; 

1^^35-41 

1820-23- 

1827-31 

1845-47 

182.^-27 


146 


STATISTICS  OF  KENTUCKY. 


MEMBERS  OF  THE  CONVENTION  HELD  IN 

MAY,   1785. 
Samuel  McDowell,  President. 
George  Muter, 
Christopher  Greenup, 
James  Speed, 
Robert  Todd, 
James  Beard, 
Matthew  Walton, 
James  Trotter, 
Ebenezer  Brooks, 
Caleb  Wallace, 
Richard  Terrell, 
.    .    .    Clarke, 
Robert  Johnson, 
John  Martin, 


DANVILLE,  ON  THE  23d  DAY  OF 

Benjamin  Logan, 
Willis  Green, 
Harry  Innis, 
Levi  Todd, 
Isaac  Cox, 
Richard  Taylor, 
Richard  Steele, 
Isaac  Morrison, 
James  Garrard, 
John  Edwards, 
George  Wilson, 

.    .    ,    Payne, 
James  Rogers, 

.    ,    .    Kincheloe. 


MEMBERS  OF  THE  CONVENTION  WHICH  ASSEMBLED  AT  DANVILLE,  IN  AU- 
GUST, 1785. 
Samuel  McDowell,  President. 


George  Muter, 
Christopher  Irvine, 
William  Kennedy, 
Benjamin  Logan, 
Caleb  Wallace, 
John  Coburn, 
James  Carter, 
Richard  Terrell, 
George  Wilson, 
Isaac  Cox, 
Andrew  Hines, 
James  Rogers, 


Harry  Innis, 
John  Edwards, 
James  Speed, 
James  Wilkinson, 
James  Garrard, 
Levi  Todd, 
John  Craig, 
Robert  Patterson, 
Benjamin  Sebastian, 
Philip  Barbour, 
Isaac  Morrison, 
Matthew  Walton. 


MEMBERS  OF  THE  CONVENTION 

Jefferson  County. 
Richard  Easton, 
Alexander  Breckinridge, 
Michael  Lackasang, 
Benjamin  Sebastian, 
James  Meriwether. 

Nelson   County. 
Joseph  Lewis, 
William  McClung, 
John  Caldwell, 
Isaac  Cox, 
Matthew  Walton. 

Fayette  County. 
Levi  Todd, 
John  Fowler, 
Humphrey  Marshall, 
Caleb  Wallace, 
William  Ward. 

Bourbon  County. 
James  Garrard, 
John  Edwards, 


IN  1787,  HELD  IN  DANVILLE. 
Benjamin  Harrison, 
Edward  Lyne, 
Henry  Lee. 

Lincoln  County. 
Benjamin  Logan, 
John  Logan, 
Isaac  Shelby, 
William  Montgomery, 
Walker  Baylor. 

Madison  County. 
William  Irvine, 
John  Miller, 
Higgerson  Grubbs, 
Robert  Rodes, 
David  Crews. 

Mercer  County. 
Samuel  McDowell, 
Harry  Innis, 
George  Muter, 
William  Kennedy, 
James  Speed. 


MEMBERS  OF  THE  CONVENTION  IN  1788,  HELD  IN  SAME  PLACE. 

Jefferson  County.  Nelson  County. 

Richard  Taylor,  Isaac  Morrison, 

Richard  C.  Anderson,  John  Caldwell, 

Alexander  S.  Bullitt,  Philip  Phillips, 

Abraham  Hite,  Joseph  Burnett, 

Benjamin  Sebastian.  James  Bard. 


MEMBERS  OF  CONVENTIONS. 


147 


Fayette  County. 
James  Wilkinson, 
Caleb  Wallace, 
Thomas  Marshall, 
William  Ward, 
John  Allen. 

Bourbon  County. 
James  Garrard, 
John  Edwards, 
Benjamin  Harrison, 
John  Grant, 
John  Miller. 

Lincoln  County. 
Benjamin  Logan, 
Isaac  Shelby, 


William  Montgomery, 
Nathan  Houston, 
Willis  Green. 

Madison  County. 
William  Irvine, 
George  Adams, 
James  French, 
Aaron  Lewis, 
Higgerson  Grubbs. 

Mercer  County. 
Samuel  M'Dowell, 
John  Brown, 
Harry  Innis, 
John  Jouitt, 
Christopher  Greenup. 


NAMES  OF  THE  KENTUCKY  MEMBERS  OF   THE  VIRGINIA    CONVENTION   WHICH 
RATIFIED  THE  PRESENT  CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

Fayette  County.  Mercer  County. 

Humphrey  Marshall,  Thomas  Allen, 

John  Fowler.  Alexander  Robertson. 

Jefferson  County. 

Robert  Breckinridge,  Madison  County. 

Rice  Bullock.  Green  Clay, 

Lincoln   County.  William  Irvine. 
John  Logan, 

Henry  Pauling.  Bourbon  County. 

Nelson  County.  Henry  Lee, 

John  Steele,  John  Edwards. 
Matthew  Walton. 

The  names  of  the  following  members  of  the  Virginia  legislature,  from  Kentucky,  are 
given  in  Governor  Morehead's  Boonsborough  address,  viz: 

John  Brown,  Benjamin  and  John  Logan,  Esquire  Boone,  Swearingen,  Thomas,  John 
and  Robert  Todd,  James  Harrod,  William  M'Clung,  John  Steele,  James  Garrard,  John 
Edwards,  John  Jewitt,  William  Pope  and  Richard  Taylor. 


MEMBERS  OF  THE  CONVENTION    OF    1792, 
STITUTION    OF   KENTUCKY; 
Fayette  County. 
Hubbard  Taylor, 
Thomas  Lewis, 
George  S.  Smith, 
Robert  Fryer, 
James  Crawford. 

Jefferson  County. 
Richard  Taylor, 
John  Campbell, 
Alexander  S.  Bullitt, 
Benjamin  Sebastian, 
Robert  Breckinridge. 

Bourbon  County. 
John  Edwards, 
James  Garrard, 
James  Smith, 
John  McKenny, 
Benjamin  Harrison. 

Nelson  County, 
William  Keen, 
Matthew  Walton, 
Cuthbert  Harrison, 
Joseph  Hobbs, 
Andrew  Hynes. 

Madison  County, 
Charles  Kavendor, 
Higgerson  Giubbs, 


WHICH  FORMED    THE   FIRST    CON- 
HELD   IN    DANVILLE. 

Thomas  Clay, 

Thomas  Kennedy, 

Joseph  Kennedy. 
Mercer  County, 

Samuel  Taylor, 

Jacob  Froman, 

George  Nicholas, 

David  Rice, 

Samuel  McDowell. 
Lincoln  County. 

Benjamin  Logan, 

John  Bailey, 

Isaac  Shelby, 

Benedict  Sayre, 

William  Montgomery. 
Woodford  County. 

John  Watkins, 

Richard  Young, 

William  Steele, 

Caleb  Wallace, 

Robert  Johnston. 
Mason  County. 

George  Lewis, 

Miles  W.  Conway, 

Thomas  Waring, 

Robert  Rankin, 

John  Wilson. 


148 


STATISTICS  OF  KENTUCKY. 


MEMBERS  OP  THE  CONVENTION  WHICH  FRAMED  THE  PRESENT  CONSTITUTIOM 
OF  KENTUCKY;    ASSEMBLED  AT  FRANKFORT,  AUGUST   17,  1799. 


Jefferson  County, 
Alexander  S.  Bullitt,  President, 
Richard  Taylor. 

Bourbon  County. 
John  Allen, 
Charles  Smith, 
Robert  Wilmot, 
James  Duncan, 
William  Griffith, 
Nathaniel  Rogers. 

Bracken  County. 
Philip  Buckner. 

Campbell  County, 
Thomas  Sanford. 

Clarke  County. 
Robert  Clarke, 
R.  Hickman, 
William  Sudduth. 

Christian  County. 
Young  Ewing. 

Fayette  County. 
John  Breckenridge, 
John  McDowell, 
John  Bell, 
H.  Harrison, 
B.  Thruston, 
Walter  Carr. 

Franklin  County. 
Henry  Irmis, 
John  Logan. 

Fleming  County, 
George  Stockton. 

Garrard  County. 
William  M.  Bledsoe. 

Green  County. 
William  Casey. 

Harrison  County. 
Henry  Coleman, 
William  E.  Boswell. 

Jessamine  County. 
John  Price. 


Lincoln  County. 
William  Logan, 
N.  Huston. 

Logan  County. 
John  Bailey, 
Reuben  Ewing. 

Mason  County. 
Philemon  Thomas, 
Thomas  Marshall,  Jr. 
Joshua  Baker. 

Mercer  County, 
Peter  Brunner, 
John  Adair, 
Thomas  Allen, 
Samuel  Taylor 

Madison  County. 
Green  Clay, 
Thomas  Clay, 
William  Irvine. 

Montgomery  County. 
Jilson  Payne. 

Nelson  County. 
John  Rowan, 
Richard  Prather, 
Nicholas  Minor. 

Shelby  County. 
Benjamin  Logan, 
Abraham  Owen. 

Scott  County. 
William  Henry, 
Robert  Johnson. 

Woodford  County. 
Caleb  Wallace, 
William  Steele. 

Washington  County. 
Felix  Grundy, 
Robert  A  bell. 

Warren  County. 
Alexander  Davidson. 


NAMES  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  AND  ELECTORS  OF  SENATE  FOR  1792,  UNDER 
THE  FIRST  CONSTITUTION. 


Bourbon  County. 


REPnESENTATIVES. 

George  M.  Bedinger, 
John  Waller, 
Charles  Smith, 
James  Smith, 
John  M'Kenney. 

William  Russel, 
John  Hawkins, 
Thomas  Lewis, 
Hubbard  Taylor, 
James  Trotter, 
Joseph  Crockett, 
James  M'Millan, 
John  McDowell, 
Robert  Patterson. 


Fayette  County. 


BI.ECTORS. 

John  Edwards, 
Benjamim  Harrison, 
Thomas  Jones, 
Andrew  Hood, 
John  Allen. 

William  Campbell, 
Edward  Payne, 
John  Martin, 
Abraham  Bowman, 
Robert  Todd, 
John  Bradford, 
John  Morrison, 
Gabriel  Madison, 
Peyton  Short. 


ELECTORS— SENATORS,  ETC 


1^ 


HEPRESENTATIVES. 

Richard  Taylor, 
Robert  Breckinridge, 
Benjamin  Roberts. 

William  Montgomery, 
Henry  Pawling, 
James  Davis, 
Jesse  Cravens. 

Higgerson  Grubbs, 
Thomas  Clay, 
John  Miller. 

Alexander  D.  Orr, 
John  Wilson. 

Samuel  Taylor, 
John  Jouitt, 
Jacob  Fro w man, 
Robert  Mosby, 

William  King, 

William  Abell, 
Matthew  Walton, 
Edmund  Thomas, 
Joseph  Hobbs, 
Joshua  Hobbs. 

John  Walking, 
Richard  Young, 
William  Steele, 
John  Grant. 


Jefferson  County. 
Lincoln   County. 

Madison  County. 

Mason  County. 
Mercer  County. 

Nelson  County. 
Woodford  County. 


ELECTOnS. 

Alexander  S.  Bullitt, 
Richard  C.  Anderson, 
John  Campbell. 

John  Logan, 
Benjamin  Logan, 
Isaac  Shelby, 
Thomas  Todd. 

William  Irvine, 
Higgerson  Grubba, 
Thomas  Clay. 

Robert  Rankin 
George  Stockton. 

Christopher  Greenup, 
Harry  Innis, 
Samuel  McDowell, 
William  Kennedy. 

Walter  Beall, 
John  Caldwell, 
William  May, 
Cuthbert  Harrison, 
Adam  Shepherd, 
James  Shepherd. 

John  Watkins, 
George  Muter, 
Richard  Young 
Robert  Johnson. 


SENATORS  ELECTED  BY  THE  ELECTORS  IN  1792. 


John  Campbell,  Jefferson  county. 
John  Logan,  Lincoln  county. 
Robert  Todd,  Fayette  county. 
John  Caldwell,  Nelson  county. 
William  McDowell,  Mercer  county. 
Thomas  Kennedy,  Madison  county. 


John  Alien,  Bourbon  county. 
Robert  Johnson,  Woodford  county. 
Alexander  D.  Orr,  Mason  county. 

EXTRA    SEXATOHS. 

Alexander  S.  Bullitt,  Jefferson  county. 
Peyton  Short,  Fayette  county. 


A  LIST  OF  DISTINGUISHED  CITIZENS  OF  KENTUCKY,  WHO  HAVE  FILLED  HIGH 
AND  RESPONSIBLE  STATIONS  UNDER  THE  UNITED  STATES'  GOVERNMENT, 
OR  UNDER  THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  OTHER  STATES 


GOVERNORS  AND  LIEUTENANT  GOVERNORS  OP  STATES. 


Names. 
Ninian  Edwards, 
Benjamin  Howard, 
William  Clarke, 
John  Pope, 
S.  T.  Mason,  jr. 
Joseph  M.  White, 
Richard  K.  Call, 
Lilburn  W.  Boggs, 
John  M'Lean, 
Henry  Dodge, 
James  B.  Ray, 
Mr.  Carlin, 
John  Dunklin, 
C.  W.  Bird, 
James  Brown, 


From  whence. 
Logan  county, 
Fayette  county, 
Jefferson  county, 
Washington  county, 
Fayelte  county, 
Franklin  county, 
Logan  county, 
Fayette  county, 
Lofjan  county, 
Jefferson  county, 
Boone  county. 
Nelson  county, 
Mercer  county, 
Fayette  county, 
Lexington, 


Where  stationed. 
Governor  of  Illinois. 
Governor  of  Missouri. 
Governor  of  Missouri. 
Governor  of  Arkansas. 
Governor  of  Michigan- 
Governor  of  Florida. 
Governor  of  Florida. 
Governor  of  Missouri. 
Governor  of  Illinois. 
Governor  of  Wisconsin. 
Governor  of  Indiana. 
Governor  of  Illinois. 
Governor  of  Missouri, 
Secretary  North-west  Territory 
Lieutenant  Governor  of  Louisiani> 


150 


STATISTICS  OF  KENTUCKY. 


Names. 
Robert  Crittenden, 
Mr.  Step, 
Mr.  Ewing, 
Mr.  Hubbard, 
Ratlifle  Boon, 
John  Chambers, 
John  Floyd, 


From  whence. 
Logan  county, 
Scott  county, 
Logan  county, 
Warren  county, 
Mercer  county, 
Mason  county, 
Jefferson  county, 


Where  stationed. 
Acting  Governor  of  Arkansas. 
Lieutenant  Governor  of  Indiana. 
Lieutenant  Governor  of  Illinois. 
Lieutenant  Governor  of  Illinois. 
Lieutenant  Governor  of  Indiana. 
Governor  of  Iowa. 
Governor  of  Virginia. 


Henry  Clay, 
James  Brown, 
Richard  C.  Anderson 
Wm.  T.  Barry, 
James  Shannon, 
Ninian  Edwards, 
Thomas  P.  Moore, 
Robert  B.  M'Afee, 
Anthony  Butler, 
Peter  W.  Grayson, 
Charles  S.  Todd, 
James  C.  Pickett, 
Robert  Wickliffe,  jr. 


AMBASSADORS,  FOREIGN 
Lexington, 
Lexington, 

,  Louisville, 

Lexington, 
Lexington, 
Logan  county, 
Mercer  county, 
Mercer  county, 
Logan  county, 
Fayette  county, 
Shelby  county, 
Mason  county, 
Fayette  county. 


MINISTERS,  ETC. 

Minister  Extraordinary  to  Ghent. 

Minister  to  France. 

Minister  to  Colombia. 

Minister  to  Spain, 

Charge  to  Central  America. 

Minister  to  Mexico. 

Charge  to  Bogota. 

Charge  to  Bogota. 

Charge  to  Mexico. 

Minister  Plen.  Texas  to  U.  S. 

Minister  to  Russia. 

Charge  to  Peru. 

Charge  to  Sardinia. 


Richard  M.  Johnson, 


VICE  PRESIDENT. 


Scott  county. 


Vice  President  of  United  States. 


HEADS  OF  DEPARTMENT  AND  OFFICERS 


John  Breckinridge, 
Henry  Clay 
Wilham  T".  Barry, 
Amos  Kendall, 
Robert  Johnson, 
James  Boyle, 
George  Croghan, 
Thomas  S.  Jesup, 
D.  M'Reynolds, 
John  McLean, 
Zachary  Taylor 
Isaac  Shelby, 
Felix  Grundy, 
John  J.  Crittenden, 
George  M.  Bibb, 
Charles  A.  Wickliffe, 


Fayette  county, 
Lexington, 
Lexington, 
Franklin  county, 
Franklin  county, 
Russellville, 
Jefferson  county, 
Fayette  county, 
Russellville, 
Mason  county, 
Jefferson  county, 
Lincoln  county. 
Nelson  county, 
Frankfort, 
Louisville, 
Nelson  county, 


UNITED  STATES'  GOVERNMENT. 
Attorney  General  United  States. 
Secretary  of  State  United  States. 
Post  Master  General  United  States. 
Post  Master  General  United  States. 
As't.  Post  Master  Gen.  United  States. 
Major  General  United  States  Army. 
Major  General  United  States  Army. 
Major  General  United  States  Army. 
Surgon  General  United  States  Army. 
Post  Master  General  United  States. 
Major  General  United  States  Army. 
Secretary  of  War  United  States. 
Attorney  General  United  States. 
Attorney  General  United  States. 
Secretary  of  Treasury  United  States. 
Post  Master  General  United  States. 


JUDGES 
John  McLean, 
C.  W.  Bird, 
Judge  Lewis, 
Francis  L.  Turner, 
Joseph  E.  Davis, 
E.  Turner, 
Thomas  P.  Daxas, 
B.  Johnson, 
N.  Pope, 

Henry  Humphreys, 
Thomas  Todd, 


UNITED  STATES  OR 
Mason  county, 
Fayette  county, 
Jessamine  county, 
Fayette  county, 
Logan  county, 
Fayette  county, 
Madison  county, 
Scott  county, 
Jefferson  county, 
Lexington, 
Frankfort, 


OTHER  HIGH  COURTS. 

Supreme  Court  United  States. 
United  States  Judge,  Ohio. 
Supreme  Court  Louisiana. 
Supreme  Court  Louisiana. 
Supreme  Court  Mississippi. 
Supreme  Court  Mississippi. 
United  States  Judge,  Indiana. 
United  States  Judge,  Arkansas. 
United  States  Judge,  Illinois. 
Supreme  Court  Texas, 
Supreme  Court  United  States. 


Thomas  Reed, 
Jarnes  Brown, 
John  M'Lean, 
Dr.  liiim, 


UNITED  STATES'  SENATORS. 
Mercer  county.  From  Missouri. 

Lexington,  From  Louisiana. 

Logan  county,  From  Illinois. 

Jefferson  county,  From  Missouri. 


STATISTICS  OF   KENTUCKY. 


151 


Josiah  S.  Johnston, 
John  M.  Robinson, 
J.  Norvell, 

D.  R.  Atchison, 

E.  A.  Hannegan, 


Robert  G.  Wilson, 
Robert  Bishop, 
James  Blythe, 
John  P.  Durbin, 
David  Nelson, 
John  Chamherlin, 
William  H.  M'Guffey. 
Robert  J.  Breckinridge, 


Mason  county, 
Scott  county, 
Lexington, 
Fayette  county. 
Mason  county, 


From  Louisiana. 
From  Illinois. 
From  Michigan. 
From  Missouri. 
From  Indiana. 


PRESIDENTS  OF  COLLEGES. 

Mason  county,  President  University,  Athens,  Ohio. 

Lexington,  President  University,  Oxford,  Ohio. 

Lexington,  President  S.  Hanover  College,  la. 

Augusta,  President  Dickinson  College,  Penn. 

Danville,  President  Theo.  Seminary,  Illinois. 

Danville,  President  Oakland  College,  Miss. 

Paris,  President  Cincinnati  College,  Ohio. 

Lexington,  President  Jellerson  College,  Penn. 

POPULATION  OF   KENTUCKY. 


FROM  THE    YEAR 

Years.  Total. 

1790 73,677 

1800 220,959 

1810 406,511 

1820 564,317 

1830 688,844 

1840 779,828 


1790    TO     THE    YEAR     1840,    INCLUSIVE. 

Blacks.  Increase,  Whites.       Increase,  Blacks. 


12,430 

43,.344 147,282 30,914 

80,560 185,552 37,217 

120,732 147,806 40,171 

165,350 124,527 44,618 

182.258 110,981 16,908 


The  population  of  Kentucky  in  1847,  with  the  same  rate  of  increase  as  shown  in  the 
foregoing  table  to  have  taken  place  from  1830  to  1840,  amounts  to  847,860.  In  1850,  if 
the  ratio  of  increase  continue  the  same,  the  population  of  Kentucky  will  be  881,863. 


POPULATION  OF  COUNTIES  AND  COUNTY  TOWNS,  1840. 


Counties. 


Adair   .    .  . 

Allen  .    .  . 

Anderson  . 

Barren     .  . 

Bath    .    .  . 

Boone  .    .  . 

Bourbon  .  . 

Breathitt  .  . 

Bracken  .  . 
Breckinridge 

Bullitt  .    .  . 

Butler  .    .  . 

Caldwell  .  . 

Calloway  . 

Campbell  . 

Carroll     .  . 

Carter  .    .  . 

Casey      .  . 
Christian 

Clark   .    .  . 

Clay     ■    ■  . 

Clinton    .  . 
Cumberland 

Daviess    .  . 

Edmonson  . 

Estill    .    .  . 

Fayette    .  . 

Fletning  .  . 

Floyd  .    .  . 

Franklin  .  . 


Census  of  1840. 


Whites. 


6,769 
6,375 
4,372 
13,147 
7,708 
7,824 
7,845 
2,076 
6,083 
7,239 
4,996 
3,379 
8,091 
8,870 
4,921 
3,212 
2,711 
4,371 
9,491 
6,7.55 
3,954 
3,674 
4,571 
6,327 
2,579 
4,960 
10,885 
11,1.58 
6,103 
6,337 


Free 
Col'd. 


92 
19 
21 
76 

104 
27 

308 

151 

14 

18 

4 

103 

13 

4 

23 

8 

37 

99 

145 

150 

1 

34 

44 

1 

17 

599 

118 

15 

234 


Slaves. 


1,605 

935 

1,059 

4,065 

1,951 

2,183 

6,325 

119 

819 

1,691 

1,320 

515 

2,171 

911 

289 

731 

186 

531 

5,997 

3,902 

503 

188 

1,485 

1,960 

334 

558 

10,710 

1,992 

184 

2,849 


Total 
Pop. 


8.466 

7,329 

5,452 

17,288 

9,763 

10,034 

14,478 

2,195 

7,053 

8,944 

6,334 

3,898 

10,365 

9,794 

5,214 

3,966 

2.905 

4,939 

15,587 

10,802 

4,607 

3,863 

6,090 

8,331 

2,914 

5,535 

22,194 

13,268 

6,302 

9,420 


County  Towns. 


Columbia     .  . 

Scottsville  .  . 
Lawrenceburg 

Glasgow  .  .  . 
Owingsville 

Burhngton  .  . 

Paris    .    .    .  . 

Augusta  .  .  . 
Hardinsburg  . 
Shepherdsville 
Morgantown  . 
Princeton  .  . 
Wadesborough 
Newport  .    .    . 

Liberty     .    .    . 
Hopkinsville    . 
Winchester 
Manchester 

Burkesville 

Owensborough 

Brownsville 

Lexington  .  . 
Flemingsburg  . 
Prestonsburg  . 
Frankfort,  , 


Pop. 
1840. 


486 
215 

505 
251 

1,197 

786 
634 


165 


135 
1,581 
1,047 


112 

6,997 

591 

84 

1,917 


152 


STATISTICS  OF  KENTUCKY. 


Census  of  1840. 

County  towns. 

Pop. 

i&io. 

Counties. 

Whites, 

Free 
Col'd. 

Slaves. 

Total. 

Gallatin 

3,361 

38 

604 

4,003 

Warsaw 

600 

Garrard 

7,110 

87 

3,283 

10,480 

Lancaster 

480 

Grant 

3,838 

6 

348 

4,192 

Williamstown      .... 

Graves 

6,644 

4 

817 

7,465 

Mayfield 

Grayson 

4,262 

199 

4,461 

Litchlield 

Greene 

10,263 

119 

3,830 

14,212 

Greensburg 

58f 

Greenup 

5,479 

64 

754 

6,297 

Greenup 

Hancock 

2,039 

3 

539 

2,581 

Hawesville 

420 

Hardin 

13,829 

46 

2,482 

1 6,357 

Elizabeth 

979 

Harlan 

2,928 

8 

79 

3,015 

Harlan  C.  H 

Harrison 

8,995 

93 

3,384 

12,472 

Cynthiana 

798 

Hart 

5,978 

44 

1,009 

7,031 

Munfordsville 

274 

Henderson 

6,181 

48 

3,319 

9,548 

Henderson 

Henry 

7,637 

29 

2,349 

10,015 

New  Castle 

528 

Hickman 

7,345 

8 

1,615 

8,968 

Columbus 

Hopkins 

7,417 

31 

1,723 

9,171 

.Vladisonville 

51 

Jeflerson 

26,987 

763 

8,596 

36,346 

Louisville 

21,210 

Jessamine 

5,780 

144 

3,472 

9,396 

Nicholasville 

632 

Kenton 

7,031 

34 

751 

7,816 

Covington 

2,026 

Knox 

5,022 

164 

536 

5,722 

Barbourville 

224 

Laurel 

2.964 

6 

109 

3,079 

liawrence 

4,652 

1 

77 

4,730 

Louisa 

Lewis 

5,873 

27 

406 

6,306 

Lincoln 

6,582 

155 

3,450 

10,187 

Stanford 

263 

Livingston 

7,338 

99 

1,588 

9,025 

Salem 

233 

Logan  

8,479 

310 

4,826 

13,615 

Russcllville 

1,196 

Madison 

10,860 

82 

5,413 

16,355 

Richmond 

822 

Marion 

8,340 

80 

2,612 

11,032 

Lebanon  

546 

Mason 

11,138 

272 

4,309 

15,719 

Maysville 

2,741 

McCracken     .... 

4,064 

27 

654 

4,745 

Paducah  

Meade 

4,366 

5 

1,409 

5,780 

Brandenburg 

Mercer 

13,061 

373 

5,286 

18,720 

Harrodsburg 

1,254 

Monroe 

5,811 

12 

703 

6,526 

Tompkinsville      .... 

188 

Montgomery    .... 

6,409 

188 

2,735 

9,332 

Mount  Sterling    .... 

585 

Morgan 

4,539 

3 

61 

4.603 

West  Liberty 

Muhlenburg     .... 

5,755 

13 

1,196 

6,964 

Greenville 

Nelson 

8,878 

116 

4,643 

13,637 

Bardstown 

L492 

Nicholas 

7.310 

182 

1,253 

8,745 

Carlisle 

256 

Ohio 

5,747 

22 

823 

6,592 

Hartford 

309 

Oldham 

4,858 

145 

2,377 

7,380 

La  Grange 

233 

Owen 

6,915 

3H 

1,281 

8,232 

New  Liberty 

227 

Pendleton 

4,013 

fa 

437 

4,455 

Falmouth 

Perry 

2,923 

23 

143 

3,089 

Perry  C.  H 

Pike 

3,469 

13 

85 

3,567 

Pikeville 

92 

Pulaski 

8,583 

18 

1,119 

9,620 

Somerset 

238 

Rockcastle 

3,023 

9 

377 

3,409 

Mount  Vernon     .... 

209 

Russell 

3,828 

4 

406 

4,238 

.lamestown 

Scott 

8,220 

109 

5,339 

13,668 

Georgetown 

1,511 

Shelby 

11,256 

157 

6,355 

17,768 

Shelbvville 

1 ,335 

Simpson 

6,004 

40 

1,493 

6,537 

Franklin 

Spencer 

4,650 

ao 

1,911 

6, .581 

Tavlorsville 

398 

Todd 

6,070 

42 

3,879 

9,991 

Elkton 

470 

Trigg 

.^614 

60 

2,052 

7,716 

('adiz 

Trimble 

3,787 

20 

673 

4,480 

Bedford 

148 

Union 

4,909 

36 

1,728 

6.673 

Morganfield 

Warren 

1 1,078 

161 

4,207 

l.%446 

Bowling  Cireen    .... 

Washington    .... 

7,900 

38 

2,658 

10,596 

Springfield 

598 

Wayne 

6,754 

15 

630 

7,399 

Monticello 

142 

Whitley 

4,508 

19 

146 

4,673 

V^'hitl,-y  C.  H 

Woodford 

5,816 

172 

5,752 

11,740 

Versailles 

1,044 

Total  

590,253 

7,317 

182,258 

779,828 

% 


FACE   OF  THE   COUNTRY,  ETC.  153 

POPULATION    OF    THE  PRINCIPAL  TOWNS. 

1810.                       1820.                        1830.                        1S40.  1847. 

Louisville  ....  1,357  ....  4,012  ....  10,852  ....  21,210      .    .    .  40,000 

Lexington  ....  4,226  ....  5,279  ....    6,104  ....    6,996  ....  8,000 

Mavsville 335  ...    .  1,130  ....    2.040  ....    2,741  ....  5,000 

Frankfort  .    .    .    .1,099.    .    .    .  1,679.    .    .    .     1,680.    .    .    .     1,916.    .    .    .  2,500 

Covington 6,000 


SITUATION,  BOUNDARIES,  AND   EXTENT. 

The  State  of  Kentucky  is  situated  between  36  degrees  30  minutes,  and  39  de- 
grees 10  minutes,  north  latitude;  and  between  81  degrees  50  minutes,  and  89 
degrees  26  minutes,  west  longitude — and  includes  all  that  portion  of  territory 
which  lies  south  and  westward  of  a  line,  beginning  on  the  Ohio  river,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Great  Sandy  river,  and  running  up  the  same,  and  the  main  and 
north-easterly  branch  thereof,  to  the  great  Laurel  ridge  or  Cumberland  mountains  ; 
thence  south-west  along  said  mountains,  to  a  line  of  North  Carolina.  It  is  boun- 
ded north  by  Illinois,  Indiana,  and  Ohio;  east  by  Virginia;  south  by  Tennessee; 
and  west  by  the  Mississippi  river  and  State  of  Missouri.  It  is  three  hundred 
miles  in  length  from  east  to  west,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  mean 
breadth ;  and  contains  42,600  square  miles,  or  about  twenty-seven  millions  of 
acres. 

FACE   OF  THE    COUNTRY,   ETC. 

The  face  of  the  country  is  quite  diversified,  presenting  every  variety  of  surface 
as  well  as  quality  of  soil.  The  region  around  Lexington,  including  the  entire 
counties  of  Bourbon,  Fayette.  Woodford,  and  portions  of  Franklin,  Jessamine, 
Clarke,  Montgomery,  Bath,  Nicholas,  Harrison,  and  Scott,  comprises  the  largest 
body  of  fine  land  in  Kentucky — the  surface  being  agreeably  undulating,  and  the 
soil  black  and  friable,  producing  the  sugar-tree,  blue  and  black  ash,  black  and 
honey  locust,  elm,  hickory,  black  walnut,  mulberry,  buckeye,  pawpaw,  &c.  Por- 
tions of  the  uplands  of  Boone,  Grant,  Mason,  and  Fleming,  in  the  north,  and 
Mercer,  Madison,  Boyle,  Lincoln,  Garrard,  Shelby,  Washington,  Laurel,  Green, 
Nelson,  &c.,  in  the  middle  district,  together  with  a  number  of  counties  south  of 
Green  river,  comprise  remarkably  rich,  and  doubtless  as  productive  bodies  of 
land  as  that  which  has  been  most  appropriately  termed  the  garden  of  Kentucky, 
but  more  circumscribed  in  their  extent. 

Capt.  Imlay,  an  officer  of  the  Revolutionary  army,  and  an  early  witness  of  the 
settlement  of  Kentucky,  caused  to  be  published  in  1793,  in  New  York,  "a  topo- 
graphical description  of  the  western  territory  of  North  America,"  comprised  in 
a  series  of  letters  to  a  friend  in  England.  In  these  letters,  the  following  glowing 
description  is  given  of  the  country,  as  it  was  presented  to  his  view  in  the  spring 
season  of  the  year : 

"  Everything  here  assumes  a  dignity  and  splendor  I  have  never  seen  in  any  other  part  of 
the  world.  You  ascend  a  considerable  distance  from  the  shore  of  the  Ohio,  and  when  you 
would  suppose  you  had  arrived  at  the  summit  of  a  mountain,  you  find  yourself  upon  an 
extensive  level.  Here  an  eternal  verdure  reigns,  and  the  brilliant  sun  of  latitude  39°, 
piercing  through  the  azure  heavens,  produces  in  this  prolific  soil  an  early  maturity  which  is 
truly  astonishing. 

"  Flowers  full  and  perfect,  as  if  they  had  been  cultivated  by  the  hand  of  a  florist,  with  all 
their  captivating  odors,  and  with  all  the  variegated  charms  which  color  and  nature  can  pro- 
duce here,  in  the  lap  of  elegance  and  beauty,  decorate  the  smiling  groves.  Soft  zephyrs 
gently  breathe  on  sweets,  and  the  inhaled  air  gives  a  voluptuous  glow  of  health  and  vigor, 
that  seems  to  ravish  the  intoxicated  sen.ses.  The  sweet  songsters  of  the  forest  appear  to  feel 
the  influence  of  the  genial  clime,  and  in  more  soft  and  modulated  tones  warble  their  tender 
notes  in  unison  with  love  and  nature.  Every  thing  here  gives  delight;  and,  in  that  wild 
eflfulgence  which  beams  around  us,  we  feel  a  glow  of  gratitude  for  the  elevation  which  our 
all  bountiful  Creator  has  bestowed  upon  us. 

"  Yc)u  must  forgive  what  I  know  you  will  call  a  rhapsody,  but  what  I  really  experienced 
after  traveling  across  the  Alleghany  mountain  in  March,  when  it  was  covered  with  snow,  and 
after  finding  the  country  about  Pittsburgh  bare,  and  not  recovered  from  the  ravages  of  the 
winter.  There  was  scarcely  a  blade  of  grass  to  be  .seen ;  every  thing  looked  dreary,  and 
bore  those  marks  of  melancholy  which  the  rude  hand  of  frost  produces.  I  embarked  im- 
mediately for  Kentucky,  and  in  less  than  five  days  landed  at  Limestone,  where  I  found  na- 
ture robed  in  all  her  charms." 


154  STATISTICS   OF   KENTUCKY. 

In  Filson's  "  Discovery,  Settlement  and  present  state  of  Kentucky,"  published 
as  a  supplement  to  "  Imlay's  Description,"  and  written  in  1784,  the  following  no 
less  glowing  description  of  the  country  is  given : 

"The  country  is  in  some  parts  nearly  level;  in  others  not  so  much  so;  in  others  again 
hilly,  but  moderately — and  in  such  places  there  is  most  water.  The  levels  are  not  like  a 
carpet,  but  interspersed  with  small  risings  and  declivities,  which  form  a  beautiful  prospect. 
The  soil  is  of  a  loose,  deep,  black  mould  without  sand,  in  the  first  rate  lands  about  two  or 
three  feet  deep,  and  exceedingly  luxuriant  in  all  its  productions.  The  country  in  general 
may  be  considered  as  well  timbered,  producing  large  trees  of  many  kinds,  and  to  be  ex- 
ceeded by  no  country  in  variety.  Those  which  are  peculiar  to  Kentucky  are  the  sugar  tree, 
which  grows  in  all  parts,  and  furnishes  every  family  with  great  plenty  of  excellent  sugar. 
The  honey-locust  is  curiously  surrounded  with  large  thorny  spikes,  bearing  broad  and  long 
pods  in  the  form  of  peas,  has  a  sweet  taste,  and  makes  excellent  beer.  The  coffee  tree 
greatly  resembles  the  black-oak,  grows  large,  and  also  bears  a  pod,  in  which  is  enclosed 
cofiee.  The  pawpaw  tree  does  not  grow  to  a  great  size,  is  a  soft  wood,  bears  a  fine  fruit, 
much  like  a  cucumber  in  shape  and  size,  and  tastes  sweet."  Of  the  "  fine  cane,  on  which 
the  cattle  feed  and  grow  fat,"  he  says:  "This  plant  in  general  grows  from  three  to  twelve 
feet  high,  of  a  hard  substance,  with  joints  at  eight  or  ten  inches  distance  along  the  stalk, 
from  which  proceed  leaves  resembling  those  of  the  willow.  'J'here  are  many  canehrakes  so 
thick  and  tall,  that  it  is  difficult  to  pass  through  them.  Where  no  cane  grows,  there  is  an 
abundance  of  wild  rye,  clover  and  bufHilo  grass,  covering  vast  tracts  of  country,  and  afford- 
ing excellent  food  for  cattle.  The  fields  are  covered  with  an  abundance  of  wild  herbage 
not  common  to  other  countries.  Here  are  seen  the  finest  crown-imperial  in  the  world,  the 
cardinal  flower,  so  much  extolled  for  its  scarlet  color,  and  all  the  year,  excepting  the  winter 
months,  the  plains  and  valleys  are  adorned  with  a  variety  of  flowers  of  the  most  admirable 
beauty.  Here  is  also  found  the  tulip-bearing  laurel  tree,  or  magnolia,  which  is  very  fra- 
grant and  continues  to  blossom  and  seed  for  several  months  together.  The  reader  by 
casting  his  eye  upon  the  map,  and  viewing  round  the  heads  of  Licking  from  the  Ohio,  and 
round  the  heads  of  Kentucky,  Dick's  river,  and  down  Green  river  to  the  Ohio,  may  view  in 
that  great  compass  of  above  one  hundred  miles  square,  the  most  extraordinary  country  on 
which  the  sun  has  ever  shone." 

This  is  a  glowing  description  of  Kentucky  as  she  was,  robed  in  primeval  beauty. 
The  hand  oT"  man  has  been  laid  upon  the  forest,  and  the  wild  grandeur  of  nature 
succeeded  by  the  arts  of  a  civilized  people.  Kentucky  as  she  is,  presents  at- 
tractions which  are  found  in  but  few,  if  any  other  regions  of  the  world.  Situ- 
ated in  the  very  centre  of  the  American  confederated  states,  beyond  the  reach  of 
foreign  intrusion — she  is  rich  in  a  genial  climate,  rich  in  a  prolific  soil,  rich  in 
her  agricultural  products,  rich  in  her  beautiful  farms  and  grazing  lands,  rich  in  the 
magnificent  scenery  and  abundant  ores  of  her  mountains  ;  and,  above  all  and  be- 
yond all,  rich  in  a  population  at  once  industrious,  enterprising,  hospitable,  intel- 
ligent and  patriotic.  * 

PRINCIPAL  RIVERS. 

The  principal  rivers  of  Kentucky,  are  the  Ohio,  Mississippi,  Tennessee,  Cum- 
berland, Kentucky,  Green,  Licking,  Big  and  Little  Sandy,  Salt  and  the  Rolling 
Fork  of  Salt  river.  The  Ohio  flows  along  the  whole  northern  boundary  of  the 
State  for  six  hundred  and  thirty-seven  miles,  following  its  windings.  The  Mis- 
sissippi washes  the  Kentucky  shore  from  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  to  a  point  be- 
low New  Madrid,  for  the  distance  of  one  hundred  miles.  Big  and  Little  Sandy 
rivers  lie  in  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  State,  the  former  being  its  eastern  boun- 
dary. Cumberland  and  Tennessee  intersect  the  western  extremity;  the  former 
rises  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  and  passes  into  the  State  of  Tennessee, 
after  which  it  returns  and  flows  through  Kentucky  into  the  Ohio  river.  'I'he 
Kentucky,  Licking,  Salt  and  Rolling  Fork  of  Salt  rivers,  flow  through  the  inte- 
rior of  the  State.  The  principal  creeks  are  generally  mentioned  under  the  head 
of  the  counties  in  which  they  rise,  or  through  which  they  flow. 

GEOLOGICAL   FORMATION. 

The  geological  formations  of  Kentucky,  in  common  with  those  of  the  other 
western  States  generally,  behmg  to  that  great  system  which  extends  from  the 
Alleghanies  on  the  east,  across  the  Mississippi,  and  perhaps  to  the  Rocky  moun- 
tains on  the  west.     Throughout  this  vast  territory,  the  primary  fossiliferous  or 


GEOLOGICAL  FORMATION.  155 

protozoic  and  lower  secondary,  or  carboniferous  rocks  prevail.  These  compre- 
hend a  great  number  of  distinct  formations,  very  unequally  developed  in  different 
parts  of  this  wide  valley,  producing  a  great  variety  in  the  mineral  and  agricul- 
tural wealth  and  resources  of  different  sections.  Almost  all  these  rocks  contain 
organic  remains,  although  they  are  found  much  more  abundantly  in  some  strata 
and  localities  than  in  others.  We  are  not,  however,  to  suppose  that  they  are  in- 
discriminately dispersed  through  the  whole  series.  Here,  as  in  every  other  part 
of  the  world,  each  formation  is  distinguished  more  or  less  by  peculiar  species  or 
varieties.  There  are,  however,  indubitable  proofs  that  the  whole  of  these  strata 
were  once  covered  by  the  waters  of  the  ocean,  and  that  the  remains  which  are 
found  in  them,  and  in  many  places  almost  compose  them,  all  belong  to  marine 
species. 

These  rocks  all  belong  to  the  class  which  are  termed  sedimentary,  and  were 
gradually  deposited  upon  the  bottom  of  the  ocean.  The  shells  and  skeletons 
which  they  contain,  no  doubt  once  belonged  to  the  inhabitants  of  this  ocean,  and 
as  the  animals  died  and  decayed,  their  harder  and  more  lasting  coverings  sank  to 
the  bottom,  and  were  gradually  covered  up  by  clay  and  sand,  and  other  layers  of 
shells,  until  at  length  under  a  heavy  pressure  of  superincumbent  strata,  and  by  a 
slow  and  long  continued  chemical  action,  they  were  converted  into  solid  rocks  : 
and  now  that  the  waters  of  the  ocean  have  retired,  are  exposed  to  our  view  as 
the  lasting  records  of  the  earth's  history  during  ages  long  anterior  to  our  own. 

When  these  deposites  were  made,  it  is  beyond  the  power  of  science  to  deter- 
mine.    Geologically  speaking,  it  was  very  early. 

The  strata  over  nearly  the  whole  surface  of  Kentucky  lie  nearly  horizontal,  with 
scarcely  any  dislocations.  They  have,  however,  a  slight  dip.  This  dip  seems  to  be 
in  every  direction  from  a  point  near  Cincinnati  on  the  Ohio  river,  as  a  centre.  At 
this  point  we  see  the  lowest  surface  rocks  of  the  State  exposed.  As  we  go  up 
the  river,  we  meet  with  the  other  strata  in  succession,  cropping  out  as  it  is 
termed,  but  sinking  beneath  other  rocks  as  they  extend  eastward,  and  rising  gen- 
erally again  to  the  surface  on  the  western  slope  of  the  Alleghanies.  If  from 
Cincinnati  we  travel  down  the  river,  we  meet  with  the  same  succession  of  rocks, 
but  dipping  to  the  west.  If  from  the  same  point  we  penetrate  into  the  interior  of 
the  State,  we  find  the  rocks  dipping  to  the  south.  Cincinnati  seems  thus  to  have 
been  a  centre  of  elevation  when  this  broad  valley  was  lifted  above  the  waters  of 
the  ocean. 

But  it  is  necessary  to  be  somewhat  more  minute  in  our  description  of  the 
various  formations.  We  will  begin  with  the  lowest  or  oldest,  and  describe  them 
in  the  order  of  their  superposition. 

FIRST  FORMATION— THE  BLUE  LIMESTONE. 

The  blue  limestone  is  the  lowest  rock  exposed  on  the  surface  in  Ken- 
tucky. It  is,  as  its  name  indicates,  a  limestone.  It,  however,  generally  con- 
tains a  good  deal  of  clay,  and  in  some  places  a  large  amount  of  magnesia. 
It  underlies  an  immense  extent  of  territory,  reaching  continuously  in  all  likeli- 
hood, though  not  every  where  exposed,  from  the  Alleghanies  on  the  east, 
to  at  least  two  hundred  miles  west  of  the  Mississippi,  and  probably  to  the 
foot  of  the  Rocky  mountains.  Over  much  the  greater  part  of  this  territory 
it  is  covered  by  superincumbent  strata.  In  Kentucky  and  Ohio  it  forms 
the  surface  rock,  over  an  area  extending  about  one  hundred  and  seventy  miles 
north  and  south,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles  east  and  west.  It  is 
somewhat  oval  in  its  shape,  and  reaches  from  Danville,  near  the  centre  of  Ken- 
tucky, across  the  Ohio  river  to  Dayton,  and  from  the  town  of  Madison  in  Indi- 
ana, to  a  short  distance  above  Maysville.  This  formation  is  of  great  though 
unknown  thickness,  probably  not  less  than  one  thousand  feet,  and  is  composed 
of  many  strata  of  limestone  alternating  with  layers  of  clay.  The  rock  is  gen- 
erally found  in  thin  seams,  and  easily  quarried,  and  well  adapted  for  building 
purposes.  In  some  places,  however,  it  becomes  very  thick,  and  massive,  and 
wliere  the  water  courses  have  cut  their  channels  through  it,  is  left  exposed  in 
high  and  perpendicular  cliffs.  This  is  very  conspicuous  on  the  banks  of  the 
Kentucky  at  Frankfort,  and  for  some  miles  above.  Here  the  river  is  confined  by 
high  and  perpendicular  walls  of  solid  rock.  The  stream  no  doubt  once  flowed 
on  the  surface  level  of  the  country,  but  for  ages  has  the  water  been  slowly  and 


156  STATISTICS  OF  KENTUCKY. 

silently  but  steadily  cutting  its  way  through  the  hard  rock,  until  the  bed  of  the 
river  is  now  four  or  five  hundred  feet  beneath  the  surface  of  the  surrounding 
country.  That  there  was  once  no  natural  valley  here,  but  that  the  channel  has 
been  formed  by  the  action  of  the  running  water  itself,  we  have  this  proof:  The 
layers  of  rock,  on  the  opposite  sides  of  the  river,  exactly  correspond.  Opposite 
to  a  thick  bed  you  find  one  of  the  same  thickness  and  character.  So  of  a  thinner 
layer,  and  of  the  seams  of  clay  which  separate  the  different  beds.  Besides  this, 
we  find  near  the  surface,  far  above  the  present  level  of  the  bed  of  the  river,  in 
many  places,  manifest  marks  of  the  action  of  water,  giving  indubitable  proof, 
that  it  once  occupied  a  channel  not  near  so  deep  as  at  present. 

It  is  in  these  cliffs  of  the  Kentucky  river,  and  in  the  adjacent  country  thatwe  find 
what  is  termed  the  Kentucky  marble.  This  presents  quite  a  different  appearance 
from  that  of  the  common  limestone,  ordinarily.  As  has  been  stated,  the  layers 
are  much  thicker,  the  rock  is  less  crystalline,  more  brittle,  breaks  with  a  concoi- 
dal  fracture,  and  is  barren  of  organic  remains.  It  is  used  as  a  building  stone, 
and  is  the  material  of  which  the  State-house  in  Frankfort  is  constructed.  It  is 
susceptible  of  a  good  polish,  and  is  sometimes  used  for  tomb  stones,  and  monu- 
ments, though  liable  to  scale  when  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  weather.  It  is 
almost  too  coarse  to  be  suitable  for  finer  ornamental  purposes.  It  is  said  to  con- 
tain a  large  per  cent,  of  magnesia. 

SECOND  FORMATION— THE  CLIFF  LIMESTONE. 
If  we  travel  up  the  Ohio  river,  from  Cincinnati,  until  we  get  to  about  the 
dividing  line  between  the  counties  of  Mason  and  Lewis,  we  meet  with  the  for- 
mation overlying  the  blue  limestone.  If  we  travel  down  the  river  we  first  meet 
the  same  formation  at  Madison,  Indiana.  It  takes  its  name  of  "Cliff  Lime- 
stone" from  the  high  cliffs  which  are  usually  found  on  the  water  courses  where 
this  formation  prevails.  It  differs  in  its  structure,  color  and  general  appearance, 
from  the  blue  limestone.  It  is  generally  found  in  thicker  layers,  and  has  less 
clay,  but  more  sand  in  its  composition.  As  a  surface  rock  it  covers  but  a  small 
area  in  Kentucky.  It  forms  a  narrow  belt  entirely  surrounding  the  space  occu- 
pied by  the  underlying  rock.  At  its  broadest  point  in  Kentucky,  this  belt  is  not 
more  than  twenty  or  thirty  miles,  and  entirely  disappears  in  the  centre  of  the 
State.  On  the  east  and  west  it  dips  under  the  other  strata.  On  the  west  it  is 
the  surface  rock,  between  Madison  and  Louisville.  On  the  east  it  occupies  a 
somewhat  narrower  strip  of  country.  But  towards  the  north  it  spreads  out  over 
an  immense  extent  of  territory,  and  becomes  much  thicker.  It  is  the  rock  over 
which  the  waters  pour  at  the  falls  of  Niagara,  and  it  is  the  same  rock  that  causes 
the  falls  of  the  Ohio  at  Louisville.  Towards  the  north-west,  in  Illinois  and  Iowa, 
this  rock  attains  a  thickness  of  six  or  seven  hundred  feet,  and  is  the  great  lead- 
bearing  rock  of  those  states.  In  Kentucky  it  is  perhaps  too  thin  ever  to  furnish 
any  rich  veins  of  ore. 

THIRD  FORMATION— SLATE  OR  SHALE. 

The  slate  rests  upon  the  cliff  limestone,  and  is  seen  immediately  on  crossing 
this  formation  in  traveling  either  up  or  down  the  Ohio  from  Cincinnati.  It  has 
a  dip  exactly  corresponding  to  that  of  the  preceding  rock,  and  like  it,  occupies  a 
narrow  semi-circular  belt  of  country  lying  just  outside  of  the  cliff  limestone. 
Crossing  the  Ohio  in  Lewis  county,  where  it  is  not  more  than  ten  or  twelve  miles 
broad,  and  passing  in  a  south-west  direction  to  the  centre  of  the  State,  a  few 
miles  south  of  Danville,  it  makes  a  sweep  round  towards  the  north-west,  and  re- 
crosses  the  Ohio  at  Louisville.  Indeed  this  slate  may  be  traced  on  the  surface 
from  the  north-eastern  part  of  Illinois,  in  a  south-east  direction,  through  Illinois, 
Indiana,  and  to  the  centre  of  Kentucky,  where  it  bends  to  the  north,  and  runs 
through  the  whole  length  of  Ohio,  until  it  strikes  the  western  end  of  Lake  Erie, 
and  thence  east  along  the  southern  margin  of  that  lake,  into  the  interior  of  New 
York,  whore  bending  south  again,  it  runs  along  the  western  slope  of  the  Alle- 
ghanies  ;  and  throughout  this  vast  circuit,  is  in  no  place  more  than  fifteen  or 
twenty  miles  brnad,  on  the  surface,  though  it  underlies  an  immense  region.  In 
the  eastern  part  of  the  State  it  is  between  two  and  three  hundred  feet  thick. 

The  slate  is  highly  bituminous,  and  burns  readily  when  thrown  on  the  fire. 
Throughout  its  whole  extent,  it  abounds  in  iron  pyrites  (sulphate  of  iron)  and  in 


GEOLOGICAL  FORMATIONS.  157 

iron  ores,  and  over  the  whole  territory  it  occupies  mineral  springs  are  very  nu- 
merous. 

FOURTH  FORMATION— SANDSTONE. 
The  slate  is  everywhere  accompanied  hy  an  overlying  sandstone,  or  freestone, 
as  it  is  sometimes  termed.  This  sandstone  may  be  traced  through  that  same 
vast  extent  of  territory,  in  which  it  has  just  been  mentioned  tiie  slate  can  be  fol- 
lowed ;  and  in  Kentucky  comes  to  the  surface  in  a  narrow  semi-circular  belt  of 
country  completely  surrounding  the  slate.  It  gives  rise  to  a  low  range  of  hills 
termed  "  knobs,"  which  may  be  traced,  from  Louisville  around  south  of  Danville, 
to  the  Ohio  river  again  in  Lewis  county.  In  some  cases  this  rsck,  when  exposed 
to  the  weather,  becomes  soft  and  crumbles  to  pieces.  But  if  care  be  taken  to 
select  specimens  entirely  free  from  clay,  it  forms  a  firm  and  durable  material  for 
architectural  purposes.  It  is  readily  cut  into  any  desired  shape,  and  is  exten- 
sively used  for  columns,  tombstones  and  other  purposes.  But  of  the  finer  quali- 
ties great  numbers  of  grindstones  are  manufactured.  Near  Portsmouth  it  is 
about  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet  thick;  below  Louisville,  two  hundred  and 
eighty;  and  it  seems  to  grow  thinner  as  it  extends  towards  the  west,  though  it  is  not 
known  to  what  distance  it  reaches.  It  has  the  same  dip  with  the  preceding  rocks. 
It  underlies  the  whole  of  the  eastern  part  of  Kentucky,  and  is  the  rock  which 
furnishes  the  salt  springs  in  this  State  and  Virginia. 

FIFTH  FORMATION— OR  CAVERNOUS  LIMESTONE. 

Immediately  above  the  sandstone  we  meet  with  another  formation  of  limestone. 
It  is  termed  the  "  Cavernous  limestone"  because  in  it  are  found  those  numerous 
caves,  which  abound  in  Kentucky,  and  of  which  the  Mammoth  Cave,  is  the  most 
remarkable  yet  discovered.  The  mouth  of  this  cave  is  in  Edmonston  county,  on 
the  banks  of  Green  river.  It  is  said  to  have  been  explored  to  the  distance  of  ten 
miles  from  its  mouth,  without  having  yet  reached  its  termination;  and  the  ag- 
gregate length  of  all  the  branches  already  discovered,  is  more  than  forty  miles. 
It  is  the  most  remarkable  cave  known,  for  its  vast  extent.  Its  various  branches 
sometimes  swell  out  into  vast  arches  a  hundred  feet  high,  and  into  vaulted  rooms 
or  domes,  some  of  which  are  said  to  be  more  than  three  hundred  feet  from  floor 
to  roof.  In  it  are  several  springs  of  fresh  and  mineral  waters,  even  a  river  as  it  is 
called,  but  which  is  more  like  a  pool  of  water,  as  scarcely  any  current  can  be 
detected,  and  which  is  most  probably  fed  by  the  Green  river,  as  it  rises  and  falls 
with  the  water  in  that  stream.  In  this  river  or  pool  are  found  "  blind  fish," 
without  the  slightest  appearance  of  eyes.  They  are  not  more  than  four  or  five 
inches  long,  but  from  their  snowy  whiteness  can  be  seen  at  considerable  depths, 
darting  through  the  transparent  water.     They  are  often  caught  with  nets. 

Stalactites  and  stalagmites  abound  in  some  parts  of  the  cave;  and  in  at  least 
one  room  the  roof  and  sides  are  covered  with  the  most  brilliant  incrustations  of 
gypsum,  (sulphate  of  lime),  which  looks  like  it  had  been  carved  by  the  hand  of 
art.  But  no  description  can  convey  any  adequate  idea  of  the  impression  the  end- 
less variety  in  the  cave  makes  upon  the  beholder. 

But  this  is  only  one  of  a  thousand  or  perhaps  ten  thousand  caves  found  in  this 
rock.  Throughout  the  whole  section  of  country  where  this  formation  prevails, 
sink  holes,  sinking  springs,  and  underground  streams  are  constantly  to  be  met 
with.  These  sink  holes  are  probably  produced  by  the  falling  in  of  the  roofs  of 
the  caves,  and  the  springs  and  streams  pour  into  them,  and  often  run  for  great 
distances  under  ground. 

The  rock  of  this  formation  is  almost  a  pure  limestone,  and  when  burned  makes 
most  beautiful  lime.  It  is  manufactured  and  sent  down  the  Ohio  and  Missis- 
sippi rivers,  in  considerable  quantities,  for  the  southern  markets.  It  is  generally 
compact,  and  can  be  quarried  in  thick  blocks,  and  forms  an  excellent  building 
material.  It  is  sometimes  oolitic  in  its  structure,  and  in  many  places  is  covered 
with  fragments  of  flint  or  hornstone. 

This  cavernous  limestone  forms  the  surface  rock  for  a  large  section,  perhaps 
a  fourth  or  fifth  of  Kentucky.  Its  boundary  may  be  traced  as  follows  :  Begin- 
ning at  the  Tennessee  line  near  Thompsonville  in  Monroe  county,  and  proceed- 
ing in  a  north-east  direction  to  Mt.  Vernon;  thence  westward,  to  the  head  waters 
of  the  southern  branch  of  Rolling  Fork,  and  thence  along  this  stream  to  where  it 
empties  into  the  Ohio,  we  mark  its  eastern  limits.    It  occupies  all  the  State  west 


158  STATISTICS   OF   KENTUCKY. 

of  this  boundary,  except  the  portion  occupied  by  the  lower  coal  field,  which  will 
be  described,  and  which  rests  upon  this  rock.  The  dip  of  this  rock  is  towards 
the  south  and  west  in  Kentucky.  It  thins  out  towards  the  east,  but  becomes 
thicker  towards  the  west,  and  attains  a  great  thickness  in  Missouri  and  Illinois. 
In  Kentucky  the  country  underlaid  by  this  rock,  is  termed  the  "Barrens."  The 
name  is  probably  not  derived  from  the  poverty  of  the  soil,  for  this  is  of  a  medium 
quality,  and  sometimes  very  good  ;  but  from  the  scarcity  of  the  timber.  The 
barrens  are  said  to  have  been  once  a  vast  prairie,  and  are  now  covered  by 
scarcely  any  timber  except  a  small  scrubby  oak,  termed  black-jack.  It  is  im- 
possible to  assign  the  cause  of  this  peculiar  feature  of  this  remarkable  region. 

SIXTH  FORMATION— THE  CONGLOMERATE  COAL  SERIES. 

Resting  on  the  cavernous  limestone  we  find  a  conglomerate  or  pudding  stone. 
It  is  composed  of  coarse  pebbles  of  quartz,  and  fine  grains  of  sand,  rounded  and 
cemented  together  by  a  silicious  cement.  It  underlies  the  coal  series  in  both  the 
eastern  and  western  fields  in  Kentucky,  and  is  generally  regarded  as  a  member 
of  the  coal  formation.  It  forms  a  kind  of  basin  or  trough  in  which  the  coal 
beds  were  deposited,  and  comes  to  the  surface  in  a  border  completely  surround- 
ing the  coal  fields.  In  Kentucky  it  is  found  in  two  narrow  strips, — in  one  ex- 
tending from  the  Ohio  river  in  Greenup  county,  in  a  south-west  direction  to 
where  the  Cumberland  river  crosses  the  Tennessee  line;  in  the  other,  forming  a 
margin  to  the  lower  coal  field  extending  from  the  Ohio  in  the  western  part  of 
Meade  county,  south  and  west  until  it  nearly  reaches  the  southern  limits  of  the 
State,  at  a  point  near  the  dividing  line  between  the  counties  of  Todd  and  Chris- 
tian, and  thence  bending  to  the  north-west,  recrosses  the  Ohio  in  Crittenden 
county.  The  rock  is  very  firm,  and  is  sometimes  used  for  millstones  to  grind 
Indian  corn.  It  varies  in  thickness  from  eighty  to  two  or  three  hundred  feet, 
though  perhaps  no  where  so  thick  as  this  in  Kentucky. 

The  Coal  series. — Immediately  over  the  conglomerate  we  find  what  may  be  more 
properly  termed  the  coal  formation.  The  whole  series  is  made  up  of  various 
combinations  of  layers  of  shale  and  sandstone,  with  thinner  strata  of  limestone, 
hornstone  and  iron  ore  alternating  with  coal  beds. 

In  Kentucky  there  are  two  distinct  and  separate  coal  fields.  The  one  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  State,  termed  the  coal  field  of  the  upper  Ohio,  includes  the 
whole  of  that  section  of  the  State,  which  lies  to  the  east  of  a  line  beginning  on 
the  Ohio  river,  at  Greenupsburg,  and  running  in  a  south-west  direction  by  Irvine 
on  the  Kentucky,  Somerset,  the  county  seat  of  Pulaski,  and  Jamestown,  to  the 
Tennessee  line.  This  is  a  part  of  the  great  coal  field,  the  largest  in  the  world, 
occupying  a  very  large  district  in  western  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  a  portion  of 
Ohio,  and  the  eastern  part  of  Kentucky,  and  extending  down  into  Tennessee, 
and  probably  into  Alabama. 

The  other  coal  field  is  in  the  Green  river  country,  and  is  a  part  of  the  great 
field  covering  a  large  portion  of  Illinois,  considerable  sections  in  Kentucky  and 
Indiana,  and  even  extending  into  Missouri  and  Iowa,  Mr.  Mather,  who,  under  the 
direction  of  the  Legislature,  made  a  geological  reconnoisance  of  Kentucky,  in 
1838,  in  his  report  says:  "The  boundary  of  the  lower  Ohio  coal  formation  may 
be  indicated,  by  an  irregular  line  drawn  from  near  the  mouth  of  the  Wabash,  so 
as  to  include  Henderson,  Davies,  Hancock,  Ohio,  and  most  of  Union,  Hopkins, 
Muhlenburg,  Butler,  Edmonston,  Grayson,  and  a  small  portion  of  Breckinridge. 
Hart,  and  Warren  counties." 

In  both  fields  the  strata  dip  from  the  border  towards  the  center,  and  the  rocks 
which  we  observe  passing  under  the  coal  formation  as  we  ascend  the  Ohio,  come 
again  to  the  surface  before  we  reach  the  Alleghanies,  forming  a  kind  of  basin  or 
trough,  in  which  the  coal  has  been  deposited. 

In  Kentucky  the  coal  fields  are  supposed  to  cover  ten  or  twelve  thousand 
square  miles,  and  but  a  small  part  of  each  field  is  included  within  the  limits  of 
this  State.  In  England,  the  largest  coal  field  does  not  embrace  more  than  twelve 
hundred  square  miles,  or  the  one-tenth  of  the  coal  district  of  Kentucky.  In  many 
places  several  workable  beds  of  coal  are  found.  But  as  yet,  mining  operations 
have  been  carried  on  only  to  a  very  limited  extent,  and  generally  a  seam  is 
opened  where  the  coal  is  found  cropping  out  on  a  hill  side,  and  only  the  most  ac- 
cessible coal  procured.     The  nearly  horizontal  position  of  the  beds  in  Kentucky, 


GEOLOGICAL  FORMATIONS.  159 

the  dip  being  just  sufficient  for  drainage,  if  the  vein  is  opened  on  the  right  side  of 
a  hill,  renders  the  operation  of  mining  very  easy.  There  are  several  varieties  of 
coal,  but  all  of  them  bituminous.    Mr.  Mather  in  his  report  mentions  three  kinds. 

"  1st.  The  common  bituminous  or  caking  coal. 

"  2nd,  A  similar  coal  which  does  not  cake,  and  adhere  in  lumps  when  burning,  but  each 
piece  keeps  separate  and  distinct 

"  3d.  coaL" 

He  adds  "  All  these  coals  burn  well  and  give  out  much  heat ;  but  the  two  latter  are  fer 
more  pleasant  for  domestic  use,  and  do  not  emit  that  kind  of  smoke  from  which  flakes  of 
soot,  like  lampblack,  are  diffused  through  the  air." 

The  coal  of  Kentucky  is  very  accessible.  The  Cumberland,  the  Licking,  the 
Kentucky,  and  the  two  Sandies,  penetrate  almost  every  part  of  the  eastern  field, 
and  Green  river  runs  right  through  the  center  of  the  western ;  and  upon  the  bosom 
of  these  streams  is  a  large  amount  of  coal  annually  carried  to  the  towns  on  their 
banks.  The  amount  annually  raised  from  all  the  mines  in  Kentucky,  cannot  be 
accurately  stated.     Mr.  Mather  states  it  at  three  millions  of  bushels. 

METALS  AND  OTHER  USEFUL    MINERALS. 

Iron.  There  are  several  varieties  of  iron  ore  found  in  Kentucky.  In  several 
localities  the  bog  ore  is  found  as  a  deposit  from  mineral  springs.  But  this  is 
comparatively  unimportant.     In  addition  to  this,  however,  there  is 

1st.  The  ore  of  the  coal  measures.  This  ore  is  found  in  layers,  or  else  in 
courses  of  nodules,  in  the  shales  or  sandstones  of  the  coal  fields,  and  is  generally 
an  hydrated  peroxide  of  iron.  When  found  in  layers,  it  is  readily  broken  into 
rectangular  blocks  ;  otherwise  it  is  taken  from  the  mine  in  round  lumps  of  various 
sizes, 

2d.  The  ore  found  in  connection  with  the  limestone  underlying  the  coal  meas- 
ures.    This  ore  is  very  abundant,  and  is  extensively  worked  for  furnaces. 

3d.  The  ore  of  the  slate  formation.  This  ore  too,  is  very  abundant,  and  is  found, 
either  in  continuous  strata,  or  in  layers  of  nodules  in  the  slate  (formation  three). 
It  seems  to  be  a  calcareous  and  argillaceous  carbonate  of  iron.  In  many  places 
where  the  slate  has  been  crumbled  to  pieces,  and  been  washed  away,  it  is  found 
abundantly  on  the  surface.  All  the  above  ores  are  worked  more  or  less  exten- 
sively for  the  furnaces  in  various  sections  of  the  State. 

'•  In  the  coal  fields  of  eastern  and  western  Kentucky,  there  appears  to  be  an  almost  inex- 
haustible supply  of  iron.  Over  an  area  of  twelve  thousand  square  miles,  there  may  be 
probably  an  average  thickness  of  one  yard  of  iron  ore  in  the  coal  formation  alone,  without 
counting  the  slate  and  limestone  regions,  where  there  is  probably  as  much  more.  Each 
cubic  yard  of  this  ore  will  yield  on  an  average  one  ton  of  bar  iron,  or  five  thousand  tons  to 
the  acre,  or  3,200,000  tons  to  the  square  mile,  or  38,400,000,000  on  the  twelve  thousand 
square  miles;  a  quantity  sufficient  to  supply  a  ton  of  iron  annually  to  every  individual  in 
the  United  States  (estimating  our  population  at  fifteen  million  of  people)  for  2,560  years." 

It  will  be  remembered  that  as  much  more  is  supposed  to  belong  to  the  lime- 
stone and  slate  formation. 

Like  the  coal,  the  iron  in  every  part  of  Kentucky  is  very  accessible.  It  is 
spread  over  a  wide  district,  penetrated  in  every  direction  by  navigable  streams, 
and  everywhere  accompanied  by  the  fuel  necessary  for  its  reduction.  As  yet  the 
mining  business  may  be  said  hardly  to  have  commenced,  but  it  is  destined  to  be 
the  source  of  great  future  wealth  to  the  State. 

LEAD. 
In  a  variety  of  localities,  veins  of  lead  ore  have  been  found  in  the  blue  lime- 
stone (formation  one),  but  no  where  yet  in  such  abundance  as  to  justify  mining 
operations.  The  cliff  limestone  (No.  two),  and  the  cavernous  limestone  (No.  five), 
especially  the  former,  seem  to  be  the  great  lead-bearing  rocks  of  our  country,  and 
neither  of  them  appear  to  be  sufficiently  developed  in  Kentucky,  to  furnish  any 
rich  veins  of  this  metal.  It  is  more  than  probable,  that  as  long  as  there  is  such 
an  inexhaustible  supply  of  lead  from  the  mines  further  west,  it  will  never  be 
worked  in  Kentucky. 

SALT. 

It  has  already  been  mentioned  that  the  sandstone  (formation  fourth"^,  which  over- 


160  STATISTICS   OF   KENTUCKY. 

lies  the  slate,  seems  to  furnish  the  salt  springs  of  this  State  and  Virginia,  and 
perhaps  of  Ohio  and  New  York.  This  rock  underlies  the  coal  measures,  form- 
ing a  kind  of  basin  in  which  they  were  deposited,  and  over  the  whole  area  salt 
water  may  be  reached  by  boring  to  this  rock.  The  water  is  generally  stronger 
near  the  center  of  the  basin,  as  for  example  in  the  eastern  part  of  Kentucky,  and 
western  part  of  Virginia,  though  it  is  sometimes  necessary  to  bore  to  the  depth 
of  a  thousand  feet,  before  the  salt-bearing  stratum  can  be  reached. 

The  amount  of  salt  annually  manufactured  at  the  various  salines  of  the  State, 
may  be  estimated  from  500,000  to  1,000,000  of  bushels. 

SALTPETER,  GYPSUM,  HYDRAULIC  LIME. 

Saltpeter  is  found  in  most  of  the  caves,  which  are  so  numerous  in  the  cavern- 
ous limestone.  It  exists  in  the  caves  as  a  nitrate  of  lime,  and  is  converted  into 
saltpeter  (nitrate  of  potassa),  by  leaching  through  wood  ashes.  It  is  not  largely 
manufactured. 

Gypsum  or  plaster  of  Paris  and  hydraulic  limestone,  are  found  in  several 
places.  It  has  already  been  mentioned  that  Gypsum  forms  a  complete  coating  or 
incrustation,  over  the  walls  in  some  branches  of  the  Mammoth  Cave.  The  hy- 
draulic limestone  is  in  some  places  found  imbedded  in  the  slate,  and  doubtless  a 
more  accurate  survey  of  the  State,  will  serve  to  discover  both  these  materials  in 
many  localities  where  they  are  not  now  imagined  to  exist. 

MINERAL  SPRINGS. 

Mineral  and  medicinal  springs  abound  in  Kentucky,  especially  in  those  sec- 
tions adjacent  to  and  underlaid  by  the  slate.  The  gradual  decomposition  of  the 
sulphuret  of  iron  in  this  rock,  probably  affords  the  sulphuretic  hydrogen  of  the 
sulphur  waters,  and  sulphuric  acid,  which  combining  with  oxide  of  iron,  soda, 
magnesia,  etc.,  form  the  various  salts  held  in  solution  by  these  waters. 

Sulphur,  chalybeate  and  Epsom  springs,  are  all  very  common,  and  in  the 
watering  seasons  are  much  resorted  to  by  invalids. 

At  the  Blue  Licks,  near  the  bank  of  the  Licking  river,  is  a  sulphur  spring  con- 
taining besides  a  variety  of  other  ingredients  a  large  amount  of  common  salt, 
whose  waters  are  highly  prized  and  much  used  for  medicinal  purposes.  It  is  an- 
nually resorted  to  by  hundreds,  for  pleasure  or  health ;  and  large  quantities  of 
the  water  is  barreled  and  sent  off  through  the  country,  where  it  meets  a  ready 
market.  It  rises  in  the  blue  limestone,  though  it  probably  has  its  origin  in  the 
slate. 

This,  however,  is  not  the  only  instance  of  a  mineral  spring  in  this  formation. 
At  Drennon's  Lick,  at  Big  Bone  Lick,  and  in  a  number  of  other  places  in  the  blue 
limestone,  water  is  found  which  is  said  not  to  be  very  dissimilar  to  that  of  the 
Blue  Licks. 

At  Harrodsburg,  near  the  center  of  the  State,  are  numbers  of  springs  whose 
predominate  ingredient  seems  to  be  sulphate  of  magnesia  or  Epsom  salt.  And 
near  Crab  Orchard,  thirty  miles  from  this  place,  are  several  more  springs  of  the 
same  kind,  together  with  sulphur  and  chalybeate  waters.  Both  of  these  places 
are  much  visited  in  the  watering  season.  But  besides  these,  a  great  variety  of 
valuable  waters  are  known ;  as  for  example,  the  springs  in  Rockcastle,  Estill, 
Bath  and  Lewis  counties. 

ORGANIC  REMAINS. 

Organic  remains  abound  more  or  less  in  all  the  strata  of  the  state.  Sufficiently 
minute  examinations  have  not,  however,  been  made  to  ascertain  the  number  and 
variety  of  species  belonging  to  the  different  formations.  In  the  lower  rocks  (for- 
mations one  and  two),  fossil  remains  are  exceedingly  abundant.  The  blue  lime- 
stone in  many  places  seems  to  be  almost  entirely  composed  of  the  shells  of  ma- 
rine animals.  "Among  the  most  common  are  delthyris,  atrypa,  orthis,  stopho- 
mena,  trilobites,  orthocerotites,  corallines,  cyathophylla,  encrinites  and  a  number 
of  other  radiata." 

In  formation  two,  fossils  are  perhaps  not  so  numerous,  but  larger  and  more  dis- 
tinct than  in  the  preceding  rock.  Many  genera  are  common  to  both,  though 
generally  shells  prevail  most  in  formation  one,  and  radiata  in  two.  The  penta- 
merus,  trilobites,  cyathophylla,  calenipora,  retepora,  lithodendron,  etc.,  are  very 
abundant  in  this  rock. 


EARLY  MANNERS    AND  CUSTOMS.  161 

Formations  third  and  fourth,  the  slate  and  sandstone  are  barren  of  organic  re- 
mains. 

Formation  fifth  is  a  limestone,  and  is  much  richer  in  fossils.  In  some  places 
miscroscopic  shells  are  exceedingly  abundant. 

In  the  conglomerate,  which  underlies  the  coal  beds,  only  a  few  traces  of  fossil 
plants  can  be  discovered.  The  coal  itself  is  now  generally  understood  to  be  of 
vegetable  orgin,  and  the  impressions  of  plants  are  always  more  or  less  distinctly 
traceable  in  all  the  varieties  of  it. 

But  besides  these  remains  disseminated  so  profusely  through  some  of  these 
rocks,  there  are  others  of  a  very  different  epoch,  and  in  some  respects  of  a 
much  more  interesting  character.     These  are  the  bones  of  extinct  quadrupeds. 

In  many  places  on  the  surface  of  the  rocks  already  described,  and  as  appears 
of  a  much  more  recent  date,  there  has  been  deposited,  a  deep  marshy  soil,  occu- 
pying the  natural  valleys  of  the  country.  In  these  marshy  grounds,  and  especially 
in  the  neighborhood  of  "  Licks,"  to  which  the  animals  seem  to  have  been  at- 
tracted, are  often  found  the  bones  of  several  species  of  extraordinary  but  now  ex- 
tinct quadrupeds.  The  most  remarkable  locality  is  in  Boone  county,  at  Big 
Bone  Lick.  Here  a  large  number  of  bones,  perfectly  sound  and  well  preserved, 
have  been  dug  up.  And  while  perhaps  in  no  case  has  a  complete  skeleton  been 
found,  yet  it  has  been  computed  that  to  furnish  the  specimens  carried  off  from 
this  place  alone,  there  would  be  required  of  the 

Mastodon  maximus,  -     100  individuals. 
Elephas  primigenius,       20  " 

Megalonyx  Jeifersonia,      1  " 

Bos  bombifrous,  -        -     2  " 

Bos  pallasii,     -        -         1  " 

Some  of  these  animals,  especially  the  mastodon,  must  have  been  of  extraordi- 
nary size,  and  while  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  they  are  now  extinct,  there  can 
be  as  little,  that  geologically  speaking,  they  were  very  recently  tenants  of  the 
earth.  The  nearly  complete  skeleton  of  a  mastodon  found  in  the  State  of  Nevir 
York,  and  put  up  by  Mr.  Peale  in  the  museum  in  Philadelphia,  measures  fifteen 
feet  in  length,  and  is  nearly  eleven  feet  high.  This  animal  must  once  have 
roamed  through  this  whole  country,  as  its  remains  are  found  in  many  States,  and 
many  localities.  How  long  since  it  became  extinct,  or  why  it  perished,  is  un- 
known to  us. 

SOILS. 

Perhaps  it  may  be  proper  to  add  a  few  words  in  regard  to  the  connection 
between  the  geology  and  soils  of  different  sections  of  the  State.  It  is  well  known 
that  the  soil  takes  its  character  from  the  underlaying  rock  ;  that  it  is  formed  by 
its  decomposition,  and  varies  with  it.  In  Kentucky,  the  blue  limestone,  or  forma- 
tion one,  forms  the  richest  soil.  That  beautiful  section  of  country, — the  garden 
of  the  State — embracing  Fayette,  Bourbon,  Woodford,  Scott,  Jessamine,  and  the 
counties  between  them  and  the  Ohio  river,  is  underlaid  by  this  rock.  The  soil 
over  this  section  is  not  everywhere  equally  fertile,  but  altogether  is  the  best  in 
the  State. 

Formation  second  and  formation  fifth  are  both  limestone,  and  form  good  soils. 
The  former  is,  as  has  already  been  mentioned,  developed  only  to  a  very  limited 
extent  in  this  State.  The  latter  covers  a  much  larger  territory.  The  "  Barrens" 
are  vinderlaid  by  it.   The  soil  is  good,  and  in  some  places  of  an  excellent  quality. 

The  slate  and  sandstone  generally  form  poor  soils.  In  some  places,  however, 
a  proper  mixture  of  limestone  with  the  clay  of  the  slate,  forms  an  excellent  soil. 
The  soil  over  the  coal  measures  is  generally  poor,  though  it  varies  much  in  its 
qualities. 

EARLY   MANNERS  AND   CUSTOMS. 

The  plan  of  this  work  would  be  incomplete,  if  it  did  not  contain  some  account 
of  the  spirit  and  manners  of  society  in  the  primitive  ages  of  Kentucky  history. 
The  following  sketch  of  early  life  is  drawn  from  various  sources ;  but  we  are 
principally  indebted  to  "Doddridge's  Notes." 

The  household  offices  were  performed  by  the  women ;  the  men  cultivated  the 
soil,  hunted  the  game  and  brought  in  the  meat,  built  the  houses,  garrisoned  the 
11 


162  STATISTICS   OF   KENTUCKY. 

forts,  and  freely  exposed  themselves  to  danger  and  privations  in  defence  of  the 
settlements. 

Most  of  the  articles  in  common  use  were  of  domestic  manufacture.  There 
might  have  been  incidentally  a  few  things  brought  to  the  country  for  sale  in  a 
private  way,  but  there  was  no  store  for  general  supply.  Utensils  of  metal,  ex- 
cept offensive  weapons,  were  extremely  rare,  and  almost  entirely  unknown.  The 
table  furniture  usually  consisted  of  wooden  vessels,  either  turned  or  coopered. 
Iron  forks,  tin  cups,  &c.,  &c.,  were  articles  of  rare  and  delicate  luxury.  The 
food  was  of  the  most  wholesome  and  nutritive  kind.  The  richest  meat,  the  finest 
butter,  and  best  meal  that  ever  delighted  man's  palate,  were  here  eaten  with  a 
relish  which  health  and  labor  only  know.  The  hospitality  of  the  people  was 
profuse  and  proverbial. 

The  dress  of  the  settlers  was  of  primitive  simplicity.  The  hunting  shirt  was 
worn  universally.  Many  of  these  garments  are  still  in  use  in  the  back  settle- 
ments, and  their  appearance  is  familiar  to  almost  every  reader  in  the  west.  This 
backwoods  costume  was  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  pursuits  and  habits  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  has  been  connected  with  so  many  thrilling  passages  of  war  and  wild 
adventure,  that  the  Kentucky  hunting  shirt  is  famous  throughout  the  world.  The 
hunting  shirt  was  usually  made  of  linsey,  sometimes  of  coarse  linen,  and  a  few 
of  dressed  deer  skins.  The  bosom  of  this  dress  was  sewed  as  a  wallet,  to  hold  a 
piece  of  bread,  cakes,  jerk,  tow  for  wiping  the  barrel  of  the  rifle,  and  any  other 
necessary  for  the  hunter  or  warrior.  The  belt,  which  was  always  tied  behind, 
answered  several  purposes  besides  that  of  holding  the  dress  together.  In  cold 
weather,  the  mittens,  and  sometimes  the  bullet  bag  occupied  the  front  part  of  it. 
To  the  right  side  was  suspended  the  tomahawk,  and  to  the  left  the  scalping  knife 
in  its  leathern  sheath.  The  shirt  and  jacket  were  of  the  common  fashion.  A 
pair  of  drawers,  or  breeches  and  leggins  were  the  dress  of  the  thighs  and  legs, 
and  a  pair  of  moccasins  answered  for  the  feet  much  better  than  shoes.  These 
were  made  of  dressed  deer  skin.  They  were  generally  made  of  a  single  piece, 
with  a  gathering  seam  along  the  top  of  the  foot,  and  another  from  the  bottom  of  the 
heel,  without  gathers,  as  high  as  the  ankle  joint.  Flaps  were  left  on  each  side 
to  reach  some  distance  up  the  leg.  Hats  were  made  of  the  native  fur ;  the  buf- 
falo wool  was  frequently  employed  in  the  composition  of  cloth,  as  was  also  the 
bark  of  the  wild  nettle. 

The  forts  in  which  the  inhabitants  took  refuge  from  the  fury  of  the  savages, 
consisted  of  cabins,  block  houses,  and  stockades.  A  range  of  the  former  com- 
monly formed  at  least  one  side  of  the  fort.  Divisions  or  partitions  of  logs  sepa- 
rated the  cabins  from  each  other.  The  walls  on  the  outside  were  ten  or  twelve 
feet  high,  the  slope  of  the  roof  being  invariably  inward.  A  few  of  these  cabins 
had  puncheon  floors,  but  the  greater  part  were  earthen. 

The  block  houses  were  built  at  the  angles  of  the  fort.  They  projected  about 
two  feet  beyond  the  outer  walls  of  the  cabins  and  stockades.  Their  upper  stories 
were  about  eighteen  inches  every  way  larger  in  dimensions  than  the  under  one, 
leaving  an  opening  at  the  commencement  of  the  second  story  to  prevent  the 
enemy  from  making  a  lodgment  under  their  walls.  A  large  folding  gate  made  of 
thick  slabs  closed  the  fort  on  the  side  nearest  the  spring.  The  stockades,  cabins, 
and  blockhouse  walls  were  furnished  with  ports  at  proper  heights  and  distances. 
The  entire  extent  of  the  outer  wall  was  made  bullet  proof.  The  whole  of  this 
work  was  made  wdthout  the  aid  of  a  single  nail  or  spike  of  iron,  which  articles 
were  not  to  be  had. 

The  inhabitants  generally  married  young.  There  was  no  distinction  of  rank, 
and  very  little  of  fortune.  The  first  impression  of  love  generally  resulted  in 
marriage,  and  a  family  establishment  cost  but  a  little  labor  and  nothing  else. 

A  Kentucky  wedding  in  early  times  was  a  very  picturesque  affair,  and  was  an 
event  which  excited  the  general  attention  of  the  whole  community  in  which  it 
occurred.  The  following  description  of  the  proceedings  had  on  these  interesting 
occasions,  is  taken  almost  verbatim  from  the  account  of  one  who  had  been  pres- 
ent at  many  of  these  joyful  assemblies  : 

In  the  morning  of  the  wedding  day,  the  groom  and  his  attendants  assembled 
at  the  bouse  of  his  father,  for  the  purpose  of  proceeding  to  the  mansion  of  his 
bride,  which  it  was  desirable  to  reach  by  noon,  the  usual  time  of  celebrating  the 
nuptials,  which  ceremony  must  at  all  events  take  place  before  dinner.     Let  the 


EARLY   MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  163 

reader  imagine  an  assemblage  of  people,  without  a  store,  tailor,  or  mantua  maker 
within  an  hundred  miles  ;  an  assemblage  of  horses,  without  a  blacksmith  or  sad- 
dler within  a  like  distance.  The  gentlemen  dressed  in  shoe  packs,  moccasins, 
leather  breeches,  leggins,  linsey  hunting  shirts,  and  all  home  made.  The  ladies 
in  linsey  petticoats  and  linsey  or  linen  bedgowns,  coarse  shoes,  stockings,  hand- 
kerchiefs, and  buckskin  gloves.  If  there  were  any  buckles,  rings,  buttons,  or 
ruffles,  they  were  relics  of  old  times.  The  horses  were  caparisoned  with  old  sad- 
dles, old  bridles  or  halters,  and  pack  saddles,  with  a  bag  or  blanket  thrown  over 
them ;  a  rope  or  string  as  often  constituted  the  girth  as  a  piece  of  leather. 

The  march,  in  double  file,  was  often  interrupted  by  the  narrowness  or  obstruc- 
tions of  the  horse  path,  for  roads  there  were  none;  and  these  difficulties  were 
often  increased  by  the  jocularity,  and  sometimes  by  the  malice  of  neighbors,  by 
felling  trees  and  tying  grape  vines  across  the  way.  Sometimes  an  ambuscade  was 
formed  by  the  way  side,  and  an  unexpected  discharge  of  several  guns  took  place, 
so  as  to  cover  the  wedding  company  with  smoke.  Let  the  reader  imagine  the 
scene  which  followed  this  discharge  :  the  sudden  spring  of  the  horses,  the  shrieks 
of  the  girls,  and  the  chivalric  bustle  of  their  partners  to  save  them  from  falling. 
Sometimes,  in  spite  of  all  that  could  be  done  to  prevent  it,  some  were  thrown  to 
the  ground.  If  a  wrist,  elbow,  or  ancle  happened  to  be  sprained,  it  was  tied 
with  a  handkerchief,  and  little  more  was  thought  or  said  about  it. 

Another  ceremony  took  place  before  the  party  reached  the  house  of  the  bride, 
after  whisky  was  introduced,  which  was  at  an  early  period.  When  the  party 
had  arrived  within  a  mile  of  the  house,  two  young  men  would  single  out  to  run 
for  the  bottle.  The  worse  the  path  the  better,  as  obstacles  afforded  an  opportunity 
for  the  greater  display  of  intrepidity  and  horsemanship.  The  start  was  announced 
by  an  Indian  yell ;  logs,  brush,  muddy  hollows,  hills,  and  glens  were  speedily 
passed  by  the  rival  ponies.  The  bottle  was  always  filled  for  the  occasion,  and 
the  first  who  reached  the  door  was  presented  with  the  prize,  with  which  he  re- 
turned in  triumph  to  the  company.  The  contents  of  the  bottle  were  distributed 
among  the  company. 

The  ceremony  of  the  marriage  preceded  the  dinner,  which  was  a  substantial 
backwoods  feast  of  beef,  pork,  fowls,  and  sometimes  venison  and  bear  meat  roas- 
ted and  boiled,  with  plenty  of  potatoes,  cabbage,  and  other  vegetables.  After  din- 
ner the  dancing  commenced,  and  generally  lasted  till  next  morning.  The  figures 
of  the  dances  were  three  and  four  handed  reels,  or  square  sets  and  jigs. 

About  nine  or  ten  o'clock,  a  deputation  of  young  ladies  stole  off  the  bride  and 
put  her  to  bed.  This  done,  a  deputation  of  young  men  in  like  manner  stole  off 
the  groom  and  placed  him  snugly  by  the  side  of  his  bride.  The  dance  still  con- 
tinued, and  if  seats  happened  to  be  scarce,  every  young  man  when  not  engaged 
in  the  dance,  was  obliged  to  offer  his  lap  as  a  seat  for  one  of  the  girls,  and  the 
offer  was  sure  to  be  accepted.  In  the  midst  of  this  hilarity,  the  bride  and  groom 
were  not  forgotten.  Pretty  late  in  the  night,  some  one  would  remind  the  com- 
pany that  the  new  couple  must  stand  in  need  of  some  refreshments  ;  '  black  betty,' 
which  was  the  name  of  the  bottle,  was  called  for  and  sent  up  stairs,  but  often 
'black  betty'  did  not  go  alone.  Sometimes  as  much  bread,  beef,  pork  and  cab- 
bage was  sent  along  with  her,  as  would  afford  a  good  meal  for  half  a  dozen  hun- 
gry men.  The  young  couple  were  compelled  to  eat  and  drink  more  or  less  of 
whatever  was  offered  them. 

The  marriage  being  over,  the  next  thing  in  order  was  to  "  settle  "  the  5'oung 
couple.  A  spot  was  selected  on  a  piece  of  land  of  one  of  the  parents  for  their 
habitation.  A  day  was  appointed  shortly  after  their  marriage,  for  commencing 
the  work  of  building  the  cabin.  The  fatigue  party  consisted  of  choppers,  whose 
business  it  was  to  fell  the  trees  and  cut  them  off  at  the  proper  length.  A  man 
with  a  team  for  hauling  them  to  the  place,  and  arranging  them  properly  assorted 
at  the  sides  and  ends  of  the  building,  a  carpenter  if  such  he  might  be  called, 
whose  business  it  was  to  search  the  woods  for  a  proper  tree  for  making  clapboards 
for  the  roof.  The  tree  for  this  purpose  must  be  straight  grained  and  from  three 
to  four  feet  in  diameter.  The  boards  were  split  four  feet  long  with  a  large  froe, 
and  as  wide  as  the  timber  would  allow.  They  were  used  without  planing  or 
shaving.  Another  division  were  employed  in  getting  puncheons  for  the  floor  of 
the  cabin  ;  this  was  done  by  splitting  trees  about  eighteen  inches  in  diameter, 
and  hewing  the  face  of  them  with  a  broadaxe.     They  were  half  the  length  of 


164  ADAIR    COUNTY. 

the  floor  they  were  intended  to  make.  The  materials  being  prepared,  the  neigh- 
bors collected  for  the  raising.  The  roof  and  sometimes  the  floor  were  finished  on 
the  same  day  the  house  was  raised.  A  third  day  was  commonly  spent  by  the 
carpenters  in  leveling  oflT  the  floor  and  making  a  clapboard  door  and  table.  This 
last  was  made  of  a  split  slab  and  supported  by  four  round  legs  set  in  auger  holes. 
Some  three  legged  stools  were  made  in  the  same  manner.  Pins  stuck  in  the 
logs  at  the  back  of  the  house  supported  clapboards  which  served  as  shelves  for 
the  table  furniture.  A  single  fork  placed  with  its  lower  end  in  a  hole  in  the  floor 
and  the  upper  end  fastened  to  a  joist,  served  for  a  bedstead,  by  placing  a  pole  in 
the  fork  with  one  end  through  a  crack  in  the  logs  of  the  wall.  This  front  pole 
was  crossed  by  a  shorter  one  within  the  fork,  with  its  outer  end  through  another 
crack.  From  the  front  pole  through  a  crack  between  the  logs  of  the  end  of  the 
house,  the  boards  were  placed  which  formed  the  bottom  of  the  bed.  A  few  pegs 
around  the  wall  for  a  display  of  the  coats  of  the  women  and  the  hunting  shirts 
of  the  men,  and  two  small  forks  or  bucks'  horns  to  a  joist  for  the  rifle  and  shot 
pouch,  completed  the  carpenter's  work. 

The  cabin  being  finished,  the  ceremony  of  house  warming  took  place  before 
the  young  people  were  permitted  to  move  into  it.  This  was  a  dance  of  a  whole 
night's  continuance,  made  up  of  the  relations  of  the  bride  and  groom  and  their 
neighbors.  On  the  day  following  the  young  people  took  possession  of  their  new 
mansion. 

At  house  raisings,  log  rollings,  and  harvest  parties,  every  one  was  expected  to 
do  his  duty  faithfully.  A  person  who  did  not  perform  his  share  of  labor  on  these 
occasions,  was  designated  by  the  epithet  of  "  Lawrence,"  or  some  other  title 
still  more  opprobrious ;  and  when  it  came  to  his  turn  to  require  the  like  aid  from 
his  neighbors,  the  idler  soon  felt  his  punishment  in  their  refusal  to  attend  to  his 
calls. 

Although  there  was  no  legal  compulsion  to  the  performance  of  military  duty, 
yet  every  man  of  full  age  and  size  was  expected  to  do  his  full  share  of  public 
service.  If  he  did  not,  "  He  was  hated  out  as  a  coward."  Thefts  were  severely 
punished. 

With  all  their  rudeness,  these  people  were  hospitable,  and  freely  divided  their 
rough  fare  with  a  neighbor  or  stranger,  and  would  have  been  offended  at  the  offer 
of  pay.  In  their  settler*ents  and  forts  they  lived,  they  worked,  they  fought  and 
feasted  or  suffered  together  in  cordial  harmony.  They  were  warm  and  constant 
in  their  friendships ;  but  bitter  and  revengeful  in  their  resentments.  Instances 
of  seduction  and  bastardy  did  not  frequently  happen.  Indeed,  considering  the 
chivalrous  temper  of  the  people,  the  former  could  not  take  place  without  great 
personal  danger  from  the  brothers  or  relations  of  the  victim  of  seduction,  family 
honor  being  then  estimated  at  a  high  rate.  There  was  no  other  vestige  of  the 
Christian  religion  than  a  faint  observation  of  Sunday,  and  that  merely  as  a  day 
of  rest  for  the  aged  and  a  play  day  for  the  young. 


ADAIR    COUNTY 

Adair  was  formed  in  the  year  1801.  It  is  situated  in  the  south 
middle  part  of  the  state,  and  lies  on  the  waters  of  Russell's  creek 
and  Little  Barren  river,  which  flow  into  Green  river  :  Is  bounded 
on  the  north  by  Green  county  ;  east,  by  Casey  and  Russell ;  south, 
by  Cumberland;  and  west,  by  Barren.  Contains  209,551  acres  of 
land ;  average  value  per  acre,  $2,54.  Total  value  of  taxable 
property  in  the  county,  in  1846,  $1,228,776;  number  of  voters, 
1408;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years,  1844  ; 
total  population  in  1830,  8,220— in  1840,  8,466. 

Columbia  is  the  county  seat  of  Adair.  It  is  a  handsome  and 
thriving  town,  distant  about  150  miles  from  Frankfort,  and  620 


GENERAL  JOHN  ADAIR.  165 

from  Washington  city ;  contains  the  usual  public  buildings  for 
county  purposes;  two  churches,  occupied  by  four  denominations  ; 
two  schools,  seven  stores  and  groceries,  five  doctors,  seven  law- 
yers, one  tavern,  six  mechanical  shops; — population,  500. 

Neatsville,  a  small  village  in  this  county,  contains  a  population 
of  about  50. 

Breedings,  another  village,  contains  a  population  of  20. 

Principal  articles  of  export  of  Adair : — tobacco,  hogs,  horses 
and  cattle.  Face  of  the  country,  hilly ;  soil,  second  rate,  based 
principally  on  slate  and  limestone.  Green  river  runs  through  the 
northern  portion  of  the  county.  Principal  tributaries  on  the 
north.  White-oak  and  Case's  creeks  ;  on  the  south,  Russell's  creek 
and  its  tributaries.  The  east  fork  of  Little  Barren  river  passes 
through  the  west  end  of  the  county. 

General  John  Adair,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its  name,  was 
born  in  South  Carolina,  in  the  year  1757.  His  character  was  formed  ig  the  trying 
times  and  amidst  the  thrilling  incidents  of  the  Revolution.  At  an  early  age,  he 
entered  the  army  as  a  volunteer,  was  made  prisoner  by  the  British,  and  as  usual, 
treated  with  savage  cruelty,  having  been  thrown  into  prison  and  subjected  to  every 
species  of  insult  and  hardship  that  the  ingenuity  of  his  captors  could  devise. 

In  1786  he  emigrated  to  Kentucky,  and  settled  in  Mercer  county.  In  the  border 
war  which  raged  with  so  much  fury  on  the  north-western  frontier,  General  (then 
Major,)  Adair  was  an  active  and  efficient  officer,  and  frequently  engaged  with  the 
Indians.  One  incident  of  this  nature  merits  a  relation.  On  the  sixth  of  Novem- 
ber 1792,  Major  Adair,  at  the  head  of  a  detachment  of  mounted  volunteers,  from 
Kentucky,  while  encamped  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Fort  St.  Clair,  twenty- 
six  miles  south  of  Greenville,  near  where  Eaton,  the  county  seat  of  Preble  county, 
Ohio,  now  stands,  was  suddenly  and  violently  attacked  by  a  large  party  of  In- 
dians, who  rushed  on  the  encampment  with  great  fury.  A  bloody  conflict  ensued, 
during  which  Major  Adair  ordered  Lieutenant  Madison,  with  a  small  party  to  gain 
the  right  flank  of  the  enemy,  if  possible,  and  at  the  same  time  gave  an  order  for 
Lieutenant  Hall  to  attack  their  left,  but  learning  that  that  officer  had  been  slain, 
the  Major  with  about  twenty-five  of  his  men  made  the  attack  in  person,  with  a 
view  of  sustaining  Lieutenant  Madison. 

The  pressure  of  this  movement  caused  the  enemy  to  retire.  They  were  driven 
about  six  hundred  yards,  through  and  beyond  the  American  camp,  where  they 
made  a  stand,  and  again  fought  desperately.  At  this  juncture  about  sixty  of  the 
Indians  made  an  effort  to  turn  the  right  flank  of  the  whites.  Major  Adair  fore- 
seeing the  consequences  of  this  manosuvre,  found  it  necessary  to  order  a  retreat. 
That  movement  was  effected  with  regularity,  and  as  was  expected,  the  Indians 
pursued  them  to  their  camp,  where  a  halt  was  made,  and  another  severe  battle 
was  fought,  in  which  the  Indians  suffered  severely,  and  were  driven  from  the 
ground.  In  this  affair  six  of  the  whites  were  killed,  five  wounded,  and  four  miss- 
ing. Among  the  wounded  were  Lieutenant  (afterwards  Governor)  George  Mad- 
ison, and  Colonel  Richard  Taylor,  the  father  of  the  present  Major  General 
Zachary  Taylor,  the  hero  of  Palo  Alto,  Monterey.  Buena  Vista,  &c. 

The  Indians  on  this  occasion,  were  commanded  by  the  celebrated  Little  Turtle. 
Some  years  afterwards,  in  1805-6,  when  General  Adair  was  Register  of  the  land 
office  in  Frankfort,  Captain  William  Wells,  Indian  agent,  passed  through  that 
place,  on  his  way  to  Washington  city,  attended  by  some  Indians,  among  whom 
was  the  chief.  Little  Turtle.  General  Adair  called  on  his  old  antagonist,  and  in 
the  course  of  the  conversation,  the  incident  above  related,  being  alluded  to.  Gen. 
Adair  attributed  his  defeat  to  his  having  been  taken  by  surprise.  The  little  Turtle 
immediately  remarked  with  great  pleasantness,  "  a  good  general  is  never  taken 
by  surprise." 

In  1807,  Major  Adair's  popularity  underwent  a  temporary  obscuration  from  his 
supposed  connection  with  the  treasonable  enterprise  of  Burr.  His  conduct  and 
opinions  became  the  subject  of  much  speculation,  and  the  public  got  to  regard 


166  ALLEN  COUNTY. 

him  with  an  eye  of  some  suspicion.  But  it  is  now  generally  believed  that  Gen- 
eral Adair's  course  in  that  affair  was  predicated  upon  an  opinion  that  Colonel 
Burr's  plans  were  approved  by  the  government,  which  at  that  time  contemplated 
a  war  with  Spain.  General  Adair's  opinions  and  associations  at  that  day,  pla- 
ced him  with  the  federal  party,  among  whom  he  stood  deservedly  high. 

In  the  campaign  of  1813  he  accompanied  Governor  Shelby  into  Canada,  as  an 
aid,  and  was  present  in  that  capacity  at  the  battle  of  tlie  Thames.  His  conduct 
during  this  campaign  was  such  as  to  draw  from  his  superior  officers  an  expres- 
sion of  their  approbation,  and  his  name  was  honorably  mentioned  in  the  report 
to  the  war  department.  Governor  Shelby  afterwards  conferred  upon  him  the 
appointment  of  adjutant  general  of  the  Kentucky  troops,  with  the  brevet  rank 
of  brigadier  general,  in  which  character  he  commanded  the  Kentuckians  in  the 
glorious  battle  of  New  Orleans.  The  acriiponious  controversy  between  him  and 
General  Jackson,  growing  out  of  the  imputations  cast  by  the  latter  on  the  con- 
duct of  the  Kentucky  troops  on  that  eventful  day,  is  fresh  in  the  recollection 
of  all. 

In  1820,  he  was  elected  governor  of  Kentucky,  in  opposition  to  Judge  Logan, 
Governor  Desha,  and  Colonel  Butler.  He  was  often  a  member  of  the  State 
legislature,  and  on  several  occasions  was  speaker  of  that  body.  In  1805  he  was 
elected  to  the  senate  of  the  United  States,  from  Kentucky,  for  the  term  of  one 
year.  In  1831  he  was  elected  to  congress,  and  served  in  the  house  of  represen- 
tatives from  1831  to  1833,  inclusive. 

General  Adair,  in  all  the  situations,  military  and  civil,  to  which  he  was  eleva- 
ted by  his  countrymen,  discharged  his  duties  in  such  a  manner  as  to  command 
the  respect  and  confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens.  He  was  a  brave  soldier,  an 
active,  vigilant  and  efficient  officer — a  politician  of  sound  principles  and  enlarged 
views,  and  an  ardent  patriot.  Among  the  early  pioneers  of  Kentucky,  he  deser- 
vedly occupies  a  prominent  place  and  a  high  rank.  He  died  on  the  19th  of 
May,  1840,  at  the  advanced  age  of  83  years. 


ALLEN    COUNTY. 

Allen  county  was  formed  in  the  year  1815,  and  named  in 
honor  of  Colonel  John  Allen.  It  is  situated  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  State,  and  lies  on  the  waters  of  Big  Barren  river:  Bounded 
on  the  north  by  Warren ;  east  by  Barren  and  Monroe ;  south  by 
the  Tennessee  line,  and  west  by  Simpson  county.  Scottsville, 
the  county  seat,  is  about  one  hundred  miles  from  Frankfort. 

Statistics. — The  Auditor's  report  for  1846,  gives  to  this  county 
177,242  acres  of  land;  average  value  of  land  per  acre,  ${2,84; 
total  valuation  of  taxable  property,  $1,200,645.  Number  of 
voters  1,272;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years 
old,  2,047.  Population  in  1830,  6,486;  in  1840,  7,329— increase 
in  ten  years,  eight  hundred  and  forty-three. 

Towns. — There  are  two  towns  in  Allen — Scottsville,  the  county 
seat,  and  Port  Oliver.  Scottsville  contains  the  court  house  and 
the  usual  public  buildings,  four  churches,  four  stores,  three  taverns, 
five  la\A'^'ers,  three  doctors,  eight  mechanical  trades.  Established 
in  1817,  and  called  for  General  Winfield  Scott,  of  the  United 
States'  army.  Port  Olfver  is  situated  ten  miles  from  Scottsville, 
on  Barren  river,  and  contains  one  store  and  tavern.  Salt  works 
are  in  operation  in  the  latter  place,  which  manufacture  three 
hundred  bushels  of  salt  per  week. 


CAVES—ANTIQUITIES.  167 

Inscriptions. — On  the  Sulphur  fork  of  Bay's  fork  of  Big  Barren 
river,  at  or  near  the  Sulphur  Lick,  the  following  words  were 
found  cut  in  the  bark  of  a  beech  tree — "  James  M'Call  dined  here 
on  his  way  to  Natchez,  June  the  10th,  1770."  On  Barren  river, 
about  nine  miles  from  Scottsville,  on  the  lands  of  Colonel  S.  E. 
Carpenter,  near  where  his  mill  now  stands,  the  following  is  in- 
scribed on  a  large  beech  tree — "Ichabod  Clark,  mill  site,  1779." 
On  the  other  side  of  the  tree,  this  inscription  is  found — "Too  sick 
to  get  over,"  date  and  name  not  mentioned. 

Caves. — There  are  a  number  of  caves  in  the  county,  but  few  of 
them  have  been  explored  to  any  extent.  In  the  year  1844,  two 
shells  were  found  in  one  of  these  caves,  resembling  a  conch  shell. 
One  of  these  shells  is  about  eighteen  inches  long,  has  been 
sawed  or  cut  lengthwise  in  the  middle,  having  a  small  hole  bored 
in  the  little  end,  so  as  to  be  hung  up  by  a  string;  the  other  or 
bowl  end,  answering  a  good  purpose  for  a  water  vessel. 

Antiquities. — In  the  west  end  of  the  county,  about  thirteen 
miles  from  Scottsville,  and  seventeen  from  Bowling-green,  is  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  of  the  remains  of  those  ancient  fortifi- 
cations, belonging  to  a  people  unknown,  of  whom  our  country 
exhibits  so  many  traces.  The  fortification  alluded  to  is  at  once 
romantic  and  impregnable,  presenting  one  of  the  strongest  mili- 
tary positions  in  the  world.  At  this  place,  Drake's  creek  makes 
a  horse-shoe  bend — running  one  mile,  and  then  with  a  gradual 
bend,  returning  to  within  thirty  feet  of  the  channel  where  the 
bend  may  be  said  to  commence.  The  partition  which  divides 
the  channels  of  the  creek  at  this  point,  is  of  solid  limestone, 
thirty  feet  thick  at  the  base,  two  hundred  yards  in  length,  forty 
feet  high,  and  six  feet  wide  at  the  top.  The  top  is  almost  per- 
fectly level,  and  covered  with  small  cedar  trees.  The  area  in- 
cluded within  the  bend  of  the  creek,  is  to  the  east  of  this  narrow 
pass,  and  contains  about  two  hundred  acres  of  land,  rising  from 
the  creek  in  a  gradual  ascent  of  one  hundred  feet,  where  it  forms 
a  bold  promontory.  The  top  of  this  is  leveled  and  forms  a 
square  area  containing  about  three  acres,  enclosed  with  walls 
and  a  ditch.  The  outer  ditch  is  still  perceptible,  and  the  walls 
are  now  about  three  feet  high  around  the  whole  circuit  of  the 
fort.  In  the  rear  of  this,  are  to  be  seen  many  small  mounds. 
This  is  by  nature  one  of  the  strongest  military  positions  in  the 
world;  the  only  approach  to  the  fort,  being  over  the  narrow 
cause-way  above  mentioned — tall  cliffs  intercepting  all  access 
from  the  opposite  banks  of  the  stream. 

At  the  west  side  of  the  narrow  pass,  and  immediately  at  its 
termination,  there  is  a  hill  similar  to  the  one  on  the  east.  Here 
is  to  be  seen  a  small  mound  forty  feet  in  circumference  and  four 
feet  high.  Upon  excavating  one  side  of  this  mound,  a  stone 
coffin  was  dug  up  two  and  a  half  feet  long,  one  foot  wide  and 
one  foot  deep,  with  a  stone  covering — the  top  of  the  coffin  pro- 
jecting one  inch  beyond  the  sides.  Upon  opening  the  coffin,  the 
arm  and  thigh  bones  of  an  infant  were  found  in  it.     This  coffin 


168  ANDERSON   COUNTY. 

being  removed,  others  of  larger  dimensions  were  to  be  disco- 
vered, but  v^^ere  not  removed.  Many  very  large  human  bones 
have  been  exhumed  from  mounds  in  this  county — some  of  the 
thigh  bones  measuring  from  eight  to  ten  inches  longer  than  the 
race  of  men  now  inhabiting  the  country. 

This  county  received  its  name  from  Col.  John  Allen,  who  fell  in  the  disas- 
trous battle  of  the  river  Raisin.  He  was  born  in  Rockbridge  county,  Virginia,  the 
30th  of  December,  1772.  His  father,  James  Allen,  emigrated  to  Kentucky  in 
the  fall  of  the  year  1780,  and  settled  at  Dougherty's  station,  on  Clarke  run, 
about  one  and  a  half  miles  below  the  present  town  of  Danville.  Here  he  formed 
an  acquaintance  with  Joseph  Daviess,  the  father  of  Col.  Joseph  Hamilton  Da- 
viess. Becoming  impatient  of  the  close  confinement  of  the  station,  these  fearless 
and  ardent  men  removed  farther  down  the  creek,  and  erecting  a  small  station, 
lived  there  for  three  years.  At  the  expiration  of  this  period,  Mr.  Daviess  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  land  three  or  four  miles  west  of  Danville,  and  removed  to  it. 

In  1784,  the  father  of  John  Allen  removed  to  Nelson  county,  and  settled  on 
Simpson's  creek,  seven  and  a  half  miles  from  Bardstown.  In  1786,  the  subject 
of  this  notice  attended  a  school  in  Bardstown,  kept  by  a  Mr.  Shackleford,  where 
he  acquired  a  slight  knowledge  of  the  classics.  This  school  was  succeeded  by 
one  under  the  charge  of  Dr.  James  Priestly,  with  whom  young  Allen  finished  his 
education.  At  this  school,  Joseph  H.  Daviess,  John  Rowan,  Felix  Grundy, 
Archibald  Cameron,  John  Pope,  and  John  Allen,  all  distinguished  in  after  life, 
formed  one  class. 

In  the  year  1791,  John  Allen  commenced  the  study  of  the  law  in  the  office  of 
Col.  Archibald  Stewart,  of  Stanton,  Va.  He  pursued  his  legal  studies  with  great 
assiduity  for  about  four  years,  and  in  1795,  he  returned  to  Kentucky  and  settled 
in  Shelbyville,  where  he  continued  to  practice  law  till  1812.  As  a  lawyer,  he 
ranked  with  the  first  men  of  his  profession. 

On  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  in  1812,  he  raised  a  regiment  of  riflemen,  for 
the  campaign  under  Harrison  in  the  north-west.  Part  of  this  regiment  was  in 
the  battle  of  Brownstown,  on  the  18th  of  January,  1813.  In  the  fatal  battle  of 
the  river  Raisin,  Col.  Allen's  regiment  formed  the  left  wing  of  the  American 
force.  The  termination  of  this  affair  is  too  well  known  to  require  recapitulation 
here ;  and  among  the  many  noble  and  chivalrous  Kentuckians  who  there  found  a 
bloody  grave,  there  was  none  whose  loss  was  more  sensibly  felt  or  deeply  de- 
plored than  Col.  Allen.  Inflexibly  just,  benevolent  in  all  his  feelings,  and  of 
undaunted  courage,  he  was  a  fine  specimen  of  the  Kentucky  gentleman  of  that 
day,  and  his  name  will  not  soon  pass  away  from  the  memory  of  his  countrymen. 


ANDERSON      COUNTY. 

Anderson  county  was  formed  in  1827,  and  named  for  the  Hon. 
Richard  C.  Anderson.  It  is  situated  in  the  middle  portion  of  the 
state ;  the  Kentucky  river  forming  its  northern  boundary,  and 
Salt  river  entering  its  southern  border  from  Mercer,  penetrating 
near  the  center,  when  it  takes  a  different  direction,  and  flows  out 
on  the  western  border,  passing  through  Spencer,  and  uniting  with 
the  Rolling  Fork  in  Bullitt  county.  The  county  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  Franklin  ;  east  by  the  Kentucky  river ;  south  by  Mercer 
and  Washington  ;  and  west  by  Spencer  count^^  The  tributaries 
of  Salt  river  are  Crooked,  Fox,  Stoney,  and  Hammond  creeks; 
while  Bailey's  run,  Little  Benson,  and  Gilbert's  creek  fall  into  the 
Kentucky  river.     The  surface  is  generally  rolling,  though  some 


RICHARD    CLOUGH    ANDERSON,   JUN.  169 

portions  are  level,  rich,  and  very  productive — the  hills  producing 
fine  tobacco  and  grasses.  The  staple  products  are  wheat,  corn, 
hemp,  and  tobacco  ;  the  articles  of  export,  horses,  mules,  cattle, 
and  hogs. 

The  auditor's  report  for  1846,  gives  to  this  county  101,891  acres 
of  land ;  average  value  of  land  per  acre,  $5,66 ;  total  valuation 
of  taxable  property,  $1,137,922 ;  number  of  white  males  over 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  1,001  ;  number  of  children  between  five 
and  sixteen  years  old,  1,401.  Population  in  1830,4,542  ;  in  1840, 
5,452. 

Lawrenceburg,  the  county  seat  of  Anderson,  is  situated  on  the 
turnpike  road  leading  from  Louisville  to  Harrodsburg,  fifty-five 
miles  from  the  former,  and  twenty  from  the  latter  place ;  three 
and  a  half  miles  from  lock  and  dam  No.  five,  and  twelve  miles 
from  Frankfort.  Contains  four  stores,  four  groceries,  two  taverns, 
a  handsome  court  house  and  other  public  buildings  ;  Reformed  or 
Christian,  Presbyterian  and  Baptist  churches  ;  one  seminary  ;  five 
lawyers  ;  four  doctors  ;  one  each,  carpenter,  hatter,  gunsmith,  and 
blacksmith  shops — population  350.  Established  in  1820,  and 
called  after  Capt.  James  Lawrence,  of  the  U.  S.  navy,  whose 
last  words  on  board  the  Chesapeake,  it  will  be  remembered,  were, 
"  Don't  give  up  the  ship."  This  place  was  first  settled  by  an  old 
Dutchman  by  the  name  of  Coffman,  who  was  killed  by  the  In- 
dians. When  his  good  wife  first  heard  of  his  melancholy  fate, 
she  exclaimed  in  the  bitterness  of  her  affliction,  "  I  always  told 
my  old  man  that  these  savage  Ingens  would  kill  him ;  and  I'd 
rather  lost  my  best  cow  at  the  pail  than  my  old  man." 

Richard  Clough  Anderson,  Jr.,  (in  honor  of  whom  the  county  of  Anderson 
was  named,)  was  born  at  Louisville,  in  the  then  district  of  Kentucky,  on  the  4th 
day  of  August,  1788.  His  father  was  Richard  C.  Anderson,  Sr.,  who  served 
with  great  gallantry,  as  an  officer,  throughout  the  revolutionary  war,  at  the  con- 
clusion of  which  he  was  a  lieutenant  colonel.  His  mother  was  Elizabeth  Clark, 
a  sister  of  the  celebrated  General  George  Rogers  Clark. 

Mr.  Anderson  was  sent  at  an  early  age  to  Virginia  for  his  education ;  and 
after  being  graduated  at  William  and  Mary  college,  studied  law  under  Judge 
Tucker.  Upon  his  return  to  Kentucky  he  commenced  the  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion; and,  possessing  all  the  qualities,  intellectual,  moral  and  social,  necessary 
to  insure  success,  soon  took  a  high  stand  at  the  bar,  as  an  able  counsellor,  and 
as  an  eloquent  advocate.  His  popular  talents  would  not  permit  him  long  to 
devote  himself  to  private  pursuits.  The  solicitations  of  friends  and  a  natural 
ambition,  drew  him,  in  a  very  short  time,  into  the  service  of  the  public.  He 
commenced  his  career,  as  a  politician,  in  the  popular  branch  of  the  State  legis- 
lature, in  which  he  served  several  years,  with  distinguished  credit  to  himself, 
and  with  the  marked  approbation  of  his  constituents.  He  was  accordingly 
elected  to  congress,  in  1817,  by  a  handsome  majority  over  his  opponent — the  old 
incumbent.  In  congress  he  continued  four  years,  during  which  time  he  partici- 
pated in  the  splendid  debates  of  that  most  interesting  period,  with  an  ability  and 
success,  which  reflected  no  slight  honor  on  his  character  as  an  orator  and  a 
statesman.  His  reported  speeches,  during  this  period,  are  admirable  for  their 
terseness,  beauty  of  arrangement,  closeness  of  argument,  and  unambitious  ele- 
gance of  diction  ;  but  they  now  lack  the  charm  of  that  distinct  and  melodious  elo- 
cution— that  graceful  and  manly  and  persuasive  manner — which  gave  interest  and 
attractiveness  to  their  delivery.  In  1822,  declining  a  re-election  to  congress, 
under  the  belief  that  his  services  were  more  needed  in  the  councils  of  his  own 
State,  than  in  those  of  the  nation,  he  again  entered  the  State  legislature,  and 


170  ANDERSON  COUNTY. 

was  chosen  speaker  of  the  house  of  representatives.  The  duties  of  this  office 
he  discharged,  in  that  most  excited  period  of  our  State  history,  with  a  courtesy, 
propriety,  discretion  and  ability,  that  caused  him  to  be  regarded,  by  many  of 
that  day,  as  the  perfect  model  of  a  presiding  officer.  This  was  the  origin  of 
the  angry  controversy  existing  between  the  old  and  new  court  parties,  to  the 
former  of  which  Mr.  Anderson  belonged.  In  January,  1823,  Mr.  Anderson  was 
appointed,  by  President  Monroe,  the  first  minister  plenipotentiary  to  the  Republic 
of  Colombia.  Upon  his  arrival  at  Bogota — the  capital — with  his  family,  he 
was  received  with  every  demonstration  of  honor  and  respect.  He  resided  there 
but  a  very  short  time,  before  he  came  to  be  regarded,  by  the  authorities  of  the 
republic,  rather  as  a  friend  and  counsellor  than  as  a  stranger.  His  intercourse 
with  the  principal  officers  of  state,  was  of  the  most  agreeable  and  confidential 
character.  In  1824  he  negotiated  the  treaty  between  the  two  republics,  which 
was  ratified  among  the  last  acts  of  President  Monroe's  administration.  In  1825 
he  lost  his  wife — an  admirable  and  estimable  lady,  to  whom  he  was  most  ten- 
derly attached.  This  loss  induced  him  to  return  home  for  a  short  time,  in  order 
to  place  his  children — two  daughters  and  a  son — with  his  friends  in  Kentucky. 
In  October  of  that  year,  he  revisited  Bogota,  accompanied  by  his  brother,  now 
Captain  Robert  Anderson  of  the  U.  S.  Army,  and  remained  until  July,  1826, 
when  he  was  instructed  by  President  Adams  to  repair  to  Porto  Bello,  to  join 
Mr.  Sergeant,  who  had  been  appointed  together  with  himself,  an  envoy  extraor- 
dinary and  minister  plenipotentiary  to  the  congress  to  be  assembled  at  Panama. 
On  his  way  to  Carthagena,  his  intended  place  of  embarkation,  he  fell  sick  at 
Turbaco,  a  small  village  some  twelve  miles  distant  from  that  city,  where,  on  the 
24th  day  of  July,  his  disease  terminated  in  death.  He  was  succeeded  in  his 
mission  to  Colombia,  by  the  late  ex-president  of  the  United  States,  General 
William  H.  Harrison. 

Thus  prematurely  ended  a  brilliant  career  of  usefulness  and  honor,  and  of  still 
higher  promise.  The  writer  of  this  slight  sketch  heard  one  of  the  most  distin- 
guished men  of  our  country  declare,  that  Mr.  Anderson's  death  alone  in  all  pro- 
bability, prevented  his  reaching  the  highest  office  in  the  Union.  A  brief  but 
discriminating  notice  by  the  editor,  in  the  National  Intelligencer,  of  August  29th, 
1826,  renders  the  following  just  tribute  to  his  worth  and  memory.  "The  United 
States  in  general,  and  his  native  State  of  Kentucky  in  particular,  have  sustained 
a  great  loss  in  the  death  of  this  distinguished  gentleman.  On  his  former  visit  to 
Colombia  he  lost  his  excellent  wife — which  bereavement  he  did  not  long  survive. 

"  Mr.  Anderson  was  one  of  the  most  amiable  of  men,  and  most  discreet  of  politi- 
cians. A  career  of  a  few  years  in  congress  disclosed  his  valuable  qualities.  He 
possessed  in  an  eminent  degree,  a  clear  discriminating  mind,  combined  with  the 
most  conciliatory  and  persuasive  address,  the  effect  of  which  has  often  been  seen 
on  the  floor  of  the  house  of  representatives,  and  afterwards  on  that  of  the  popu- 
lar branch  of  the  legislature  of  Kentucky,  in  the  midst  of  the  greatest  conten- 
tions, like  oil  stilling  the  agitated  waves  of  the  ocean.  In  this  point  of  his  char- 
acter, it  is  sufficient  praise  to  say,  he  nearly  resembled  the  late  lamented 
William  Lowndes.  In  brief,  without  offence  be  it  said,  the  country  could 
not  boast  a  better  man  than  Richard  C.  Anderson." 

Mr.  Anderson  was  so  actively  engaged  in  professional  and  political  pursuits, 
that  he  had  but  little  leisure  for  literature.  He  was  fondly  addicted,  however,  to 
reading,  and  devoted  most  of  his  spare  time  to  books — principally  of  biography 
and  history.  His  writings  are  few,  but  those  few  are  characterised  by  strong 
sense,  sober  reasoning  and  sagacious  insight.  He  was  the  author  of  the  article 
in  the  North  American  Review,  for  October,  1826,  on  the  constitution  of  Colom- 
bia— an  article  well  worthy  of  perusal  for  its  general  excellence,  as  well  as  for 
the  statesman-like  suggestions  it  contains,  relative  to  our  own  constitution.  He 
was  also  engaged  on  a  larger  work,  upon  the  political  institutions  and  history  of 
Colombia,  the  completion  of  which  was  unfortunately  frustrated  by  his  untimely 
death.  Besides  these,  a  fragmentary  journal,  of  the  last  few  years  of  his  life 
still  exists,  possessing  great  interest,  from  the  judicious  observations  upon  books, 
and  the  shrewd  remarks  upon  men  and  events,  with  which  it  is  interspersed. 

In  making  an  estimate  of  the  character  of  Mr.  Anderson,  in  his  public  and 
private  relations,  it  may  be  truly  said  of  him,  that  while  in  private  life  he  was 
without  a  vice,  in  his  public  career  he  was  equally  without  a  reproach. 


BALLARD  COUNTY.  171 


BALLARD   COUNTY. 

Ballard  county  was  formed  out  of  parts  of  M'Cracken  and 
Hickman  in  1842,  and  named  in  honor  of  Capt.  Bland  Ballard.  It 
is  situated  in  the  extreme  western  part  of  the  state,  and  bounded 
on  the  north  by  the  Ohio  river ;  on  the  west,  by  the  Mississippi ; 
on  the  east  by  the  counties  of  Graves  and  M'Cracken,  and  on  the 
south  by  the  county  of  Hickman.  The  lands  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  county  are  barren ;  in  the  southern,  well  timbered, — both 
regions  undulating.  The  bottoms  of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi 
are  extensive, — soil,  a  mixture  of  black  loam  and  sand,  and  very 
•productive.  The  principal  creek  is  Mayfield ;  heads  in  Tennessee, 
passes  through  Calloway  and  Graves  counties,  thence  through 
the  center  of  Ballard,  running  north-west,  and  empties  into  the 
Mississippi  at  Fort  Jefferson.  Humphrey's  creek  heads  in  Mc- 
Cracken,  passes  through  the  north-east  corner  of  Ballard,  and 
empties  into  the  Ohio  below  the  Grand  Chain.  This  county 
contains,  according  to  the  auditor's  report  for  1846,  243,675 
acres  of  land ;  average  value  per  acre,  $1,80  ;  total  value  of  tax- 
able property,  $632,131  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty- 
one  years  old,  706  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen 
years  old,  one  thousand.  Principal  productions  of  the  county, 
tobacco,  hemp,  corn,  and  oats.  Stock  raising  is  also  beginning  to 
attract  the  attention  of  farmers. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are  Blandville,  Lovelaceville,  and 
Milbourn.  Blandville  is  the  county  seat,  and  contains  a  court 
house  and  other  public  buildings  ;  two  churches  (United  Baptist 
and  Methodist),  two  schools,  four  stores,  three  taverns,  nine  law- 
yers, seven  doctors,  nine  mechanical  trades — population  four 
hundred.  Called  for  the  christian  name  of  Captain  Bland  Bal- 
lard, for  whom  the  county  was  named. 

Lovelaceville  is  a  small  village,  named  in  honor  of  Mr.  Love- 
lace, containing  one  United  Baptist  church,  one  Methodist  church, 
one  school,  one  store,  one  tavern,  two  physicians,  two  mechan- 
ical trades — population  forty. 

Milbourn  contains  two  churches  (Methodist  and  Christian),  two 
schools,  two  stores,  one  tavern,  three  physicians,  three  mechan- 
ical trades — population  ninety. 

Captain  Bland  Ballard,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  was  named,  was  born 
near  Fredericksburg,  Virginia,  on  the  16th  of  October,  1761,  and  is  now  in  his 
87th  year.  He  came  to  Kentucky  in  1779,  and  joined  the  regular  militia  which 
was  kept  up  for  the  defence  of  the  country;  and  after  serving  on  Bowman's  cam- 
paign in  1779,  accompanied  the  expedition  led  by  Gen.  Clark  against  the  Pick- 
away towns  in  Ohio  in  1781,  on  which  occasion  he  received  a  severe  wound  in  the 
hip,  from  the  effects  of  which  he  is  suffering  at  this  day.  At  the  time  of  the 
wound,  he  was  near  bleeding  to  death  before  he  could  procure  surgical  aid.  In 
1782,  he  was  on  the  campaign  led  by  Gen.  Clark,  with  Floyd  and  Logan  as 
colonels,  that  destroyed  the  Pickaway  towns.  In  1786  he  was  a  spy  for  General 
Clark  in  the  expedition  to  the  Wabash,  rendered  abortive  by  the  mutiny  of  the 
soldiers.    In  the  summer  of  1791,  he  served  as  a  guide  under  Generals  Scott  and 


172  BALLARD   COUNTY. 

"Wilkinson,  and  was  present  under  General  Wayne  at  the  decisive  battle  on  the 
20th  of  August,  1794. 

When  not  engaged  in  regular  campaign,  he  served  as  hunter  and  spy  for  Gen- 
eral Clark,  who  was  stationed  at  Louisville,  and  in  this  service  he  continued  for 
two  years  and  a  half.  During  this  time  he  had  several  rencounters  with  the  In- 
dians. One  of  these  occurred  just  below  Louisville.  He  had  been  sent  in  his 
character  of  spy  to  explore  the  Ohio  from  the  mouth  of  Salt  river  to  the  falls, 
and  from  thence  up  to  what  is  now  the  town  of  Westport.  On  his  way  down 
the  river,  when  six  or  eight  miles  below  the  falls,  he  heard,  early  one  morning, 
a  noise  on  the  Indiana  shore.  He  immediately  concealed  himself  in  the  bushes, 
and  when  the  fog  had  scattered  sufficiently  to  permit  him  to  see,  he  discov- 
ered a  canoe  filled  with  three  Indians,  approaching  the  Kentucky  shore.  When 
they  had  approached  within  range,  he  fired  and  killed  one.  The  others  jumped, 
overboard,  and  endeavored  to  get  their  canoe  into  deep  water,  but  before  they 
succeeded,  he  killed  a  second,  and  finally  the  third.  Upon  reporting  his  morning's 
work  to  General  Clark,  a  detachment  was  sent  down,  who  found  the  three  dead 
Indians  and  buried  them.  For  this  service  General  Clark  gave  him  a  linen  shirty 
and  some  other  small  presents.  This  shirt,  however,  was  the  only  one  he  had  for 
several  years,  except  those  made  of  leather ;  of  this  shirt  the  pioneer  hero  was 
doubtless  justly  proud. 

While  on  a  scout  to  the  Saline  Licks,  on  one  occasion,  Ballard,  with  one  com- 
panion, came  suddenly  upon  a  large  body  of  Indians,  just  as  they  were  in  the 
act  of  encamping.  They  immediately  charged,  firing  their  guns  and  raising  the 
yell.  This  induced  the  Indians,  as  they  had  anticipated,  to  disperse  for  the  mo- 
ment, until  the  strength  of  the  assailing  party  could  be  ascertained.  During  this 
period  of  alarm,  Ballard  and  his  companion  mounted  two  of  the  best  horses  they 
could  find,  and  retreated  for  two  days  and  nights,  until  they  reached  the  Ohio, 
which  they  crossed  upon  a  raft,  making  their  horses  swim.  As  they  ascended  the 
Kentucky  bank,  the  Indians  reached  the  opposite  shore. 

At  the  time  of  the  defeat  on  Long  Run,  he  was  living  at  Lynn's  station  on 
Beargrass,  and  came  up  to  assist  some  families  in  moving  from  Squire  Boon's 
station,  near  the  present  town  of  Shelbyville.  The  people  of  this  station  had  be- 
come alarmed  on  account  of  the  numerous  Indian  signs  in  the  country,  and  had 
determined  to  move  to  the  stronger  stations  on  the  Beargrass.  They  proceeded 
safely  until  they  arrived  near  Long  Run,  when  they  were  attacked  front  and  rear 
by  the  Indians,  who  fired  their  rifles  and  then  rushed  on  them  with  their  toma- 
hawks. Some  few  of  the  men  ran  at  the  first  fire,  of  the  others,  some  succeeded 
in  saving  part  of  their  families,  or  died  with  them  after  a  brave  resistance.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch,  after  assisting  several  of  the  women  on  horseback  who  had 
been  thrown  at  the  first  onset,  during  which  he  had  one  or  two  single  handed 
combats  with  the  Indians,  and  seeing  the  party  about  to  be  defeated,  he  succeeded 
in  getting  outside  of  the  Indian  line,  when  he  used  his  rifle  with  some  effect, 
until  he  saw  they  were  totally  defeated.  He  then  started  for  the  station,  pursued 
by  the  Indians,  and  on  stopping  at  Floyd's  Fork,  in  the  bushes,  on  the  bank,  he 
saw  an  Indian  on  horseback  pursuing  the  fugitives  ride  into  the  creek,  and  as  he 
ascended  the  bank  near  to  where  Ballard  stood,  he  shot  the  Indian,  caught  the 
horse  and  made  good  his  escape  to  the  station.  Many  were  killed,  the  number 
not  recollected,  some  taken  prisoners,  and  some  escaped  to  the  station.  They  af- 
terwards learned  from  the  prisoners  taken  on  this  occasion,  that  the  Indians  who 
attacked  them  were  marching  to  attack  the  station  the  whites  had  deserted,  but 
learning  from  their  spies  that  they  were  moving,  the  Indians  turned  from  the 
head  of  Bullskin  and  marched  in  the  direction  of  Long  Run.  The  news  of  this 
defeat  induced  Colonel  Floyd  to  raise  a  party  of  thirty-seven  men,  with  the  in- 
tention of  chastising  the  Indians.  Floyd  commanded  one  division  and  captain 
Holden  the  other,  Ballard  being  with  the  latter.  They  proceeded  with  great 
caution,  but  did  not  discover  the  Indians  until  they  received  their  fire,  which 
killed  or  mortally  wounded  sixteen  of  their  men.  Notwithstanding  the  loss,  the 
party  under  Floyd  maintained  their  ground,  and  fought  bravely  until  overpowered 
by  three  times  their  number,  who  appealed  to  the  tomahawk.  The  retreat,  how- 
ever, was  completed  without  much  further  loss.  This  occasion  has  been  rendered 
memorable  by  the  magnanimous  gallantry  of  young  Wells  (afterwards  the  Colo- 
nel Wells  of  Tippecanoe),  who  saved  the  life  of  Hoyd,  his  personal  enemy,  by 


BLAND  BALLARD.  173 

the  timely  offer  of  his  horse  at  a  moment  when  the  Indians  were  near  to  Floyd, 
who  was  retreating  on  foot  and  nearly  exhausted. 

In  1788,  the  Indians  attacked  the  little  Fort  on  Tick  creek  (a  few  miles  east 
of  Shelbyviile),  where  his  father  resided.  It  happened  that  his  father  had  re- 
moved a  short  distance  out  of  the  fort,  for  the  purpose  of  being  convenient  to  the 
sugar  camp.  The  first  intimation  they  had  of  the  Indians,  was  early  in  the 
morning,  when  his  brother  Benjamin  went  out  to  get  wood  to  make  a  fire.  They 
shot  him  and  then  assailed  the  house.  The  inmates  barred  the  door  and  prepared 
for  defence.  His  father  was  the  only  man  in  the  house,  and  no  man  in  the  fort, 
except  the  subject  of  this  sketch  and  one  old  man.  As  soon  as  he  heard  the 
guns  he  repaired  to  within  shooting  distance  of  his  father's  house,  but  dared  not 
venture  nearer.  Here  he  commenced  using  his  rifle  with  good  effect.  In  the 
meantime  the  Indians  broke  open  the  house  and  killed  his  father,  not  before,  how- 
ever, he  had  killed  one  or  two  of  their  number.  The  Indians,  also,  killed  one 
full  sister,  one  half  sister,  his  step-mother,  and  tomahawked  the  youngest  sister, 
a  child,  who  recovered.  When  the  Indians  broke  into  the  house,  his  step-mother 
endeavored  to  effect  her  escape  by  the  back  door,  but  an  Indian  pursued  her  and 
as  he  raised  his  tomahawk  to  strike  her,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  fired  at  the  In- 
dian, not,  however,  in  time  to  prevent  the  fatal  blow,  and  they  both  fell  and  ex- 
pired together.  The  Indians  were  supposed  to  number  about  fifteen,  and  before 
they  completed  their  work  of  death,  they  sustained  a  loss  of  six  or  seven. 

During  the  period  he  was  a  spy  for  General  Clark,  he  was  taken  prisoner  by 
five  Indians  on  the  other  side  of  the  Ohio,  a  few  miles  above  Louisville,  and  con- 
ducted to  an  encampment  twenty-five  miles  from  the  river.  The  Indians  treated 
him  comparatively  well,  for  though  they  kept  him  with  a  guard  they  did  not  tie 
him.  On  the  next  day  after  his  arrival  at  the  encampment,  the  Indians  were 
engaged  in  horse  racing.  In  the  evening  two  very  old  warriors  were  to  have  a 
race,  which  attracted  the  attention  of  all  the  Indians,  and  his  guard  left  him  a 
few  steps  to  see  how  the  race  would  terminate.  Near  him  stood  a  fine  black 
horse,  which  the  Indians  had  stolen  recently  from  Beargrass,  and  while  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Indians  was  attracted  in  a  different  direction,  Ballard  mounted  this 
horse  and  had  a  race  indeed.  They  pursued  him  nearly  to  the  river,  but  he  escaped, 
though  the  horse  died  soon  after  he  reached  the  station.  This  was  the  only  in- 
stance, with  the  exception  of  that  at  the  river  Raisin,  that  he  was  a  prisoner.  He 
was  in  a  skirmish  with  the  Indians  near  the  Saline  Licks,  Colonel  Hardin  being 
the  commander;  the  Colonel  Hardin  who  fought  gallantly  under  Morgan  at  the 
capture  of  Burgoyne,  and  who  fell  a  sacrifice  to  Indian  perfidy  in  the  north- 
west; the  father  of  General  M.  D.  Hardin,  and  grand-father  of  the  Col.  Hardin 
of  Illinois,  whose  heroic  death  at  Buena  Vista  was  worthy  of  his  unsullied  life. 

In  after- life  Major  Ballard  repeatedly  represented  the  people  of  vShelby  county 
in  the  legislature,  and  commanded  a  company  in  Colonel  Allen's  regiment  under 
General  Harrison  in  the  campaign  of  1812-13.  He  led  the  advance  of  the  detach- 
ment, which  fought  the  first  battle  of  the  river  Raisin — was  wounded  slightly  on 
that  day,  and  severely  by  a  spent  ball  on  the  22d  January.  This  wound,  also,  con- 
tinues to  annoy  his  old  age.  On  this  disastrous  occasion  he  was  taken  prisoner, 
and  suffered  severely  by  the  march  through  snow  and  ice,  from  Maiden  to  Fort 
George. 

As  an  evidence  of  the  difficulties  which  surrounded  the  early  pioneer  in  this 
country,  it  may  be  proper  to  notice  an  occasion  in  which  Major  Ballard  was  dis- 
turbed by  the  Indians  at  the  spot  where  he  now  resides.  They  stole  his  only 
horse  at  night.  He  heard  them  when  they  took  the  horse  from  the  door  to  which 
he  was  tied.  His  energy  and  sagacity  was  such,  that  he  got  in  advance  of  the 
Indians  before  they  reached  the  Ohio,  waylaid  them,  three  in  number,  shot  the 
one  riding  his  horse,  and  succeeded  not  only  in  escaping,  but  in  catching  the 
horse  and  riding  back  in  safety. 

The  generation  now  on  the  sphere  of  action,  and  the  millions  who  are  to  suc- 
ceed them  in  the  great  valley,  will  have  but  an  imperfect  idea  of  the  character  and 
services  of  the  bold  patriotic  men,  who  rescued  Kentucky  from  the  forest  and  the 
savage.  The  subject  of  this  sketch,  however,  is  a  fine  specimen  of  that  noble 
race  of  men,  and  when  his  gray  hairs  shall  descend  to  an  honorable  grave,  this 
short  biography  may  serve,  in  some  degree,  to  stimulate  the  rising  generation  to 
emulate  his  heroic  patriotism. 


174  BARREN  COUNTY. 


B  ARREN     COUNTY. 

Barren  county  was  formed  in  1798,  and  takes  its  name  from 
what  is  generally  termed  the  barrens  ov  prairies  which  abound  in 
the  region  of  country  in  which  it  is  located.  It  is  bounded  north 
by  Hart ;  east  by  Adair  and  Green ;  south  by  Monroe,  and  west 
by  Warren.  Glasgow,  the  county  seat,  is  about  one  hundred 
miles  from  Frankfort.  The  county  embraces  almost  every  des- 
cription of  soil  and  surface.  From  Glasgow  north  and  north- 
east for  about  ten  miles,  the  land  is  level  and  the  soil  rich ;  be- 
yond it  is  generally  hilly  and  poor :  the  remainder  of  the  county  is 
mostly  rolling,  but  with  a  productive  soil.  The  sub-soil  is  of 
clay,  founded  on  limestone.  Fine  springs  abound ;  and  being 
well  timbered  and  watered  with  several  large  creeks,  saw  and 
grist  mills  have  been  erected  in  abundance.  The  staple  products 
are  tobacco,  corn,  wheat,  rye  and  oats.  Tobacco  is  the  most  im- 
portant article  of  export  from  this  county — about  twenty-five 
hundred  hogsheads  being  the  average  annual  product.  Horses, 
mules,  and  hogs,  are  also  raised  for  export.  There  are  three  salt 
furnaces  in  operation  in  the  county,  making  from  thirty  to  forty 
bushels  each  per  day. 

In  1846,  the  number  of  acres  of  land  reported  was  359,941; 
average  value  per  acre  $3,34;  total  value  of  taxable  property, 
$3,191,500:  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  2,769 ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years 
of  age,  3,341. 

The  towns  of  Barren  are  Glasgow,  Chaplinton,  Edmonton  and 
Frederick.  Glasgow,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  situated  on  the  turn- 
pike road  leading  from  Louisville  to  Nashville,  one  hundred  and 
twenty-six  miles  from  Frankfort— contains  three  meeting  houses, 
in  which  seven  denominations  worship,  viz  :  Methodists,  Episco- 
palians, Reformers,  Old  and  New  School  Presbyterians,  Cumber- 
land Presbyterians  and  United  Baptists  ;  two  academies,  male 
and  female ;  one  school,  thirteen  stores,  two  groceries,  eleven 
lawyers,  five  doctors,  two  tanneries,  with  a  large  number  of  me- 
chanical trades.  Was  established  in  1809,  and  named  after  the 
old  city  of  Glasgow,  in  Scotland.  Population  six  hundred. 
Chaplinton,  a  small  village  on  Big  Barren  river,  contains  a 
store,  a  post-office,  etc.  Edmonton,  a  small  village  eighteen  miles 
south-east  of  Glasgow,  contains  one  school,  one  store,  one  tan- 
nery, one  doctor,  post-office,  etc.  Frederick,  situated  seventeen 
miles  north-east  from  Glasgow — contains  one  school,  two  doc- 
tors, one  tannery,  etc. 

There  are  a  number  of  mineral  springs  in  Barren,  which  are  considered  effica- 
cious in  many  diseases ;  but  none  have  been  as  yet,  much  resorted  to.  There  is 
a  white  sulphur  spring  on  the  east  fork  of  Little  Barren  river,  sixteen  miles  east 
of  Glasgow,  the  waters  from  which,  as  they  flow  off,  form  quite  a  respectable 
branch,  and  is  supposed  to  be  the  largest  stream  of  mineral  water  in  the  Green 
river  country.     There  is  a  well  on  Buck  creek,  fourteen  miles   nearly  west  of 


EDMUND  ROGERS.  175 

Glasgow,  which  was  commenced  for  salt  water,  but  at  the  depth  of  thirty  feet  or 
more,  a  very  large  stream  of  medical  water  was  struck  (sulphur,  magnesia,  etc.), 
which  rises  about  four  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  earth  through  a  large  pipe, 
and  runs  off  in  a  branch  of  considerable  size.  This  is  becoming  a  place  of  con- 
siderable resort.  There  are,  also,  several  smaller  springs  within  a  few  miles  of 
Glasgow,  which  are  thought  to  be  very  beneficial  to  invalids. 

The  Indians  in  the  early  settlement,  made  but  few  incursions  into  this  county. 
Edmund  Rogers,  one  of  the  first  surveyors  and  pioneers,  was  compelled  on 
several  occasions,  to  abandon  his  surveys  from  the  signs  or  attacks  of  Indians. 
On  one  occasion  when  in  hot  pursuit  of  him,  they  overtook  and  killed  one  of  his 
company — and  he  imputes  his  escape  alone  to  the  time  occupied  in  dispatching 
the  unfortunate  individual  who  fell  into  their  hands. 

Edmund  Rogers,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  Green  river  country,  was  born  in 
Caroline  county,  Virginia,  on  the  5th  of  May,  1762,  He  served  as  a  soldier  in 
the  memorable  campaign  of  1781,  in  his  native  State,  which  resulted  in  the  cap- 
ture of  Cornwallis.  He  was  in  the  battles  of  Green  Springs,  Jamestown,  and  at 
the  siege  of  York.  For  these  services  he  refused  to  apply  for  a  pension,  although 
entitled  under  the  acts  of  congress.  It  was  the  love  of  his  country's  liberty  and 
independence,  and  no  pecuniary  reward,  which  induced  him  to  fight  her  battles. 
He  emigrated  to  Kentucky  in  1783,  and  became  intimate  with  most  of  the  early 
pioneers.  He  possessed  a  remarkable  memory,  and  could  detail  with  accuracy 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  all  the  important  events  of  the  Indian  wars  and  early 
settlement  of  Kentucky.  He  had  enjoyed  better  opportunities  to  learn  the  his- 
tory of  these  transactions  than  most  persons,  in  consequence  of  his  intimacy  with 
General  George  Rogers  Clark  (his  cousin),  and  captain  John  Rogers  (his  brother), 
and  captain  Abraham  Chapline,  of  Mercer,  in  whose  family  he  lived  for  years. 

Mr.  E.  Rogers  was  the  longest  liver  of  that  meritorious  and  enterprising  class 
of  men  who  penetrated  the  wilderness  of  Kentucky,  and  spent  their  time  in 
locating  and  surveying  lands.  It  is  confidently  believed  that  he  survived  all  the 
surveyors  of  military  lands  south  of  Green  river.  He  began  business  as  a  sur- 
veyor in  the  fall  of  1783,  in  Clark's  or  the  Illinois  grant  as  it  was  called,  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Ohio  river,  opposite  to  Louisville.  In  the  spring  of  1784,  his 
operations  were  changed  to  the  military  district  in  this  State,  on  the  south  side  of 
Green  river.  He  made  most  of  the  surveys  on  Little  and  Big  Barren  rivers  and 
their  tributary  streams.  Muldrough's  hill  was  the  boundary  of  the  settlements 
towards  the  south-west  in  Kentucky,  when  Mr.  Rogers  commenced  surveying  in 
the  military  district.  He  settled  upon  a  tract  of  land,  upon  which  he  afterwards 
laid  out  the  town  of  Edmonton  in  Barren  county,  in  the  year  1800.  He  married 
Mary  Shirley  in  1808.  She  died  in  1835,  leaving  seven  daughters  and  one  son. 
In  1840  owing  to  his  advanced  age,  he  broke  up  house  keeping  and  removed  with 
his  single  daughters  to  the  house  of  his  son  John  T.  Rogers,  where  he  died  on 
the  28th  day  of  August,  1843.  His  remains  were  taken  to  his  own  farm  and 
buried  by  the  side  of  his  wife  near  Edmonton. 

In  purity  of  life  and  manly  virtues,  Mr.  Rogers  had  but  few  equals.  His  in- 
tercourse with  mankind  was  characterized  by  great  benevolence  and  charity,  and 
the  strictest  justice.  He  was  ever  ready  to  lend  a  helping  hand  to  the  needy  and 
deserving.  He  raised  and  educated  his  nephew,  the  honorable  Joseph  Rogers 
Underwood. 

He  was  not  ambitious  of  distinction.  He  accepted  the  office  of  justice  of  the 
peace  shortly  after  he  settled  in  Barren  county,  at  the  solicitation  of  his  neigh- 
bors. Perceiving  as  he  thought,  an  act  of  partiality  on  the  part  of  the  court,  he 
resigned  his  commission  at  the  first  court  he  ever  attended,  and  thereafter  per- 
sisted in  his  resolution  to  hold  no  oflice. 

Mr.  Rogers  believed  that  the  distinctions  made  among  men,  arising  from  the 
offices  they  filled,  without  regard  to  their  intellectual  and  moral  attainments  and 
qualifications,  were  often  unjust.  He  therefore  spurned  official  stations  and  those 
who  filled  them,  when  he  thought  genuine  merit  was  overlooked,  and  the  shallow 
and  presumptuous  promoted.  He  believed  that  the  fortunes  of  men,  were  con- 
troled  by  things  apparently  of  little  moment,  and  that  there  was  in  regulating 
and  governing  the  affairs  of  this  world,  if  not  of  the  whole  universe,  a  chain  of 
causes  and  effects  or  consequences,  in  which  every  link  was  just  as  important  as 


176  BARREN   COUNTY. 

every  other  in  the  eyes  of  God,  although  in  the  estimation  of  men,  they  were  re- 
garded as  very  different  in  importance.  To  his  philosophic  mind,  he  saw  what 
mankind  usually  call  great  things,  springing  as  results  from  very  little  thino-s, 
and  he  was  not  disposed  to  concede  that  the  effect  was  entitled  to  more  considera- 
tion than  the  cause.  He  admitted  a  controling  providence,  which  operated  in  a 
manner  inscrutable  to  man;  and  hence  he  never  despised  what  were  called  Utile 
things,  and  never  became  greatly  excited  with  passionate  admiration  for  what 
were  called  great  things.  He  admitted  there  were  two  great  principles  at  work 
in  the  earth,  one  of  good,  the  other  of  evil.  His  affections  and  his  actions  were 
all  with  the  good. 

In  illustration  of  his  idea  that  apparent  trifles  were  important  affairs,  he  often 
told  the  writer  that  the  most  consequential  events  of  his  life,  had  been  the  result 
of  his  falling  off  a  log  and  getting  wet,  in  attempting  to  cross  a  creek.  This 
happened  the  day  he  left  Pitman's  station  to  go  into  the  wilderness  south  of 
Green  river.  He  got  his  papers  wet,  and  was  induced  to  return  to  the  station  to 
dry  them,  and  then  to  take  a  new  start.  Upon  his  return,  he  met  with  a  stranger 
who  had  a  large  number  of  land  warrants,  and  made  a  contract  with  him  for 
their  location.  Under  this  contract  he  secured  the  land  around  Edmonton 
where  he  lived,  and  upon  these  facts  he  reasoned  thus  :  "  If  I  had  not  fallen  into 
the  creek,  I  should  not  have  turned  back  ;  if  I  had  not  returned  to  the  station,  I 
should  not  have  made  the  contract  by  which  I  obtained  the  land  on  which  I  set- 
tled;  if  I  had  not  got  that  land,  I  should  not  have  lived  upon  it;  if  I  had  not 
lived  there,  I  should  have  been  thrown  into  a  different  society,  and  most  probably 
would  never  have  seen  the  lady  I  married,  and  of  course  would  not  have  had 
the  wife  and  children  I  have ;  and  as  a  further  consequence,  the  very  existence 
and  destiny  of  those  children  and  their  descendants  through  all  coming  genera- 
tions, and  the  influence  they  may  exercise  in  families,  neighborhoods  and  coun- 
ties, depended  upon  my  falling  from  the  log." 

Mr.  Rogers  and  his  brother  captain  John  Rogers,  made  a  very  singular  contract. 
It  was  firmly  agreed  between  them,  that  he  who  died  first,  should  return  from 
the  world  of  spirits,  and  inform  the  other  what  was  going  on  there.  This  en- 
gagement between  the  brothers,  was  most  seriously  entered  into.  Mr.  Rogers 
has  often  told  the  writer,  that  there  could  be  no  such  thing  as  visits  from  the 
spirits  of  the  dead,  and  holding  intercourse  with  the  living;  for  said  he,  if  such  a 
thing  could  be,  I  know  my  brother  John  would  have  kept  and  fulfilled  his  pro- 
mise.    He  discountenanced  every  thing  of  a  superstitious  character. 

The  motto  upon  which  Mr.  Rogers  acted  through  life,  was  "to  do  justice,  love 
mercy  and  walk  humbly  before  God."  He  often  repeated  these  words  as  con- 
taining man's  whole  duty. 

His  last  illness  was  of  short  duration.  He  was  in  his  perfect  mind  to  the  last 
breath.  About  an  hour  before  he  expired  he  was  seen  to  smile,  and  being  asked 
what  occasioned  it,  he  said,  "  he  was  thinking  of  the  vain  efforts  of  three  of  the 
best  physicians  in  the  country,  to  save  the  life  of  an  old  man  when  his  time  had 
come."     He  died  with  perfect  composure  and  without  a  struggle. 

Inscription. — Mr.  Butler,  in  his  History  of  Kentucky,  states,  upon  the  author- 
ity of  Judge  Underwood,  that  Edmund  Rogers  had  discovered  on  a  beech  tree, 
standing  upon  the  margin  of  the  east  fork  of  the  south  branch  of  Little  Barren 
river,  before  there  was  any  settlement  south  of  Green  river,  the  following  inscrip- 
tion: "James  M'Call,  of  Mecklenburg  county,  North  Carolina,  June  8th,  1770." 
These  words  were  cut  in  very  handsome  letters,  with  several  initials  of  other 
names. 

Antiquities. — The  most  remarkable  mounds  in  the  county,  are  situated  at  the 
mouth  of  Peter's  creek,  on  Big  Barren  river.  Twelve  miles  south-west  from 
Glasgow,  on  the  turnpike  leading  to  Nashville,  and  immediately  in  the  fork  of 
the  river  and  creek,  there  are  a  large  number  of  small  mounds,  which  closely 
resemble  each  other  in  size  and  shape.  They  now  appear  to  he  two  or  three  feet 
high,  of  an  oval  form,  about  fifty  yards  apart,  forming  a  circle  of  from  four  to  five 
hundred  yards  in  circumference,  and  presenting  strong  indications  of  having  had 
huts  or  some  other  kind  of  buildings  upon  them.  About  the  center  of  the  circle 
of  small  mounds,  is  situated  a  large  mound,  twenty  or  thirty  feet  high,  and  from 
ninety  to  one  hundred  feet  in  diameter.     Without  the  circle,  about  one  hundred 


BATH  COUNTY.  177 

yards  distant,  is  another  large  mound,  about  the  same  dimensions  of  the  one 
within  the  circle  of  small  ones.  Upon  these  mounds  trees  are  growing,  which 
measure  five  feet  in  diameter.  Some  two  hundred  yards  from  these  mounds,  are 
a  number  of  small  mounds,  which  contain  bones,  teeth,  and  hair  of  human  beings, 
in  a  perfect  state  of  preservation.  These  bones  are  found  ia  graves  about  three 
feet  long,  and  from  one  to  one  and  a  half  feet  wide,  all  lined  with  flat  stones.  In 
the  neighborhood,  for  half  a  mile  or  more,  are  found  many  of  these  graves.  There 
is  a  large  warehouse  standing  on  the  mound  which  is  within  the  circle  of  small 
mounds. 

There  is  a  cave  in  the  bluff  of  the  river,  about  three  miles  above  Glasgow, 
which  contains  a  large  number  of  bones;  but  it  is  of  small  dimensions,  and  no 
correct  description  has  been  obtained  of  it.  On  Skegg's  creek,  about  five  miles 
south-west  of  Glasgow,  there  is  a  small  cave,  in  which  human  bones  have  been 
found,  but  they  appeared  to  be  those  of  infants  altogether.  One  bone  was  found, 
which  seemed  to  be  that  part  of  the  skull  bone  about  the  crown  of  the  head ;  it 
was  made  round,  about  two  and  a  half  inches  in  diameter,  scolloped  on  the  edges, 
and  carved  on  the  outside.  Whether  this  was  made  for  an  ornament,  or  for  eating 
out  of,  could  not  well  be  determined,  although  it  was  sufficiently  large  to  be  used 
as  a  spoon. 


BATH    COUNTY. 

Bath  county  was  organized  in  1811,  and  is  situated  in  the  eas- 
tern part  of  the  State,  and  Hes  on  Licking  river.  It  is  bounded 
on  the  north  and  east  by  Fleming,  south  by  Morgan,  and  west  by 
Montgomery.  It  received  its  name  from  the  great  number  of 
medicinal  springs  which  abound  in  the  county.  The  celebrated 
Olympian  or  Mud  Lick  springs  are  situated  here,  which  contain 
a  vai'iety  of  waters,  such  as  salt,  black  and  red  sulphur,  and  cha- 
lybeate of  iron.  Four  miles  east  of  these  springs  is  the  White 
Sulphur. 

Lands  reported  for  the  county  in  1846,  205,261  acres  ;  average 
value  per  acre,  $8,63 ;  total  valuation  of  taxable  property,  $3,- 
006,835.  White  males  over  twenty-one  years  old,  1,732  ;  children 
between  five  and  sixteen  years  old  2,420.  Population  in  1830, 
8,799— in  1840,  9,763. 

Licking  river  washes  the  entire  north-east  boundary  of  the 
county,  and  it  is  watered  by  several  fine  streams,  flowing  through 
various  portions  of  it.  The  surface  is  diversified — hilly,  undula- 
ting, and  level.  The  soil  north  and  west  of  Slate  creek,  is  rich 
and  fertile,  being  based  upon  limestone ;  south  and  east  the 
county  abounds  in  iron  and  coal,  and  the  soil  is  not  so  good.  Im- 
mediately around  Sharpsburg,  for  several  miles,  the  surface  is 
gently  undulating,  and  the  lands  highly  cultivated,  rich,  and  very 
productive.  The  principal  articles  of  production  and  commerce, 
are  cattle,  mules,  hogs,  corn,  and  wheat.  There  are  two  iron, 
furnaces  and  one  forge  in  the  county,  manufacturing  about  two 
thousand  tons  of  iron  per  year. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are,  Owingsville,  Sharpsburg,  Wyo- 
ming, and  Bethel.     Owingsville  is  the  seat  of  justice,  and  con- 
tains two  churches,  two  taverns,  a  fine  court  house,  post  oflice, 
five  stores  and  groceries,  three  doctors,  seven  lawyers,  two  schools 
12 


178  BATH   COUNTY. 

one  blacksmith  shop,  one  tailor,  one  saddler,  &c.  Incorporated 
in  1829,  and  named  in  honor  of  Col.  Thomas  Dye  Owings.  Pop- 
ulation three  hundred. 

Sharpsburg  is  situated  on  the  Maysville  and  Mount  Sterling 
turnpike  road,  thirty-eight  miles  from  the  former,  and  twelve 
from  the  latter  place,  and  twelve  miles  west  of  Owingsville.  It 
contains  three  churches,  one  tavern,  four  stores,  six  doctors,  two 
saw  mills,  one  bagging  factory,  one  male  and  one  female  school, 
two  wool  factories,  and  ten  mechanical  shops.  Established  in 
1825,  and  named  for  Moses  Sharp. 

Wyomevg,  a  small  village  at  the  mouth  of  Slate  creek,  contains 
two  stores,  two  taverns,  two  cabinet  shops,  one  blacksmith  shop, 
two  grist  and  saw  mills. 

Bethel,  a  small  village  on  the  main  route  from  Maysville  to 
Mount  Sterling,  contains  a  post  office,  one  store,  one  tavern,  two 
saddler's  shops,  blacksmith  and  hat  shops — thirty'  inhabitants. 

The  following'  interesting  incident  in  the  early  settlement  of  Bath  county,  is 
related  in  McClung's  "Sketches  of  Western  Adventure,"  a  work  published  by 
the  author  of  these  notes  in  the  year  1832 : 

"In  the  month  of  August,  1786,  Mr.  Francis  Downing,  then  a  mere  lad,  was 
living  in  a  fort,  where  subsequently  some  iron  works  were  erected  by  Mr.  Jacob 
Myers,  which  are  now  known  by  the  name  of  Slate  creek  works,  and  are  the 
property  of  Colonel  Thomas  Dye  Owings.  About  the  16th,  a  young  man  be- 
longing to  the  fort,  called  upon  Downing,  and  requested  his  assistance  in  hunting 
for  a  horse  which  had  strayed  away  on  the  preceding  evening.  Downing  readily 
complied,  and  the  two  friends  traversed  the  woods  in  every  direction,  until  at 
length,  towards  evening,  they  found  themselves  in  a  wild  valley,  at  the  distance 
of  six  or  seven  miles  from  the  fort.  Here  Downing  became  alarmed,  and  repeat- 
edly assured  his  elder  companion,  (whose  name  was  Yates),  that  he  heard  sticks 
cracking  behind  them,  and  was  confident  that  Indians  were  dogging  them.  Yates, 
being  an  experienced  hunter,  and  from  habit  grown  indifferent  to  the  dangers  of 
the  woods,  diverted  himself  freely  at  the  expense  of  his  young  companion,  often 
inquiring,  at  what  price  he  rated  his  scalp,  and  offering  to  ensure  it  for  a  six- 
pence. 

"  Downing,  however,  was  not  so  easily  satisfied.  He  observed,  that  in  what- 
ever direction  they  turned,  the  same  ominous  sounds  continued  to  haunt  them, 
and  as  Yates  still  treated  his  fears  with  the  most  perfect  indifference,  he  deter- 
mined to  take  his  measures  upon  his  own  responsibility.  Gradually  slackening 
his  pace,  he  permitted  Yates  to  advance  twenty  or  thirty  steps  in  front  of  him, 
and  immediately  afterwards  descending  a  gentle  hill,  he  suddenly  sprung  aside, 
and  hid  himself  in  a  thick  cluster  of  whortleberry  bushes.  Yates,  who  at  that 
time  was  performing  some  woodland  ditty  to  the  full  extent  of  his  lungs,  was  too 
much  pleased  with  his  own  voice  to  attend  either  to  Downing  or  the  Indians,  and 
was  quickly  out  of  sight.  Scarcely  had  he  disappeared,  when  Downing,  to  his 
unspeakable  terror,  beheld  two  savages  put  aside  the  stalks  of  a  canebrake,  and 
look  out  cautiously  in  the  direction  which  Yates  had  taken. 

"  Fearful  that  they  had  seen  him  step  aside,  he  determined  to  fire  upon  them, 
and  trust  to  his  heels  for  safety,  but  so  unsteady  was  his  hand,  that  in  raising  his 
gun  to  his  shoulder,  she  went  off  before  he  had  taken  aim.  He  lost  no  time  in 
following  her  example,  and  after  running  fifty  yards,  he  met  Yates,  who,  alarmed 
at  the  report,  was  hastily  retracing  his  steps.  It  was  not  necessary  to  inquire 
what  was  the  matter.  The  enemy  were  in  full  view,  pressing  forward  with  great 
rapidity,  and  "devil  take  the  hindmost,"  was  the  order  of  the  day.  Yates  would 
not  outstrip  Downing,  but  ran  by  his  side,  although  in  so  doing  he  risked  both 
of  their  lives.  The  Indians  were  well  acquainted  with  the  country,  and  soon 
took  a  path  that  diverged  from  the  one  which  the  whites  f)llowed,  at  one  point, 
and  rejoined  it  at  another,  bearing  the  same  relation  to  it,  that  the  string  does  to 
the  bow 


BOONE    COUNTY.  179 

"The  two  paths  were  at  no  point  distant  from  each  other  more  than  one  hun- 
dred yards,  so  that  Yates  and  Downing  could  easily  see  the  enemy  gaining  rap- 
idly upon  them.  They  reached  the  point  of  re-union  first,  however,  and  quickly 
came  to  a  deep  gully  which  it  was  necessary  to  cross,  or  retrace  their  steps. 
Yates  cleared  it  without  difficulty,  but  Downing,  being  much  exhausted,  fell 
short,  and  falling  with  his  breast  against  the  opposite  brink,  rebounded  with  vio- 
lence, and  fell  at  full  length  upon  the  bottom.  The  Indians  crossed  the  ditch  a 
few  yards  below  him,  and  eager  for  the  capture  of  Yates,  continued  the  pursuit, 
without  appearing  to  notice  Downing.  The  latter,  who  at  first  had  given  himself 
up  for  lost,  quickly  recovered  his  strength,  and  began  to  walk  slowly  along  the 
ditch,  fearing  to  leave  it,  lest  the  enemy  should  see  him.  As  he  advanced,  how- 
ever, the  ditch  became  more  shallow,  until  at  length  it  ceased  to  protect  him 
at  all. 

"  Looking  around  cautiously,  he  saw  one  of  the  Indians  returning,  apparently 
in  quest  of  him.  Unfortunately,  he  had  neglected  to  reload  his  gun,  while  in  the 
ditch,  and  as  the  Indian  instantly  advanced  upon  him,  he  had  no  resource  but 
flight.  Throwing  away  his  gun,  which  was  now  useless,  he  plied  his  legs  man- 
fully in  ascending  the  long  ridge  which  stretched  before  him,  but  the  Indian 
gained  on  him  so  rapidly  that  he  lost  all  hope  of  escape.  Coming  at  length  to  a 
large  poplar  which  had  been  blown  up  by  the  roots,  he  ran  along  the  body  of  the 
tree  upon  one  side,  while  the  Indian  followed  it  upon  the  other,  doubtless  expect- 
ing to  intercept  him  at  the  root.  But  here  the  supreme  dominion  of  fortune  was 
manifest. 

"  It  happened  that  a  large  she  bear  was  suckling  her  cubs  in  a  bed  which  she 
had  made  at  the  root  of  the  tree,  and  as  the  Indian  reached  that  point  first,  she 
instantly  sprung  upon  him,  and  a  prodigious  uproar  took  place.  The  Indian  yelled, 
and  stabbed  with  his  knife ;  the  bear  growled  and  saluted  him  with  one  of  her 
most  endearing  "  hugs  ;"  while  Downing,  fervently  wishing  her  success,  ran  off 
through  the  woods,  without  waiting  to  see  the  event  of  the  struggle.  Downing 
reached  the  fort  in  safety,  and  found  Yates  reposing  after  a  hot  chase,  having 
eluded  his  pursuers,  and  gained  the  fort  two  hours  before  him.  On  the  next  morn- 
ing, they  collected  a  party  and  returned  to  the  poplar  tree,  but  no  traces  either  of 
the  Indian  or  bear  were  to  be  found.  They  both  probably  escaped  with  their 
lives,  although  not  without  injury." 


BOONECOUNTY. 

Boone  county  was  formed  in  1798,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Colonel  Daniel  Boone.  It  is  situated  in  the  most  northern  part 
of  the  state,  in  a  well  known  bend  of  the  Ohio  river,  called 
North  Bend.  The  average  length  of  the  county  is  about  twenty 
miles,  from  north  to  south,  and  its  average  breadth  about  four- 
teen miles.  It  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  Kenton,  on  the  south 
by  Grant  and  Gallatin  counties,  and  on  the  north  and  west  by 
the  Ohio  river,  which  flows  along  its  border  about  forty  miles, 
dividing  it  from  the  states  of  Ohio  and  Indiana.  The  surface  of 
the  county  is  generally  hilly,  but  still  there  is  a  considerable 
quantity  of  level  land  in  it,  and  nearly  all  the  land  is  tillable. 
On  the  Ohio  river  there  are  found  considerable  bodies  of  level 
land  called  bottoms,  the  soil  of  which  is  very  productive  ;  farther 
out  from  the  river  the  land  is  good  second  rate.  The  taxable 
property  in  this  county  in  1846  was  $3,332,138  ;  number  of  acres 
of  land,  153,330 ;  average  value  of  land  per  acre  $14,39 ;  white 
males  over  21   years  of  age  1,959;  children  between  5  and  16 


180  BOONE  COUNTS. 

years  of  age,  2,104  :  population  in  1830,  9,012  ;  in  1840,  10,034. 
The  staple  productions  are  Indian  corn,  tobacco,  oats,  wheat 
whisky,  flour,  apples,  and  hogs  ;  timothy  and  blue  grass  grow 
luxuriantly  in  almost  all  parts  of  the  county.  The  Covington 
and  Lexington  turnpike  road  runs  about  ten  miles  through  this 
county.  The  principal  streams  and  creeks  are  Woolper,  Middle 
creek.  Gunpowder  and  Big  Bone  creek,  which  is  at  its  mouth  and 
some  distance  up  the  south  boundary  of  the  county. 

The  principal  towns  are  Burlington,  the  seat  of  justice,  situated 
six  miles  S.  S.  W.  from  the  nearest  point  of  the  Ohio  river ;  Flo- 
rence, on  the  Covington  and  Lexington  turnpike  road ;  Union ; 
Walton  ;  Verona  ;  Hamilton,  on  the  Ohio  river ;  Petersburg,  on 
the  Ohio,  and  Francisville. 

Burlington,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  situated  fourteen  miles  from 
Cincinnati  and  seventy  miles  from  Frankfort, — contains  four 
churches  :  Baptist,  Methodist,  Presbyterian  and  Reformed  ;  Mor- 
gan's Academy,  with  an  endowment  of  $5,000  and  sixty  stu- 
dents ;  two  schools,  seven  lawyers,  five  doctors,  fi^ve  stores, 
two  taverns,  one  shoe  and  boot  store,  one  wool  factory,  eight 
mechanics'  shops,  one  tobacco  factory,  and  a  population  of  four 
hundred.  It  was  incorporated  in  1824.  Florence  contains  two 
churches,  three  doctors,  two  stores,  two  taverns,  two  schools,  four 
mechanics'  shops,  and  a  population  of  two  hundred.  It  was  in- 
corporated in  1830.  Francisville  contains  one  church,  one  tobacco 
factory,  and  one  store.  HamiUon  contains  one  school,  one  tavern, 
three  stores,  two  doctors,  and  a  population  of  two  hundred.  Peters- 
burg contains  two  schools,  one  tobacco  factory,  one  steam  distil- 
lery and  flouring  mill,  two  churches,  one  tavern,  two  doctors,  and 
a  population  of  two  hundred  and  fifty.  Springtmcn,  below  Cov- 
ington, is  a  fishing  place  with  seventy-five  inhabitants.  Union 
contains  two  churches,  one  store,  one  doctor,  and  fifty  inhabitants. 
Walton  contains  one  tavern  and  two  tobacco  factories,  and  has  a 
population  of  fifty. 

Amongst  the  antiquities  of  this  county  is  the  site  of  an  aboriginal  burying 
ground,  whose  history  is  hid  in  the  darkness  of  past  ages,  now  covered  by  the 
flourishing  town  of  Petersburg.  In  digging  cellars  for  their  houses,  the  inhabit- 
ants have  excavated  pieces  of  earthenware  vessels  and  Indian  utensils  of  stone, 
some  of  them  curiously  carved.  A  little  above  the  town,  on  the  bank  of  the 
river,  are  the  remains  of  an  ancient  fortification.  All  that  is  now  visible  is  an 
embankment  or  breastwork,  about  four  feet  high,  and  extending  from  the  abrupt 
bank  of  the  Ohio  to  the  almost  precipitous  bank  of  Taylor's  creek,  including  be- 
tween the  river  and  the  creek  an  area  of  about  twenty  or  twenty-five  acres  of 
ground. 

At  the  mouth  of  Woolper  creek,  about  twelve  miles  nearly  west  from  Burling- 
ton, is  a  singular  chasm  in  a  hill,  which  has  been  cleft  from  top  to  bottom.  The 
part  split  off  is  separated  by  an  interval  of  ten  or  twelve  feet  from  the  main 
body  of  the  hill,  thus  forming  a  zigzag  avenue  through  it  from  the  low  land  or 
bottom  on  the  Ohio  river  to  Woolper  creek.  The  north  side  of  this  chasm  is  a 
perpendicular  wall  of  rock  seventy  or  eighty  feet  high,  composed  of  pebble 
stones. 

In  this  county  is  situated  the  celebrated  Big  Bone  Lich.,  about  twelve  miles  a 
little  west  of  south  from  Burlington,  and  one  mile  and  a  half  east  from  Hamil- 
ton, on  the  Ohio  river.      The  lick  is  situated  in  a  valley  which  contains  about 


BIG  BONE  LICK.  181 

one  hundred  acres,  through  which  flows  Big  Bone  creek.  There  are  two  prin- 
cipal springs,  one  of  which  is  almost  on  the  northern  margin  of  the  creek;  the 
other  is  south  of  the  creek,  and  at  the  base  of  the  hills  which  bound  the  valley. 
There  is  a  third  spring  of  smaller  size  some  considerable  distance  north  of  the 
creek,  which  flows  from  a  well  sunk  many  years  ago,  when  salt  was  manufac- 
tured at  this  lick.  The  valley  is  fertile,  and  surrounded  by  irregular  hills  of  un- 
equal elevation,  the  highest  being  on  the  west,  and  attaining  an  altitude  of  five 
hundred  feet.  The  back  water  from  the  river,  at  times,  ascends  the  creek  as  far 
as  the  lick,  which,  by  the  course  of  the  stream,  is  more  than  three  miles  from  its 
mouth.  At  a  very  early  day  the  surrounding  forest  had  no  undergrowth,  the 
ground  being  covered  with  a  smooth  grassy  turf,  and  the  lick  spread  over  an  area 
of  about  ten  acres.  The  surface  of  the  ground  within  this  area  was  generally 
depressed  three  or  four  feet  below  the  level  of  the  surrounding  valley.  This  de- 
pression was  probably  occasioned  as  well  by  the  stamping  of  the  countless  num- 
bers of  wild  animals,  drawn  thither  by  the  salt  contained  in  the  water  and  im- 
pregnating the  ground,  as  by  their  licking  the  earth  to  procure  salt.  There  is  no 
authentic  account  of  this  lick  having  been  visited  by  white  men  before  the  year 
1773.  In  that  year  James  Douglass,  of  Virginia,  visited  it,  and  found  the  ten 
acres  constituting  the  lick  bare  of  trees  and  herbage  of  every  kind,  and  large  num- 
bers of  the  bones  of  the  mastodon  or  mammoth,  and  the  arctic  elephant,  scattered 
upon  the  surface  of  the  ground.  The  last  of  these  bones  which  thus  lay  upon 
the  surface  of  the  earth,  were  removed  more  than  forty  years  ago ;  but  since  that 
time  a  considerable  number  have  been  exhumed  from  beneath  the  soil,  which 
business  has  been  prosecuted  as  zealously  by  some,  as  others  are  wont  to  dig 
for  hidden  treasures.  Some  of  the  teeth  of  these  huge  animals  would  weigh 
near  ten  pounds,  and  the  surface  on  which  the  food  was  chewed  was  about  seven 
inches  long  and  four  or  five  broad.  A  correspondent  informs  us  that  he  had  seen 
dug  up  in  one  mass,  several  tusks  and  ribs,  and  thigh  bones,  and  one  skull,  be- 
sides many  other  bones.  Two  of  these  tusks,  which  belonged  to  different  ani- 
mals, were  about  eleven  feet  in  length,  and  at  the  largest  end  six  or  seven  inches 
in  diameter;  two  others  were  seven  or  eight  feet  long.  The  thigh  bones  were 
four  or  five  feet  in  length,  and  a  straight  line  drawn  from  one  end  of  some  of  the 
ribs  to  the  other  would  be  five  feet;  the  ribs  were  between  three  and  four  inches 
broad.  These  dimensions  correspond  with  what  Mr.  Douglass  has  said  of  the 
ribs  which  he  used  for  tent  poles  when  he  visited  the  lick  in  1773.  Our  corres- 
pondent thinks  the  skull  above  mentioned  certainly  belonged  to  a  young  animal, 
and  yet  the  distance  across  the  forehead  and  between  the  eyes  was  two  feet,  and 
the  sockets  of  the  tusks  eighteen  inches  deep.  The  tusks  which  have  been  sta- 
ted to  be  seven  or  eight  feet  long  exactly  fitted  these  sockets.  This  lick  is  the 
only  place  in  which  these  gigantic  remains  have  been  found  in  such  large  quan- 
tities, and  deserves  to  be  called  the  s;rave  yard  of  the  mammolh.  The  first  collec- 
tion of  these  fossil  remains  was  made  by  Dr.  Goforth  in  1803,  and  in  1806  was 
intrusted  by  him  to  the  English  traveler,  Thomas  Ashe,  (the  slanderer  of  our 
country),  to  be  exhibited  in  Europe,  who,  when  he  arrived  in  England,  sold  the 
collection  and  pocketed  the  money.  The  purchaser  aftervirards  transferred  parts 
of  this  collection  to  the  Royal  College  of  Surgeons  in  London,  to  Dr.  Blake  of 
Dublin,  and  Professor  Monroe  of  Edinburgh,  and  a  part  was  sold  at  auction. 
The  next  collection  was  made  by  order  of  Mr.  Jefferson,  while  he  was  president 
of  the  American  Philosophical  Society,  about  the  year  1805,  and  was  divided 
between  that  society  and  M.  Cuvier,  the  distinguished  French  naturalist.  A 
third  collection  was  made  in  1819,  by  the  Western  Museum  society.  In  the  year 
1831  a  fourth  collection  was  made  by  Mr.  Finnell.  This  was  first  sold  to  a  Mr. 
Graves  for  $'2,000,  and  taken  by  him  to  the  eastern  states,  and  there  sold  for 
$5,000. 

It  has  before  been  intimated  that  salt  was  once  manufactured  at  this  lick;  but 
since  the  year  1812  no  effort  of  that  kind  has  been  made,  as  it  requires  five  or  six 
hundred  gallons  of  the  water  to  make  a  single  bushel  of  salt. 

The  springs  at  this  place  have  been  considerably  frequented  on  account  of 
their  medicinal  virtues;  but  at  this  time  no  accommodation  of  any  sort  for 
visiters  is  kept  there,  and  but  very  inadequate  accommodation  is  to  be  found 
any  where  in  the  neighborhood. 

The  distinguished  pioneer  Colonel  Daniel  Boone,  (in  honor  of  whom  Boone 


182  BOONE   COUNTY. 

county  was  named,  and  who  was  the  first  white  man  who  ever  made  a  perma- 
nent settlement  within  the  limits  of  the  present  State  of  Kentucky),  was  born  in 
Bucks  county,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Delaware  river,  on  the 
11th  of  February,  1.731.  Of  his  life,  but  little  is  known  previous  to  his  emigra- 
tion to  Kentucky,  with  the  early  history  of  which  his  name  is,  perhaps,  more 
closely  identified  than  that  of  any  other  man.  The  only  sources  to  which  we 
can  resort  for  information,  is  the  meagre  narrative  dictated  by  himself,  in  his  old 
age, — and  which  is  confined  principally  to  that  period  of  his  existence  passed  in 
exploring  the  wilderness  of  Kentucky,  and  which,  therefore,  embraces  but  a  com- 
paratively small  part  of  his  life ;  and  the  desultory  reminiscences  of  his  early  as- 
sociates in  that  hazardous  enterprise.  This  constitutes  the  sum  total  of  our 
knowledge  of  the  personal  history  of  this  remarkable  man,  to  whom,  as  the 
founder  of  what  may  without  impropriety  be  called  a  new  empire,  Greece  and 
Rome  would  have  erected  statues  of  honor,  if  not  temples  of  worship. 

It  is  said  that  the  ancestors  of  Daniel  Boone  were  among  the  original  Catho- 
lic settlers  of  Maryland  ;  but  of  this  nothing  is  known  with  certainty,  nor  is  it, 
perhaps,  important  that  anything  should  be.  He  was  eminently  the  architect  of 
his  own  fortunes ;  a  self  formed  man  in  the  truest  sense — whose  own  innate  en- 
ergies and  impulses,  gave  the  moulding  impress  to  his  character.  In  the  years  of 
his  early  boyhood,  his  father  emigrated  first  to  Reading,  on  the  head  Avaters  of 
the  Schuylkill,  and  subsequently  to  one  of  the  valleys  of  south  Yadkin,  in  North 
Carolina,  where  the  subject  of  this  notice  continued  to  reside  until  his  fortieth 
year.  Our  knowledge  of  his  history  during  this  long  interval,  is  almost  a  per- 
fect blank;  and  although  we  can  well  imagine  that  he  could  not  have  passed  to 
this  mature  age,  without  developing  many  of  those  remarkable  traits,  by  which 
his  subsequent  career  was  distinguished,  we  are  in  possession  of  no  facts  out  of 
which  to  construct  a  biography  of  this  period  of  his  life.  We  know,  indeed, 
that  from  his  earliest  years  he  was  distinguished  by  a  remarkable  fondness  for 
the  exciting  pleasures  of  the  chase ; — that  he  took  a  boundless  delight  in  the 
unrestrained  freedom,  the  wild  grandeur  and  thrilling  solitude  of  those  vast 
primeval  forests,  where  nature  in  her  solemn  majesty,  unmarred  by  the  improving 
hand  of  man,  speaks  to  the  impressionable  and  unhacknied  heart  of  the  simple 
woodsman,  in  a  language  unknown  to  the  dweller  in  the  crowded  haunts  of  men. 
But,  in  this  knowledge  of  his  disposition  and  tastes,  is  comprised  almost  all  that 
can  absolutely  be  said  to  be  known  of  Daniel  Boone,  from  his  childhood  to  his 
fortieth  year. 

In  17G7,  the  return  of  Findley  from  his  adventurous  excursion  into  the  unex- 
plored wilds  beyond  the  Cumberland  mountain,  and  the  glowing  accounts  he 
gave  of  the  richness  and  fertility  of  the  new  country,  excited  powerfully  the 
curiosity  and  imaginations  of  the  frontier  backwoodsmen  of  Virginia  and  North 
Carolina,  ever  on  the  watch  for  adventures  ;  and  to  whom  the  lonely  wilderness, 
with  all  its  perils,  presented  attractions  which  were  not  to  be  found  in  the  close 
confinement  and  enervating  inactivity  of  the  settlements.  To  a  man  of  Boone's 
temperament  and  tastes,  the  scenes  described  by  Findley,  presented  charms  not 
to  be  resisted;  and,  in  1769,  he  left  his  family  upon  the  Yadkin,  and  in  com- 
pany with  five  others,  of  whom  Findley  was  one,  he  started  to  explore  that 
country  of  which  he  had  heard  so  favorable  an  account. 

Having  reached  a  stream  of  water  on  the  borders  of  the  present  State  of  Ken- 
tucky, called  Red  river,  they  built  a  cabin  to  shelter  them  from  the  inclemency 
of  the  weather,  (for  the  season  had  been  very  rainy),  and  devoted  their  time  to 
hunting  and  the  chase,  killing  immense  quantities  of  game.  Nothing  of  particu- 
lar interest  occurred  until  the  22d  December,  1769,  when  Boone,  in  company 
with  a  man  named  Stuart,  being  out  hunting,  they  were  surprised  and  captured  by 
Indians.  They  remained  with  their  captors  seven  days,  until  having  by  a  rare 
and  powerful  exertion  of  self-control,  suffering  no  signs  of  impatience  to  escape 
them,  succeeded  in  disarming  the  suspicions  of  the  Indians,  their  escape  was  ef- 
fected without  difiiculty.  Through  life,  Boone  was  remarkable  for  cool,  collected 
self-possession,  in  moments  of  most  trying  emergency,  and  on  no  occasion  was  this 
rare  and  valuable  quality  more  conspicuously  displayed  than  during  the  time  of 
this  captivity.  On  regaining  their  camp,  they  found  it  dismantled  and  deserted. 
The  fate  of  its  inmates  was  never  ascertained,  and  it  is  worthy  of  remark,  that 
this  is  the  last  and  almost  the  only  glimpse  we  have  of  Findley,  the  first  pioneer. 


DANIEL   BOONE.  183 

A  few  days  after  this,  they  were  joined  by  Squire  Boone,  a  brother  of  the  great 
pioneer,  and  another  man,  who  had  followed  them  from  Carolina,  and  accidentally 
stumbled  on  their  camp.  Soon  after  this  accession  to  their  numbers,  Daniel 
Boone  and  Stuart,  in  a  second  excursion,  were  again  assailed  by  the  Indians,  and 
Stuart  shot  and  scalped;  Boone  fortunately  escaped.  Their  only  remaining  com- 
panion, disheartened  by  the  perils  to  which  they  were  continually  exposed,  re- 
turned to  North  Carolina  ;  and  the  two  brothers  were  left  alone  in  the  wilderness, 
separated  by  hundreds  of  miles  from  the  white  settlements,  and  destitute  of  every- 
thing but  their  rifles.  Their  ammunition  running  short,  it  was  determined  that 
Squire  Boone  should  return  to  Carolina  for  a  fresh  supply,  while  his  brother  re- 
mained in  charge  of  the  camp.  This  resolution  was  accordingly  carried  into 
effect,  and  Boone  was  left  for  a  considerable  time  to  encounter  or  evade  the  teem- 
ing perils  of  his  hazardous  solitude  alone.  We  should  suppose  that  his  situa- 
tion now  would  have  been  disheartening  and  wretched  in  the  extreme.  He  him- 
self says,  that  for  a  few  days  after  his  brother  left  him,  he  felt  dejected  and 
lonesome,  but  in  a  short  time  his  spirits  recovered  their  wonted  equanimity,  and 
he  roved  through  the  woods  in  every  direction,  killing  abundance  of  game  and 
finding  an  unutterable  pleasure  in  the  contemplation  of  the  natural  beauties  of 
the  forest  scenery.  On  the  27th  of  July,  1770,  the  younger  Boone  returned  from 
Carolina  with  the  ammunition,  and  with  a  hardihood  almost  incredible,  the 
brothers  continued  to  range  through  the  country  without  injury  until  March,  1771, 
when  they  retraced  their  steps  to  North  Carolina.  Boone  had  been  absent 
from  his  family  for  near  three  years,  during  nearly  the  whole  of  which  time  he 
had  never  tasted  bread  or  salt,  nor  beheld  the  face  of  a  single  white  man,  with 
the  exception  of  his  brother  and  the  friends  who  had  been  killed. 

We,  of  the  present  day,  accustomed  to  the  luxuries  and  conveniences  of  a 
highly  civilized  state  of  society — lapped  in  the  soft  indolence  of  a  fearless  secu- 
rity— accustomed  to  shiver  at  every  blast  of  the  winter's  wind,  and  to  tremble  at 
every  noise  the  origin  of  which  is  not  perfectly  understood — can  form  but  an  im- 
perfect idea  of  the  motives  and  influences  which  could  induce  the  early  pioneers 
of  the  west  to  forsake  the  safe  and  peaceful  settlements  of  their  native  States,  and 
brave  the  unknown  perils,  and  undergo  the  dreadful  privations  of  a  savage  and  un- 
reclaimed wilderness.  But,  in  those  hardy  hunters,  with  nerves  of  iron  and  sinews 
of  steel,  accustomed  from  their  earliest  boyhood  to  entire  self-dependence  for  the 
supply  of  every  want,  there  was  generated  a  contempt  of  danger  and  a  love  for 
the  wild  excitement  of  an  adventurous  life,  which  silenced  all  the  suggestions  of 
timidity  or  prudence.  It  was  not  merely  a  disregard  of  danger  which  distin- 
guished these  men,  but  an  actual  insensibility  to  those  terrors  which  palsy  the 
nerves  of  men  reared  in  the  peaceful  occupations  of  a  densely  populated  country. 
So  deep  was  this  love  of  adventure,  which  we  attribute  as  the  distinguishing 
characteristic  of  the  early  western  hunters,  implanted  in  the  breast  of  Boone,  that 
he  determined  to  sell  his  farm,  and  remove  with  his  family  to  Kentucky. 

Accordingly,  on  the  '25th  of  September,  1771,  having  disposed  of  all  his  prop- 
erty, except  that  which  he  intended  to  carry  with  him  to  his  new  home,  Boone 
and  his  family  took  leave  of  their  friends,  and  commenced  their  journey  west. 
In  Powell's  valley,  being  joined  by  five  more  families  and  forty  men,  well  armed, 
they  proceeded  towards  their  destination  with  confidence;  but  when  near  the 
Cumberland  mountains,  they  were  attacked  by  a  large  parly  of  Indians.  These, 
after  a  severe  engagement,  were  beaten  off"  and  compelled  to  retreat ;  not,  how- 
ever, until  the  whites  had  sustained  a  loss  of  six  men  in  killed  and  wounded. 
Among  the  killed,  was  Boone's  eldest  son.  This  foretaste  of  the  dangers  which 
awaited  them  in  the  wilderness  they  were  about  to  explore,  so  discouraged  the 
emigrants,  that  they  immediately  retreated  to  the  settlements  on  Clinch  river,  a 
distance  of  forty  miles  from  the  scene  of  action.  Here  they  remained  until  1774. 
During  this  interval,  Boone  was  employed  by  Governor  Duninore,  of  Virginia, 
to  conduct  a  party  of  surveyors  through  the  wilderness,  to  the  falls  of  the  Ohio, 
a  distance  of  eight  hundred  miles.  Of  the  incidents  attending  this  expedition, 
we  have  no  account  whatever.  After  his  return,  he  was  placed  by  Dunmore  in 
command  of  three  frontier  stations,  or  garrisons,  and  engaged  in  several  aflTairs 
with  the  Indians.  At  about  the  same  period,  he  also,  at  the  solicitation  of  sev- 
eral gentlemen  of  North  Carolina,  attended  a  treaty  with  the  Cherokees,  known 
as  the  treaty  of  VVataga,  for  the  purchase  of  the  lands  south  of  the  Kentucky 


184  BOONE   COUNTY. 

river.  It  was  in  connection  with  this  land  purchase,  and  under  the  auspices  of 
Colonel  Richard  Henderson,  that  Boone's  second  expedition  to  Kentucky  was 
made.  His  business  was  to  mark  out  a  road  for  the  pack  horses  and  waggons 
of  Henderson's  party.  Leaving  his  family  on  Clinch  river,  he  set  out  upon  this 
hazardous  undertaking  at  the  head  of  a  few  men,  in  the  earlj^  part  of  the  year 
1775,  and  arrived,  without  any  adventure  worthy  of  note,  on  the  22nd  of  March, 
in  the  same  year,  at  a  point  within  fifteen  miles  of  the  spot  where  Boonesborough 
was  afterwards  built.  Here  they  were  attacked  by  Indians,  and  it  was  not  until 
after  a  severe  contest,  and  loss  on  the  part  of  the  whites  of  four  men  in  killed 
and  wounded,  that  they  were  repulsed.  The  attack  was  renewed  the  next  day, 
and  the  whites  sustained  a  loss  of  five  more  of  their  companions.  On  the  first  of 
April,  they  reached  the  southern  bank  of  the  Kentucky  river,  and  began  to  build 
a  fort,  afterwards  known  as  Boonesborough.  On  the  4th,  they  were  again  at- 
tacked by  the  Indians,  and  lost  another  man  ;  but,  notwithstanding  the  dangers 
to  which  they  were  continually  exposed,  the  work  was  prosecuted  with  indefat- 
igable diligence,  and  on  the  14th  of  the  month  finally  completed.  Boone  instantly 
returned  to  Clinch  river  for  his  family,  determined  to  remove  them  to  this  new 
and  remote  settlement  at  all  hazards.  This  was  accordingly  effected  as  soon  as 
circumstances  would  permit.  From  this  time,  the  little  garrison  was  exposed  to 
incessant  assaults  from  the  Indians,  who  appeared  to  be  perfectly  infuriated  at  the 
encroachments  of  the  whites,  and  the  formation  of  settlements  in  the  midst  of 
their  old  hunting  grounds  ;  and  the  lives  of  the  emigrants  were  passed  in  a  con- 
tinued succession  of  the  most  appalling  perils,  which  nothing  but  unquailing 
courage  and  indomitable  firmness  could  have  enabled  them  to  encounter.  They 
did,  however,  breast  this  awful  tempest  of  war,  and  bravely,  and  successfully, 
and  in  defiance  of  all  probability,  the  small  colony  continued  steadily  to  increase 
and  flourish,  until  the  thunder  of  barbarian  hostilities  rolled  gradually  away  to 
the  north,  and  finally  died  in  low  mutterings  on  the  frontiers  of  Ohio,  Indi- 
ana, and  Illinois.  The  summary  nature  of  this  sketch  will  not  admit  of  more 
than  a  bare  enumeration  of  the  principal  events  in  which  Boone  figured,  in  these 
exciting  times,  during  which  he  stood  the  center  figure,  towering  like  a  colossus 
amid  that  hardy  band  of  pioneers,  who  opposed  their  breasts  to  the  shock  of  that 
dreadful  death  struggle,  which  gave  a  yet  more  terrible  significance,  and  a  still 
more  crimson  hue,  to  the  history  of  the  old  dark  and  bloody  ground. 

In  July,  1776,  the  people  at  the  Fort  were  thrown  into  the  greatest  agitation 
and  alarm,  by  an  incident  characteristic  of  the  times,  and  which  singularly  illus- 
trates the  habitual  peril  which  environed  the  inhabitants.  Two  young  ladies,  a 
Miss  Boone  and  a  Miss  Calloway,  were  amusing  themselves  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  fort,  when  a  concealed  party  of  Indians  suddenly  rushed  from  the  sur- 
rounding coverts  and  carried  them  away  ca|)tives.  The  screams  of  the  terrified 
girls  instantly  aroused  the  inmates  of  the  garrison;  but  the  men  being  generally 
dispersed  in  their  usual  avocations,  Boone  hastily  pursued  with  a  small  party  of 
only  eight  men.  The  little  party,  after  marching  hard  during  the  night,  came  up 
with  the  Indians  early  in  the  next  day,  the  pursuit  having  been  conducted  with 
such  silence  and  celerity  that  the  savages  were  taken  entirely  by  surprise,  and 
having  no  preparations  for  defence,  they  were  routed  almost  instanti)',  and  without 
difficulty.  The  young  girls  were  restored  to  their  gratified  parents  without  having 
sustained  the  slightest  injury  or  any  inconvenience  beyond  the  fatigue  of  the 
march  and  a  dreadful  fright.  The  Indians  lost  two  men,  while  Boone's  party  was 
uninjured. 

From  this  time  until  the  15th  of  April,  the  garrison  was  constantly  harassed  by 
flying  parties  of  savages.  They  were  kept  in  continual  anxiety  and  alarm  ;  and 
the  most  ordinary  duties  could  only  be  performed  at  the  risk  of  their  lives. 
"While  plowing  their  corn,  tliey  wore  way-laid  and  shot;  while  hunting,  they 
were  pursued  and  fired  upon;  and  sometimes  a  solitary  Indian  would  creep  up 
near  the  fort  during  the  night,  and  fir(^  upon  the  first  of  the  garrison  who  appeared 
in  the  morning."  On  the  15th  of  April,  a  large  body  of  Indians  invested  the 
fort,  hoping  to  crush  the  si'ttlement  at  a  single  blow;  but,  destitute  as  they  were 
of  scaling  ladders,  and  all  the  proper  means  of  reducing  fortified  places,  they 
could  only  annoy  the  garrison,  and  destroy  the  property  ;  and  being  more  exposed 
than  the  whites,  soon  retired  precipitately.  On  the  4th  of  July  following,  they 
again  appearai  with  a  force  of  two  hundred  warriors,  and  were  repulsed  with 


DANIEL   BOONE.  185 

loss.  A  short  period  of  tranquility  was  now  allowed  to  the  harassed  and  dis- 
tressed g-arrison;  but  this  was  soon  followed  hy  the  most  severe  calamity  that 
had  yet  befallen  the  infant  settlement.  This  was  the  capture  of  Boone  and 
twenty-seven  of  his  men  in  the  month  of  January  1778,  at  the  Blue  Licks,  whither 
he  had  gone  to  make  salt  for  the  garrison.  He  was  carried  to  the  old  town  of 
Chillicothe,  in  the  present  state  of  Ohio,  where  he  remained  a  prisoner  with  the 
Indians  until  the  IGth  of  the  following  June,  when  he  contrived  to  make  his 
escape,  and  returned  to  Boonsborough. 

During  this  period,  Boone  kept  no  journal,  and  we  are  therefore  uninformed  as 
to  any  of  the  particular  incidents  which  occurred  during  his  captivity.  We  only 
know,  generally,  that,  by  his  equanimity,  his  patience,  his  seeming  cheerful  sub- 
mission to  the  fortune  which  had  made  him  a  captive,  and  his  remarkable  skill 
and  expertness  as  a  woodsman,  he  succeeded  in  powerfully  exciting  the  admiration 
and  conciliating  the  good  will  of  his  captors.  In  March,  1778,  he  accompanied 
the  Indians  on  a  visit  to  Detroit,  where  Governor  Hamilton  offered  one  hundred 
pounds  for  his  ransom,  but  so  strong  was  the  affection  of  the  Indians  for  their 
prisoner,  that  it  was  unhesitatingly  refused.  Several  English  gentlemen,  touched 
with  sympathy  for  his  misfortunes,  made  pressing  offers  of  money  and  other 
articles,  but  Boone  steadily  refused  to  receive  benefits  which  he  could  never 
return. 

On  his  return  from  Detroit,  he  observed  that  large  numbers  of  wa/riors  had  as- 
sembled, painted  and  equipped  for  an  expedition  against  Boonsborough,  and  his 
anxiety  became  so  great  that  he  determined  to  effect  his  escape  at  every  hazard. 
During  the  whole  of  this  agitating  period,  however,  he  permitted  no  symptom  of 
anxiety  to  escape;  but  continued  to  hunt  and  shoot  with  the  Indians  as  usual, 
until  the  morning  of  the  16th  of  June,  when,  making  an  early  start,  he  left  Chil- 
licothe, and  shaped  his  course  for  Boonsborough.  This  journey,  exceeding  a 
distance  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  he  performed  in  four  days,  during  which 
he  ate  only  one  meal.  He  was  received  at  the  garrison  like  one  risen  from  the 
dead.  His  family  supposing  him  killed,  had  returned  to  North  Carolina;  and 
his  men,  apprehending  no  danger,  had  permitted  the  defences  of  the  fort  to  fall  to 
decay.  The  danger  was  imminent;  the  enemy  were  hourly  expected,  and  the 
fort  was  in  no  condition  to  receive  them.  Not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost:  the  gar- 
rison worked  night  and  day,  and  by  indefatigable  diligence,  everything  was  made 
ready  within  ten  days  after  his  arrival,  for  the  approach  of  the  enemy.  At  this 
time  one  of  his  com|)anions  arrived  from  Chillicothe,  and  reported  that  his  escape 
had  determined  the  Indians  to  delay  the  invasion  for  three  weeks.  The  attack 
was  delayed  so  long  that  Boone,  in  his  turn,  resolved  to  invade  the  Indian  coun- 
try ;  and  accordingly,  at  the  head  of  a  select  company  of  nineteen  men,  he 
marched  against  the  town  of  Paint  Creek,  on  the  Scioto,  within  four  miles  of 
which  point  he  arrived  without  discovery.  Here  he  encountered  a  party  of  thirty 
warriors,  on  their  march  to  join  the  grand  army  in  its  expedition  against  Boons- 
borough. This  party  he  attacked  and  routed  without  loss  or  injury  to  himself; 
and,  ascertaining  that  the  main  body  of  the  Indians  were  on  their  march  to 
Boonsborough,  he  retraced  his  steps  for  that  place  with  all  possible  expedition. 
He  passed  the  Indians  on  the  Gth  day  of  their  march,  and  on  the  7th  reached  the 
fort.  The  next  day  the  Indians  appeared  in  great  force,  conducted  by  Canadian 
officers  well  skilled  in  all  the  arts  of  modern  warfare.  'J'he  British  colors  were 
displayed  and  the  fort  summoned  to  surrender.  Boone  requested  two  days  for 
consideration,  which  was  granted.  At  the  expiration  of  this  period,  having 
gathered  in  their  cattle  and  horses,  and  made  every  preparation  for  a  vigorous  re- 
sistance, an  answer  was  returned  that  the  fort  would  be  defended  to  the  last.  A 
proposition  was  then  made  to  treat,  and  Boone  and  eight  of  the  garrison,  met 
the  British  and  Indian  officers,  on  the  plain  in  front  of  the  fort.  Here,  after  they 
had  went  through  the  farce  of  pretending  to  treat,  an  eflbrt  was  made  to  detain 
the  Kentuckians  as  prisoners.  This  was  frustrated  by  the  vigilance  and  activity 
of  the  intended  victims,  who  springing  out  from  the  midst  of  their  savage  foemen, 
ran  to  the  fort  under  a  heavy  fire  of  rifles,  which  fortunately  wounded  only  one 
man.  The  attack  instantly  commenced  by  a  heavy  fire  against  the  picketing, 
and  was  returned  with  fatal  accuracy  by  the  garrison.  The  Indians  then  at- 
tempted to  push  a  mine  into  the  fort,  but  their  object  being  discovered  by  the 
quantity  of  fresh  earth  they  were  compelled  to  throw  into  the  river,  Boone  cut  a 


186  BOONE   COUNTY. 

trench  within  the  fort,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  intersect  their  line  of  approach, 
and  thus  frustrated  their  design.  After  exhausting  all  the  ordinary  artifices  of 
Indian  warfare,  and  finding  their  numbers  daily  thinned  by  the  deliberate  and 
fatal  fire  from  the  garrison,  they  raised  the  siege  on  the  ninth  day  after  their  first 
appearance,  and  returned  home.  The  loss  on  the  part  of  the  garrison,  was  two 
men  killed  and  four  wounded.  Of  the  savages,  twenty-seven  were  killed  and 
many  wounded,  who,  as  usual,  were  carried  off.  This  was  the  last  siege  sus- 
tained by  Boonsborough. 

In  the  fall  of  this  year,  Boone  went  to  North  Carolina  for  his  wife  and  family, 
who,  as  already  observed,  had  supposed  him  dead,  and  returned  to  their  kindred. 
In  the  summer  of  1780,  he  came  back  to  Kentucky  with  his  family,  and  settled 
at  Boonsborough.  In  October  of  this  year,  returning  in  company  with  his 
brother  from  the  Blue  Licks,  where  they  had  been  to  make  salt,  they  were  en- 
countered by  a  party  of  Indians,  and  his  brother,  who  had  been  his  faithful  com- 
panion through  many  years  of  toil  and  danger,  was  shot  and  scalped  before  his 
eyes.     Boone,  after  a  long  and  close  chase,  finally  effected  his  escape. 

After  this,  he  was  engaged  in  no  affair  of  particular  interest,  so  far  as  we  are 
informed,  until  the  month  of  August,  178'2,  a  time  rendered  memorable  by  the 
celebrated  and  disastrous  battle  of  the  Blue  Licks.  A  full  account  of  this  bloody 
and  desperate  conflict,  will  be  found  under  the  head  of  Nicholas  county,  to  which 
we  refer  the  reader.  On  this  fatal  day,  he  bore  himself  with  distinguished 
gallantry,  until  the  rout  began,  when,  after  having  witnessed  the  death  of  his 
son,  and  many  of  his  dearest  friends,  he  found  himself  almost  surrounded  at  the 
very  commencement  of  the  retreat.  Several  hundred  Indians  were  between  him 
and  the  ford,  to  which  the  great  mass  of  the  fugitives  were  bending  their  way, 
and  to  which  the  attention  of  the  savages  was  particularly  directed.  Being  inti- 
mately acquainted  with  the  ground,  he  together  with  a  few  friends,  dashed  into 
the  ravine  which  the  Indians  had  occupied,  but  which  most  of  them  had  now  left 
to  join  in  the  pursuit.  After  sustaining  one  or  two  heavy  fires,  and  baflling  one 
or  two  small  parties  who  pursued  him  for  a  short  distance,  he  crossed  the  river 
below  the  ford  by  swimming,  and  returned  by  a  circuitous  route  by  Bryant's  station. 

Boone  accompanied  General  George  Rogers  Clark,  in  his  expedition  against 
the  Indian  towns,  undertaken  to  avenge  the  disaster  at  the  Blue  Licks  ;  but  be- 
yond the  simple  fact  that  he  did  accompany  this  expedition,  nothing  is  known  of 
his  connection  with  it :  and  it  does  not  appear  that  he  was  afterwards  engaged  in 
any  public  expedition  or  solitary  adventure. 

The  definitive  treaty  of  peace  between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain, 
in  1783,  confirmed  the  title  of  the  former  to  independence,  and  Boone  saw  the 
standard  of  civilization  and  freedom  securely  planted  in  the  wilderness.  Upon 
the  establishment  of  the  court  of  commissioners  in  1779,  he  had  laid  out  the  chief 
of  his  little  property  to  procure  land  warrants,  and  having  raised  about  twenty 
thousand  dollars  in  paper  money,  with  which  he  intended  to  purchase  them,  on 
his  way  from  Kentucky  to  the  city  cf  Richmond,  he  was  robbed  of  the  whole, 
and  left  destitute  of  the  means  of  procuring  more.  Unacquainted  with  the  nice- 
ties of  the  law,  the  few  lands  he  was  enabled  afterwards  to  locate,  were,  through 
his  ignorance,  swallowed  up  and  lost  by  better  claims.  Dissatisfied  with  these 
impediments  to  the  acquisition  of  the  soil,  he  left  Kentucky,  and  in  1795,  he  was 
a  wanderer  on  the  banks  of  the  Missouri,  a  voluntary  subject  of  the  king  of 
Spain.  The  remainder  of  his  life  was  devoted  to  the  society  of  his  children,  and 
the  employments  of  the  chase — to  the  latter  especially.  When  age  had  enfeebled 
the  energies  of  his  once  athletic  frame,  he  would  wander  twice  a  year  into  the 
remotest  wilderness  he  could  reach,  employing  a  companion  whom  he  bound  by 
a  written  contract  to  take  care  of  him,  and  bring  him  home  alive  or  dead.  In 
IBIG,  he  made  such  an  excursion  to  Fort  Osage,  one  hundred  miles  distant  from 
the  place  of  his  residence.  "Three  years  thereafter,"  says  Gov.  Morebead,  "a 
patriotic  solicitude  to  preserve  his  portrait,  prompted  a  distinguished  American 
artist  to  visit  him  at  his  dwelling  near  the  Missouri  river,  and  from  him  I  have 
received  the  following  particulars:  He  found  him  in  a  small,  rude  cabin,  indis- 
posed, and  reclining  on  his  bed.  A  slice  from  the  loin  of  a  buck,  twisted  round 
the  rammei  of  his  rifle,  within  reach  of  him  as  he  lay,  was  roasting  before  the 
fire.  Several  other  cabins,  arranged  in  the  form  of  a  |)arallelogram,  marked  the 
Bpot  of  a  dilapidated  station.     They  were  occupied  by  the  descendants   of  the 


r 


DANIEL   BOONE.  191 

pioneer.  Here  he  lived  in  the  midst  of  his  posterity.  His  withered  energies  and 
locks  of  snow,  indicated  that  the  sources  of  existence  were  nearly  exhausted." 
He  died  of  fever,  at  the  house  of  his  son-in-law,  in  Flanders,Calloway  county.  Mo., 
in  the  year  1820,  at  the  advanced  age  of  89  years.  The  legislature  of  Missouri  was 
in  session  at  St.  Louis  when  the  event  was  announced ;  and  a  resolution  was  imme- 
diately passed,  that,  in  respect  for  his  memory,  the  members  would  wear  the  usual 
badge  of  mourning  for  twenty  days,  and  an  adjournment  was  voted  for  that  day. 

It  has  been  generally  supposed  that  Boone  was  illiterate,  and  could  neither 
read  nor  write,  but  this  is  an  error.  There  is  now  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Jo- 
seph B.  Boyd,  of  Maysville,  an  autograph  letter  of  the  old  woodsman,  a/ac  simile 
of  which  is  herewith  published. 

The  following  vigorous  and  eloquent  portrait  of  the  character  of  the  old  pio- 
neer, is  extracted  from  Gov.  Morehead's  address,  delivered  at  Boonsborough,  in 
commemoration  of  the  first  settlement  of  Kentucky  : 

"  The  life  of  Daniel  Boone  is  a  forcible  example  of  the  powerful  influence 
which  a  single  absorbing  passion  exerts  over  the  destiny  of  an  individual.  Born 
with  no  endowments  of  intellect  to  distinguish  him  from  the  crowd  of  ordinary 
men,  and  possessing  no  other  acquirements  than  a  very  common  education 
bestowed,  he  was  enabled,  nevertheless,  to  maintain  through  a  long  and  useful 
career,  a  conspicuous  rank  among  the  most  distinguished  of  his  cotemporaries ; 
and  the  testimonials  of  the  public  gratitude  and  respect  with  which  he  was  hon- 
ored after  his  death,  were  such  as  are  never  awarded  by  an  intelligent  people  to 
the  undeserving.  *  *  *  *  He  came  originally  to  the  wilderness,  not  to  settle 
and  subdue  it,  but  to  gratify  an  inordinate  passion  for  adventure  and  discovery — 
to  hunt  the  deer  and  buffalo — to  roam  through  the  woods — to  admire  the  beauties 
of  nature — in  a  word,  to  enjoy  the  lonely  pastimes  of  a  hunter's  life,  remote  from 
the  society  of  his  fellow  men.  He  had  heard,  with  admiration  and  delight,  Finley's 
description  of  the  country  of  Kentucky,  and  high  as  were  his  expectations,  he  found 
it  a  second  paradise.  Its  lofty  forests — its  noble  rivers — its  picturesque  scenery — 
its  beautiful  valleys — but  above  all,  the  plentifulness  of  "beasts  of  every  Amer- 
ican kind" — these  were  the  attractions  that  brought  him  to  it.  *  *  *  *  * 
He  united,  in  an  eminent  degree,  the  qualities  of  shrewdness,  caution,  and  cour- 
age, with  uncommon  muscular  strength.  He  was  seldom  taken  by  surprise — he 
never  shrunk  from  danger,  nor  cowered  beneath  the  pressure  of  exposure  and 
fatigue.  In  every  emergency,  he  was  a  safe  guide  and  a  wise  counsellor,  because 
his  movements  were  conducted  with  the  utmost  circumspection,  and  his  judgment 
and  penetration  were  proverbially  accurate.  Powerless  to  originate  plans  on  a 
large  scale,  no  individual  among  the  pioneers  could  execute  with  more  efficiency 
and  success  the  designs  of  others.  He  took  the  lead  in  no  expedition  against  the 
savages — he  disclosed  no  liberal  and  enlarged  views  of  policy  for  the  protection 
of  the  stations;  and  yet  it  is  not  assuming  too  much  to  say,  that  without  him,  in 
all  probability,  the  settlements  could  not  have  been  upheld,  and  the  conquest  of 
Kentucky  might  have  been  reserved  for  the  emigrants  of  the  nineteenth  century. 
*****  His  manners  were  simple  and  unobtrusive — exempt  from  the 
rudeness  characteristic  of  the  backwoodsman.  In  his  person  there  was  nothing 
remarkably  striking.  He  was  five  feet  ten  inches  in  height,  and  of  robust  and 
powerful  proportions.  His  countenance  was  mild  and  contemplative — indicating 
a  frame  of  mind  altogether  different  from  the  restlessness  and  activity  that  dis- 
tinguished him.  His  ordinary  habiliments  were  those  of  a  hunter — a  hunting 
shirt  and  moccasins  uniformly  composing  a  part  of  them.  When  he  emigrated  to 
Louisiana,  he  omitted  to  secure  the  title  to  a  princely  estate,  on  the  Missouri, 
because  it  would  have  cost  him  the  trouble  of  a  trip  to  New  Orleans.  He  would 
have  traveled  a  much  greater  distance  to  indulge  his  cherished  propensities  as  an 
adventurer  and  a  hunter.  He  died,  as  he  had  lived,  in  a  cabin,  and  perhaps  his 
trusty  rifle  was  the  most  valuable  of  his  chattels. 

Such  was  the  man  to  whom  has  been  assigned  the  principal  merit  of  the  dis- 
covery of  Kentucky,  and  who  filled  a  large  space  in'  the  eyes  of  America  and 
Europe.  Resting  nn  the  solid  advantages  of  his  services  to  his  country,  his  fame 
will  survive,  when  the  achievements  of  men,  greatly  his  superiors  in  rank  and 
intellect,  will  be  forgotten." 

(For  an  account  of  the  removal  of  the  mortal  remains  of  Boone  and  his  wife  from  Mii!- 
Bouri  to  Kentucky,  and  their  re-interment  at  Frankfort,  see  Franklin  county.) 


192  BOURBON   COUNTY. 


BOURBON    COUNTY. 

Bourbon  county  was  formed  in  the  year  1785,  and  is  one  of  the 
nine  organized  by  the  Virginia  legislature  before  Kentucky  be- 
came an  independent  State.  It  was  named  in  compliment  to  the 
Bourbon  family  of  France — a  prince  of  that  family,  then  upon 
the  throne,  having  rendered  the  American  colonies  most  important 
aid, in  men  and  money, in  the  great  struggle  for  independence.  The 
county  is  bounded  north  by  Harrison,  east  by  Montgomery,  south 
by  Clarke,  and  west  by  Fayette.  It  lies  in  the  heart  of  the  gar- 
den of  Kentucky — the  surface  gently  undulating,  the  soil  remar- 
kably rich  and  productive,  based  on  limestone,  with  red  clay 
foundation.  Hemp,  corn  and  wheat  are  cultivated  in  the  county, 
and  grasses,  generally,  grow  in  great  luxuriance ;  but  stock  ap- 
pears to  be  the  staple  article  of  commerce.  Horses,  mules,  cat- 
tle and  hogs,  in  great  numbers,  are  annually  exported.  The 
Bourbon  cattle  are  unsurpassed  in  beauty,  or  in  the  fine  quality  of 
their  meat,  by  any  in  the  United  States. 

The  taxable  property  of  Bourbon  in  1846  was  valued  at  $9,- 
475,752  ;  175,017  acres  of  land  in  the  county  ;  average  value  per 
acre,  $33,60 ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  1,712  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years 
old,  1,470;  population  in  1830,  18,434— in  1840,  14,478. 

Paris,  the  principal  town  and  county  seat  of  Bourbon,  is  situa- 
ted on  the  turnpike  road  from  Maysville  to  Lexington,  about 
forty-three  miles  from  Frankfort.  It  is  a  neat  and  pleasant 
town,  and  is  a  place  of  considerable  business  and  importance  : 
Containing  a  handsome  court-house,  with  cupalo  and  clock,  six 
churches — Baptist,  Reformed,  Old  School  Presbyterian,  New 
School  Presbyterian,  Episcopal,  and  Methodist, — an  academy  and 
several  private  schools,  a  branch  of  the  northern  bank  of  Ken- 
tucky, three  taverns,  seven  dry  goods  stores,  six  grocery  stores, 
fifteen  lawyers,  eight  physicians,  three  bagging  factories,  a  large 
flouring,  saw  and  fulling  mills,  forty  or  fifty  mechanics'  shops, 
and  about  1,500  inhabitants.  Paris  contains  one  newspaper 
office — the  "  Western  Citizen''' — the  oldest  newspaper,  except  the 
Kentucky  Gazette,  in  the  State.  The  establishment  is  now 
owned  by  Messrs.  Lyle  &  Walker,  but  was  formerly,  for  a  period 
of  more  than  twenty  years,  owned  by  Joel  R.  Lyle,  Esq.,  still 
living  in  the  neighborhood  of  Paris,  and  who  is  among  the  few 
editors  of  Kentucky  who  have  been  able  to  retire  from  the  press 
with  a  handsome  competency. 

The  town  was  established  by  the  Virginia  legislature  in  1789, 
under  the  name  of  Hopewell,  by  which  it  was  known  for  several 
years.  It  was  also  called  Bourbonton,  after  the  county  in  which 
it  lies,  but  finally  received  its  present  name  from  the  city  of  Paris 
in  France,  in  the  plenitude  of  good  feeling  which  then  existed 
towards  that  nation. 


.T 


J 


.m. 


VIEW    OF    MAIN    STREET,    PARIS,    KY. 


MOUNT       LEBANON,    K\.,    -  E  M  I  E  \  C  E    OF    GOV-   0-  A  R  R  A  R  D 


\  # 


y« 


BOURBON   COUNTY. 


193 


Millei'shurg  is  situated  on  Hinkston,on  the  IMaysville  and  Lexing- 
ton road,  eight  miles  from  Paris  and  thirty-eight  from  IMaysville : 
Contains  five  hundred  inhabitants,  four  churches — Methodist,  Re- 
formed, Baptist  and  Presbyterian — five  stores,  four  doctors,  two 
taverns,  one  flouring  mill,  two  saw  mills,  and  a  number  of  me- 
chanics' shops.  Established  in  1817,  and  named  after  the  owner 
of  the  land,  Mr.  iMiller.  Ccntrcville  is  a  small  village  situated  on 
the  road  from  Paris  to  Georgetown,  with  sixty  inhabitants,  one 
tavern,  two  stores,  one  wool  factory,  and  several  mechanics. 
Clintonville  lies  nine  miles  south  of  Paris,  and  contains  two 
churches,  one  tavern,  two  stores,  one  doctor,  and  several  mechan- 
ics. JacksonviUe  lies  nine  miles  north  west  of  Paris,  with  two 
stores,  two  mechanics,  and  thirty  inhabitants.  North  Middlcton 
is  a  small  town  in  the  east  part  of  Bourbon,  ten  miles  from  Pa- 
ris, containing  two  churches  and  an  academy,  three  stores,  one 
tavern,  two  doctors,  a  large  number  of  mechanics,  and  three  hun- 
dred and  seventy-five  inhabitants.  Kadiic/ts  Mills,  situated  on 
Hinkston  creek,  seven  miles  from  Paris,  contains  two  churches, 
three  stores,  one  tavern,  twelve  mechanics'  shops,  and  one  hun- 
dred inhabitants. 

The  lands  in  Bourbon  are  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  being 
all  enclosed,  and  the  woodland  well  set  in  grass.  The  soil  of 
the  "  Caneridge  lands"  is  of  a  reddish  color,  which  is  supposed 
to  be  more  durable  than  the  black  loam,  and  not  so  easily  af- 
fected either  by  a  dry  or  wet  season.  Primitive  limestone,  with- 
out any  apparent  organic  remains,  occurs  in  this  section  of  the 
county  in  huge  masses. 

The  only  salt  spring  in  the  county  is  on  the  farm  of  Joseph 
Wilson,  Esq.,  in  the  Caneridge  neighborhood.  It  was  formerly 
worked,  and  is  said  to  be  more  strongly  impregnated  than  the 

waters  of  the  Blue  Licks.  Sul- 
phur and  chalybeate  springs 
are  common  in  the  county. 
Lead  ore  is  occasionally  found 
\  in  small  quantities,  as  also  an 
inferior  species  of  iron  ore. 

The  line  ^i  B,  in  the  annexed  draw- 
\ng,  represents  an  ancient  ditch 
across  a  narrow  neck  of  land  inter- 
cepted in  a  bend  of  Stoner,  about 
one  and  a  fourth  miles  below  Paris. 
The  peninsula  thus  cut  off  by  tiie 
ditch,  embraces  an  area  of  about  fifty 
acres.  The  figures  1  and  2  represent 
mounds  of  earth.  The  first  is  situated; 
on  the  lowest  bench  of  the  bottom 
land,  and  the  other  is  on  the  top  of 
the  cliff.  The  mound  in  the  bottom 
has  been  opened,  and  human  bones 
were  discovered  therein.  An  old 
settler  of  the  county  has  informed 
me,   that  a  well  defined  cause-way,. 


194 


ANCIENT   FORTIFICATIONS. 


or  smaller  ditch,  was  perceptible  at  the  period  of  the  first  settlement  in  the 
county,  which  extended  from  this  ditch  one  and  a  half  miles  west  to  another 
large  mound,  on  an  elevated  piece  of  ground.  This  latter  mound  is  one  of  a 
range  or  chain  of  mounds,  that  extend  quite  across  the  county,  in  a  north-west  by 
west  direction,  than  which,  for  telegraphic  purposes,  their  position  could  hardly 
have  been  better  selected  by  the  most  skillful  engineer.  Indeed,  it  is  conjectured 
by  some,  that  beacons  were  sometimes  kindled  on  their  summits,  as  coals  have 
been  found  just  below  the  surface,  and  occasionally,  human  bones,  stone  hatchets, 
spears,  arrow  points  and  a  peculiar  kind  of  ware. 


This  draft  represents  an  ancient  circular  furtilication  with  embrasures  at  the 
cardinal  points,  near  the  junction  of  Stoner's  and  Hinkston's  forks  of  Licking, 
six  miles  north  of  Paris,  near  to  wiiich  is  tlie  village  of  Kuddell's  mills,  formerly 
called  Ruddell's  station.  No  tradition  points  to  the  period  when,  or  by  whom 
this  entrenchment  was  made;  but  being  situated  upon  low  ground,  subject  to 
overflow,  there  is  reason  to  suppose,  that  it  has  been  constructed  within  the  last 
hundred  and  fifty  years ;  for  if  it  had  been  formed  anterior  to  this  period,  all  ves- 
tiges of  its  configuration  would  have  been  destroyed  by  the  action  of  the  con- 
fluent waters. 

Three  miles  further  up  Hinkston's  fork,  there  is  a  similar  fortification,  with  the 
addition  of  two  mounds  ;  one  within,  and  the  other  without  the  circle.  Stone 
axes,  hatchets,  chisels,  dirks,  spear  and  arrow  points  of  flint,  also  a  hatchet  of 
iron,  very  much  corroded  with  rust,  have  been  found  here. 

On  all  of  the  principal  water  courses  in  the  county,  Indian  graves  are  to  be 
found,  sometimes  single,  but  most  frequently,  several  grouped  together.  Single 
graves  are  usually  indicated  by  broad  Hat  stones,  set  in  the  ground  edgewise 
around  the  skeleton;  but  where  a  number  have  been  deposited  together,  rude  stone 
walls  were  erected  around  them,  and  these  having  fallen  inwards,  the  rocks  re- 
tain a  vertical  position,  sometimes  resembling  a  rough  pavement.  Many  of  these 
piles  appear  to  be  in  various  stages  of  decomposition,  according  to  the  lapse  of 
time  they  have  been  thus  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  elements.  From  the  de- 
liberate care  that  seems  to  have  been  bestowed  upon  their  dead,  and  other  indi- 
cations, it  is  manifest  that  at  no  very  remote  period,  the  territory  of  Bourbon 
had  a  native  Indian  population.  In  proof  of  this,  the  vestiges  of  a  large  Indian 
town  are  still  perceptible  near  where  Pretty-run  empties  into  Strode's  creek,  on  the 
farm  of  Peter  Hedge.  The  centre  of  the  site  is  distinguished  by  three  small 
mounds  ranged  in  u  line ;  and  flanked  on  either  side  liy  the  remains  of  double 
rows  of  lodges  or  huts;  and  at  the  distance  of  about  one  hundred  rods  to  the 
eastward,  on  a  blutfof  Stoner,  was  their  regular  burial  ground.  At  the  western 
extremity  of  the  village,  on  a  slight  elevation  of  black  earth  or  mould,  tiie  bones 
of  almost  every  species  of  wild  animal  are  to  be  found,  those  of  the  buffalo,  the 
bear  and  the  deer  being  the  most  common. 

At  a  short  distance  from  this,  on  a  similar  elevation,  is  where  either  the  funeral 
pyre  or  the  stake,  for  the  j)urpose  of  torturing  prisoners  was  erected,  as  it  is  at  the 
spot  that  coals,  ashes  and  calcined  iuunan  bones  have  been  found  ;  sad  vestiges 
of  their  cruel  orgies.  A  variet)^  of  ornaments,  sucli  as  bears'  tusks  and  claws  with 
holes  drilled  througli  them,  stone  medals,  shells,  etc.;  fragments  of  vases  w^th 
handles,  stone  axes,  and  implements  of  warfare,  have  been  found  in  profusion. 
The  growth  of  the  timber  on  the  site,  and  in  its  immediate  vicinity,  fixes  within 


BOURBON   COUNTY.  195 

reasonable  certainty  the  period,  when  the  village  ceased  to  be  inhabited.  This 
timber  is  of  the  same  varieties  with  that  of  the  primitive  stock  on  the  hills,  with 
this  singular  difference,  that  the  former  invariably  grew  two  or  three  trees  from 
the  same  roots,  and  when  a  portion  of  them  were  cut  down  by  the  present  owner, 
they  exhibited  the  uniform  age  of  ninety  years,  counting  the  annulations.  The 
current  supposition  is  this,  that  the  original  growth  was  cut  down  by  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  village,  and  after  they  made  their  exit,  that  two  or  three  sprouts  had 
sprung  up  from  the  still  living  roots,  among  the  ruined  wigwams,  and  thus  ex- 
hibiting a  cotemporaneous  growth  at  the  present  day.  However  this  may  be,  it 
is  evident  that  this  aboriginal  town  had  a  tragic  end.  In  ever}'  direction  the 
bones  and  teeth  of  its  unfortunate  inhabitants,  corresponding  to  every  age,  have 
been  discovered  just  beneath  the  surface  of  the  soil ;  sometimes  lying  across  each 
other  within  the  foundation  of  their  huts,  but  most  numerously  in  the  bottom  below 
the  site  of  the  town,  whither  perhaps  the  tide  of  battle  rolled,  and  the  devoted  in- 
habitants met  their  fate  at  the  hands  of  some  hostile  band. 

In  excavating  a  place  for  a  building  in  this  town  a  few  years  since,  two  or 
three  large  bones  were  found  fifteen  feet  below  the  surface,  in  a  fissure  between 
two  rocks.  They  were  not  as  large  as  the  bones  of  the  mammoth,  but  were 
larger  than  those  of  any  known  species  of  living  animal  of  this  continent. 

Five  miles  below  Paris,  on  Stoner,  a  cave  has  been  recently  discovered,  con- 
taining a  number  of  skeletons  in  a  good  state  of  preservation.  The  crania  is  of 
Indian  conformation,  and  one  of  them  appears  to  have  been  pierced  by  a  rifle  ball. 
It  is  highly  probable  that  these  are  the  relics  of  some  of  the  hostile  Indians  that 
were  killed  in  the  siege  of  Hinkston's  station,  a  few  miles  below,  as  it  is  well 
remembered  the  same  band  of  British  and  Indians  encamped  in  the  vicinity  of 
this  cave  after  the  reduction  of  Hinkston's  station,  while  on  their  march  to  attack 
Martin's  station,  which  was  located  on  Stoner,  about  three  miles  beloM'  Paris. 

At  a  period  when  there  were  but  few  settlers  in  the  county,  a  band  of  Indians, 
numbering  about  twenty,  ventured  into  it,  for  the  purpose  of  stealing  horses.  A 
party  of  a  dozen  hunters  followed  their  trail,  and  overtook  them  on  fStoner,  a  few 
miles  above  Paris,  and  fired  a  volley  of  rifle  balls  into  their  camp,  which  killed 
one  of  their  number  and  wounded  two  or  three  more.  The  Indians  then  fled  ;  but 
after  a  short  interval,  contrary  to  their  usual  custom,  they  came  back,  and  fired  in 
turn  upon  the  hunters  while  they  were  engaged  in  securing  their  stolen  horses^ 
Both  parties  then  took  trees,  and  the  fight  was  continued  obstinately  for  a  long 
time.  Finally  the  ammunition  of  the  whites  failed,  and  being  nearly  all  wounded, 
they  were  obliged  to  leave  the  Indians  masters  of  the  field.  In  this  skirmish, 
which  was  the  last  that  took  place  in  Bourbon,  it  was  supposed  the  Indians  lost 
half  their  number  in  killed  and  wounded.  The  hunters  lost  but  one  killed,  (Frank 
Hickman,  it  is  believed  was  his  name),  whose  skeleton  was  afterwards  identified 
by  the  initials  on  his  knee  buckles. 

In  June,  1780,  Martin's  station,  in  this  county,  was  captured  by  a  large  body 
of  Canadians  and  Indians,  under  Colonel  Byrd,  an  officer  of  the  British  army. 
For  the  particulars  of  the  expedition,  and  the  capture  of  Ruddell's  and  Martin's 
stations,  see  Harrison  county. 

On  the  night  of  the  11th  of  April,  1787,  the  house  of  a  widow,  named  Shanks, 
on  Cooper's  run,  in  this  county,  became  the  scene  of  an  adventure  of  thrilling 
interest.  She  occupied  what  is  generally  called  a  double  cabin,  in  a  lonely  part 
of  the  county,  one  room  of  which  was  tenanted  by  the  old  lady  herself,  together 
■with  two  grown  sons,  and  a  widowed  daughter,  at  that  time  suckling  an  infant, 
while  the  other  was  occupied  by  two  unmarried  daughters  from  sixteen  to  twenty 
years  of  age,  together  with  a  little  girl  not  more  than  half  grown.  The  hour  was 
11  o'clock  at  night.  One  of  the  unmarried  daughters  was  still  busily  engaged 
at  the  loom,  but  the  other  members  of  the  family,  with  the  exception  of  (ine  of 
the  sons,  had  retired  to  rest.  Some  symptoms  of  an  alarming  nature  had  engaged 
the  attention  of  the  young  man  for  an  hour  before  anything  of  a  decided  character 
took  place. 

The  cry  of  owls  was  heard  in  the  adjoining  wood,  answering  each  other  in 
rather  an  unusual  manner.  The  horses,  which  were  enclosed  as  usual  in  a  pound 
near  the  house,  were  more  than  commonly  excited,  and  by  repeated  snorting  and 
galloping,  announced  the  presence  of  some  object  of  terror.  The  young  man  was 
often  upon  the  point  of  awakening  his  brother,  but  was  as  often  restrained  by  ths 


196  MURDERS  BY  INDIANS, 

fear  of  incurring  ridicule  and  the  reproach  of  timidity,  at  that  time  an  unpar- 
donable blemish  in  the  character  of  a  Kentuckian.  At  length  hasty  steps  were 
heard  in  the  yard,  and  quickly  afterwards,  several  loud  knocks  at  the  door,  accom- 
panied by  the  usual  exclamation,  "who  keeps  house?"  in  very  good  English. 
The  young  man,  supposing  from  the  language,  that  some  benighted  settlers  were 
at  the  door,  hastily  arose,  and  was  advancing  to  withdraw  the  bar  which  secured 
it,  when  his  mother,  who  had  long  lived  upon  the  frontiers,  and  had  probably 
detected  the  Indian  tone  in  the  demand  for  admission,  instantly  sprung  out  of  bed, 
and  ordered  her  son  not  to  admit  them,  declaring  that  they  were  Indians. 

She  instantly  awakened  her  other  son,  and  the  two  young  men  seizing  their 
guns,  which  were  always  charged,  prepared  to  repel  the  enemy.  The  Indians 
finding  it  impossible  to  enter  under  their  assumed  characters,  began  to  thunder  at 
the  door  with  great  violence,  but  a  single  shot  from  a  loop  hole,  compelled  them 
to  shift  the  attack  to  some  less  exposed  point;  and,  unfortunately,  they  discovered 
the  door  of  the  other  cabin,  which  contained  the  lliree  daughters.  The  rifles  of 
the  brothers  could  not  be  brought  to  bear  upon  this  point,  and  by  means  of  several 
rails  taken  from  the  yard  fence,  the  door  was  forced  from  its  hinges,  and  the  three 
girls  were  at  the  mercy  of  the  savages.  One  was  instantly  secured,  but  the  eldest 
defended  herself  desperately  with  a  knife  which  she  had  been  using  at  the  loom, 
and  stabbed  one  of  the  Indians  to  the  heart,  before  she  was  tomahawked. 

In  the  meantime  the  little  girl,  who  had  been  overlooked  by  the  enemy  in  their 
eagerness  to  secure  the  others,  ran  out  into  the  yard,  and  might  have  effected  her 
escape,  had  she  taken  advantage  of  the  darkness  and  fled,  but  instead  of  that  the 
terrified  little  creature  ran  around  the  house  wringing  her  hands,  and  crying  out 
that  her  sisters  were  killed.  The  brothers,  unable  to  hear  her  cries,  without 
risking  every  thing  for  her  rescue,  rushed  to  the  door  and  were  preparing  to  sally 
out  to  her  assistance,  when  their  mother  threw  herself  before  them  and  calmly 
declared  that  the  child  must  be  abandoned  to  its  fate ;  that  the  sally  would  sac- 
rifice the  lives  of  all  the  rest  without  the  slightest  benefit  to  the  little  girl.  Just 
then  the  child  uttered  a  loud  scream,  followed  by  a  few  faint  moans,  and  all  was 
again  silent.  Presently  the  crackling  of  flames  was  heard,  accompanied  by  a 
triumphant  yell  from  the  Indians,  announcing  that  they  had  set  fire  to  that  division 
of  the  house  which  had  been  occupied  by  the  daughters,  and  of  which  they  held 
undisputed  possession. 

The  fire  was  quickly  communicated  to  the  rest  of  the  building,  and  it  became 
necessary  to  abandon  it,  or  perish  in  the  flames.  In  the  one  case  there  was  a 
possibility  that  some  might  escape;  in  the  other,  their  fate  would  be  equally 
certain  and  terrible.  The  rapid  approach  of  the  flames  cut  short  their  momentary 
suspense.  The  door  was  thrown  open,  and  the  old  lady,  supported  by  her  eldest 
son,  attempted  to  cross  the  fence  at  one  point,  while  her  daughter  carrying  her 
child  in  her  arms,  and  attended  by  the  younger  of  the  brothers,  ran  in  a  different 
direction.  The  blazing  roof  shed  a  light  over  the  yard  but  little  inferior  to  that 
of  day,  and  the  savages  were  distinctly  seen  awaiting  the  approach  of  their  vic- 
tims. The  old  lady  was  permitted  to  reach  the  stile  unmolested,  but  in  the  act 
of  crossing,  received  several  balls  in  her  breast,  and  fell  dead.  Her  son,  provi- 
dentially, remained  unhurt,  and  by  extraordinary  agility,  effected  his  escajie. 

The  other  party  succeeded  also  in  reaching  the  fence  unhurt,  hut  in  the  act  of 
crossing,  were  vigorously  assailed  by  several  Indians,  who  throwing  down  their 
guns,  rushed  upon  them  with  their  tomahawks.  The  young  man  defended  his 
sister  gallantly,  firing  upon  the  enemy  as  they  approached,  and  then  wielding  the 
butt  of  his  rifle  with  a  fury  that  drew  their  whole  attention  upon  himself,  and 
gave  his  sister  an  opportunity  of  effecting  her  escape.  He  quickly  fell,  however, 
under  the  tomahawks  of  his  enemies,  and  was  found  at  day-light,  scalped  and 
mangled  in  a  shocking  manner.  Of  the  whole  family,  consisting  of  eight  persons, 
when  the  attack  commenced,  only  three  escaped.  Four  were  killed  upon  the  spot, 
and  one  (the  second  daughter)  carried  off  as  a  prisoner. 

The  neighborhood  was  quickly  alarmed,  and  by  daylight  about  thirty  men  were 
assembled  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Edwards.  A  light  snow  had  fallen 
during  the  latter  part  of  the  night,  and  the  Indian  trail  could  be  pursued  at  a  gal- 
lop. It  led  directly  into  the  mountainous  country  bordering  upon  Licking,  and 
afforded  evidences  of  great  hurry  and  precipitation  on  the  part  of  the  fugitives. 
Unfortunately,  a  hound  had  been  permitted  to  accompany  the  whites,  and  as  the 


BOURBON    COUNTY  197 

trail  became  fresh  and  the  scent  warm,  she  followed  it  with  eagerness,  baying 
loudly  and  giving  the  alarm  to  the  Indians.  The  consequences  of  this  impru- 
dence were  soon  displayed.  The  enemy  finding  the  pursuit  keen,  and  perceiving 
that  the  strength  of  the  prisoner  began  to  fail,  instantly  sunk  their  tomahawks  ia 
her  head,  and  left  her,  still  warm  and  bleeding,  upon  the  snow. 

As  the  whites  came  up,  she  retained  strength  enough  to  wave  her  hands  in 
token  of  recognition,  and  appeared  desirous  of  giving  them  some  information  with 
regard  to  the  enemy,  but  her  strength  was  too  far  gone.  Her  brother  sprung  from 
his  horse  and  knelt  by  her  side,  endeavoring  to  stop  the  effusion  of  blood,  but  in 
vain.  She  gave  him  her  hand,  muttered  some  inarticulate  words,  and  expired 
within  two  minutes  after  the  arrival  of  the  party.  The  pursuit  was  renewed  with 
additional  ardor,  and  in  twenty  minutes  the  enemy  was  within  view.  They  had 
taken  possession  of  a  steep  narrow  ridge,  and  seemed  desirous  of  magnifying 
their  numbers  in  the  eyes  of  the  whites,  as  they  ran  rapidly  from  tree  to  tree, 
and  maintained  a  steady  yell  in  their  most  appalling  tones.  The  pursuers,  how- 
ever, were  too  experienced  to  be  deceived  by  so  common  an  artifice,  and  being 
satisfied  that  the  number  of  the  enemy  must  be  inferior  to  their  own,  they  dis- 
mounted, tied  their  horses,  and  flanking  out  in  such  a  manner  as  to  enclose  the 
enemy,  ascended  the  ridge  as  rapidly  as  was  consistent  with  a  due  regard  to  the 
shelter  of  their  persons. 

The  firing  quickly  commenced,  and  now  for  the  first  time  they  discovered  that 
only  two  Indians  were  opposed  to  them.  They  had  voluntarily  sacrificed  them- 
selves for  the  safety  of  the  main  body,  and  had  succeeded  in  delaying  pursuit 
until  their  friends  could  reach  the  mountains.  One  of  them  was  instantly  shot 
dead,  and  the  other  was  badly  wounded,  as  was  evident  from  the  blood  upon  his 
blanket,  as  well  as  that  which  filled  his  tracks  in  the  snow  for  a  considerable  dis- 
tance. The  pursuit  was  recommenced,  and  urged  keenly  until  night,  when  the 
trail  entered  a  running  stream  and  was  lost.  On  the  following  morning  the  snow 
had  melted,  and  every  trace  of  the  enemy  was  obliterated.  This  afiair  must  be 
regarded  as  highly  honorable  to  the  skill,  address,  and  activity  of  the  Indians, 
and  the  self  devolion  of  the  rear  guard  is  a  lively  instance  of  that  magnanimity 
of  which  they  are  at  times  capable,  and  which  is  more  remarkable  in  them,  from 
the  extreme  caution,  and  tender  regard  for  their  own  lives,  which  usually  distin- 
guishes their  warriors. 

A  few  weeks  after  this  melancholy  affair,  a  very  remarkable  incident  occurred 
in  the  same  neighborhood.  One  morning,  about  sunrise,  a  young  man  of  wild 
and  savage  appearance  suddenly  arose  from  a  cluster  of  bushes  in  front  of  a  cabin, 
and  hailed  the  iiouse  in  a  barbarous  dialect,  which  seemed  neither  exactly  Indian 
nor  English,  but  a  collection  of  shreds  and  patches,  from  which  the  graces  of 
both  were  carefully  excluded.  His  skin  had  evidently  once  been  white — although 
now  grievously  tanned  by  constant  exposure  to  the  weather.  His  dress  in  every 
respect  was  that  of  an  Indian,  as  were  his  gestures,  tones,  and  equipments,  and 
his  age  could  not  be  supposed  to  exceed  twenty  years.  He  talked  volubly  but 
unoouthly,  placed  his  hand  upon  his  breast,  gestured  vehemently,  and  seemed 
very  earnestly  bent  upon  comuiunicaling  something.  He  was  invited  to  enter  the 
cabin,  and  the  neighbors  quickly  collected  around  him. 

He  appeared  involuntarily  to  shrink  from  contact  with  them;  his  eyes  rolled 
rapidly  around  with  a  distrustful  expression  from  one  to  the  other,  and  his  whole 
manner  was  that  of  a  wild  animal,  just  caught,  and  shrinking  from  the  touch  of 
its  captors.  As  several  present  understood  the  Indian  tongue,  they  at  length 
gathered  the  following  circumstances,  as  accurately  as  they  could  be  translated, 
out  of  a  language  which  seemed  to  be  an  "omnium  gatherum"  of  all  that  was 
nuingrel,  uncouth,  and  barbarous.  He  said  that  he  had  been  taken  by  the  In- 
dians, when  a  child,  but  could  neither  recollect  his  name,  nor  the  country  of  his 
birth.  That  he  had  been  adopted  by  an  Indian  warrior,  who  brought  him  up  with 
his  other  sons,  without  uurkiug  the  slightest  difference  between  them,  and  that 
under  his  father's  roof  he  had  lived  happily  until  within  the  last  month. 

A  few  weeks  before  that  time,  his  father,  accompanied  by  himself  and  a  younger 
brother,  had  hunted  for  some  time  upon  the  waters  of  the  Miami,  about  forty 
miles  from  the  spot  where  Cincinnati  now  stands,  and  after  all  their  meat,  skins, 
&c.,  had  been  properly  secured,  the  old  man  determined  to  gratify  his  children  by 
taking  them  upon  a  war  expedition  to  Kentucky.     They  accordingly  built  a  bark 


\lft8  SINGULAR    INCIDENT. 

canoe,  in  which  they  crossed  the  Ohio  near  the  mouth  of  Licking,  and  having 
.buried  it,  so  as  to  secure  it  from  the  action  of  the  sun,  they  advanced  into  the 
country  and  encamped  at  the  distance  of  fifteen  miles  from  the  river.  Here  their 
father  was  alarmed  by  hearing  an  owl  cry  in  a  peculiar  tone,  which  he  declared 
boded  death  or  captivity  to  themselves,  if  they  continued  their  expedition ;  and 
announced  his  intention  of  returning  without  delay  to  the  river. 

Both  of  his  sons  vehemently  opposed  this  resolution,  and  at  length  prevailed 
upon  the  old  man  to  disregard  the  owl's  warning,  and  conduct  them,  as  he  had 
promised,  against  the  frontiers  of  Kentucky.  The  party  then  composed  them- 
selves to  sleep,  but  were  quickly  awakened  by  their  father,  who  had  again  been 
warned  in  a  dream  that  death  awaited  them  in  Kentucky,  and  again  besought 
his  children  to  release  him  from  his  promise,  and  lose  no  time  in  returning  home. 
Again  they  prevailed  upon  him  to  disregard  the  warning,  and  persevere  in  the 
march.  He  consented  to  gratify  them,  but  declared  he  would  not  remain  a  mo- 
ment longer  in  the  cainp  which  they  now  occupied,  and  accordingly  they  left  it 
immediately,  and  marched  on  through  the  night,  directing  their  course  towards 
Bourbon  county. 

In  the  evening  they  approached  a  house,  that  which  he  had  hailed,  and  in  which 
he  was  now  speaking.  .ISuddenly,  the  desire  of  rejoining  his  people  occupied  his 
mind  so  strongly  as  to  exclude  every  other  idea,  and  seizing  the  first  favorable 
opportunity,  he  had  concealed  himself  in  the  bushes,  and  neglected  to  reply  to  all 
tlie  signals  which  had  been  concerted  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  their  party 
when  scattered.  This  account  appeared  so  extraordinary,  and  the  young  man's 
appearance  w^as  so  wild  and  suspicious,  that  many  of  the  neighbors  suspected 
him  of  treachery,  and  thought  that  he  should  be  arrested  as  a  spy.  Others  op- 
posed this  resolution,  and  gave  full  credit  to  his  narrative.  In  order  to  satisfy 
themselves,  however,  they  insisted  upon  his  instantly  conducting  them  to  the  spot 
where  the  canoe  had  been  buried.  To  this  the  young  man  objected  most  vehe- 
mently, declaring,  that  although  he  had  deserted  his  father  and  brother,  yet  he 
would  not  betray  them. 

These  feelings  were  too  delicate  to  meet  with  much  sympathy  from  the  rude 
borderers  who  surrounded  him,  and  he  was  given  to  understand  that  nothing  short 
of  conducting  them  to  the  point  of  embarcation,  would  be  accepted  as  an  evi- 
dence of  his  sincerity.  With  obvious  reluctance  he  at  length  complied.  From 
twenty  to  thirty  men  were  quickly  assembled,  mounted  upon  good  horses,  and 
under  the  guidance  of  the  deserter,  they  moved  rapidly  towards  the  mouth  of 
Licking.  On  the  road,  the  young  man  informed  them  that  he  would  first,  conduct 
them  to  the  spot  where  they  had  encamped  when  the  scream  of  the  owl  alarmed 
his  father,  and  where  an  iron  kettle  had  been  left  concealed  in  a  hollow  tree.  He 
was  probably  induced  to  do  this  from  the  hope  of  delaying  tlie  pursuit  so  long  as 
to  afford  his  friends  an  opportunity  of  crossing  the  river  in  safety. 

But  if  such  was  his  intention,  no  measure  could  have  been  more  unfortunate. 
The  whites  approached  the  encampment  in  deep  silence,  and  quickly  perceived  two 
Indians,  an  old  man  and  a  boy,  seated  by  a  fire,  and  busily  employed  in  cooking 
some  venison.  The  deserter  became  much  agitated  at  the  sight  of  them,  and  so 
earnestly  implored  his  countrymen  not  to  kill  them,  that  it  was  agreed  to 
surround  tiie  encampment,  and  endeavor  to  secure  them  as  prisoners.  This 
was  accordingly  attempted,  but  sd  desperate  was  the  resistance  of  the  Indians, 
and  so  determined  were  their  eff"orts  to  escape,  that  the  whites  were  compelled  to 
fire  upon  them,  and  the  old  man  I'ell  mortally  wuunded,  while  the  boy,  by  an  in- 
credible display  of  address  and  activity,  was  enabled  to  escape.  The  deserter 
beheld  his  father  fall,  and  throwing  himself  fr(im  his  horse,  he  ran  up  to  the  spot 
where  the  old  man  lay,  bleeding  hut  still  sensible,  and  falling  upon  his  body,  be- 
sought his  forgiveness  for  being  the  unwilling  cause  of  liisdeatli,  and  wept  bitterly. 

His  father  evidently  recngnized  him,  and  gave  him  his  hand,  but  almost  in- 
stantly afterwards  expired.  The  while  men  now  called  upon  him  to  conduct 
them  at  a  gallop  to  the  spot  where  the  canoe  was  buried,  expecting  to  reach  it 
before  the  Indian  boy,  and  interce])t  him.  The-  deserter  in  vain  implored  them  to 
compassionate  his  feelings.  He  urged  that  he  had  already  sufficiently  demon- 
strated the  truth  of  his  fornu-r  assertions,  at  the  expense  of  his  father's  life,  and 
earnestly  entreated  them  to  permit  his  younger  brother  to  escape.  His  compan- 
ions, however,  were  inexorable.     Nothing  but  the  blood   of  the  young  Indian 


BOURBON   COUNTY. 


199 


would  satisfy  them,  and  the  deserter  was  again  compelled  to  act  as  a  guide. 
Within  two  hours  they  reached  the  designated  spot.  The  canoe  was  still  there, 
and  no  track  could  be  seen  upon  the  sand,  so  that  it  was  evident  that  their  victim 
had  not  yet  arrived. 

Hastily  dismounting,  they  tied  their  horses  and  concealed  themselves  within 
close  rifle  shot  of  the  canoe.  Within  ten  minutes  after  their  arrival,  the  Indian 
appeared  in  sight,  walking  swiftly  towards  them.  He  went  straight  to  the  spot 
where  the  canoe  had  been  buried,  and  was  in  the  act  of  digging  it  up,  when  he 
received  a  dozen  balls  through  his  body,  and  leaping  high  into  the  air,  fell  dead 
upon  the  sand.  He  was  instantly  scalped  and  buried  where  he  fell,  without 
having  seen  his  brother,  and  probably  without  having  known  the  treachery  by 
which  he  and  his  father  had  lost  their  lives.  The  deserter  remained  but  a  short 
time  in  Bourbon,  and  never  regained  his  tranquility  of  mind.  He  shortly  after- 
wards disappeared,  but  whether  to  seek  his  relations  in  Virginia  or  Pennsylvania, 
or  whether  disgusted  by  the  ferocity  of  the  whites,  he  returned  to  the  Indians, 
has  never  yet  been  known.  He  was  never  heard  of  afterwards.* 
CAPTAIN  GARRARDS  TROOP. 

We  copy  the  "  Muster  roll  of  a  troop  of  volunteer  state  dragoons,  for  twelve 
months,  under  command  of  Captain  William  Garrard,  of  Major  James  V.  Ball's 
squadron,  in  the  service  of  the  United  States  from  date  of  the  last  muster  (Octo- 
ber 31,  1812),  to  the  31st  December,  1812,  inclusive,"  with  the  remarks  appended 
to  each  name.  The  roll  is  certified  as  correct,  and  the  remarks  as  "accurate 
and  just,"  by  the  officers.  The  roll  will  awaken  old  reminiscences,  and  will  be 
examined  by  many  of  our  readers  with  great  interest. 

OFFICERS. 


William  Garrard,  Captain,  frost  bitten. 
Edmund  Basye,  1st  Lieut,    do.  and  wounded. 
David  M.  Hickman,  2d  do.,  wounded. 
Thus.  H.  McClanahan,  Cornet,  frost  bitten. 
Chas.  S.Clarkson,lst  Serg't,  sick  on  furlough. 
William  Barton,  2d     do.,  do. 

John  Clark,         3d     do.,  died  Nov.  15, 1812. 
Benj.W.  Edwards,4th  do.,  Serg't  Major. 

PRI  V 

John  Fmch,  frost  bitten,  appointed  Sergeant. 

William  Beneer,  present  fit  for  duty. 

David  B.  Langhorn,  frost  bitten. 

John  Wynne,  sick,  absent. 

William  Mountjoy,  frost  bitten. 

Samuel  Henderson,         do. 

Henry  Wilson,  wounded  Dec.  18th,  1812. 

William  Jones,  sick  on  furlough. 

John  Terrill,     frost  bitten. 

Walter  Woodyard,  do. 

Moses  Richardson,  do.,  wounded  I8th  Dec. 

Jacob  Shy,  frost  bitten. 

Lewis  Duncan,  sick  on  furlough. 

Robert  Thomas,  frost  bitten. 

Jacob  Counts,  absent  on  furlough. 

John  Snoody,  frost  bitten. 

Thomas  Bedford,  killed  in  action  18th  Dec. 

James  Finch,  frost  bitten  and  sick. 

Walker  Thornton,  present  fit  for  duty. 

Thomas  Eastin,  wounded  on  the  18th  Dec. 

Gerrard  Robinson,  sick  on  furlough. 

William  M.  Baylor,  frost  bitten. 

Alexander  Scott,         do. 

William  Scott,  do.,  wounded  Dec.  18. 

James  Clark  do.,  sick. 

Roger   P.  West,  burnt  by  the  explosion  of 

powder. 
Frederick  Loring,  frost  bitten. 
Thomas  Barton,  do. 


James  Benson,  1st  Corporal,  sick  on  furlough. 
Win.  Walton,  2ad     do.,  frost  bitten. 
Jesse  Todd,        3d      do.,  sick,  absent. 
Jno.  S.  Bristow,4th    do.,  frostbitten. 
Joseph  McConnell,  Farrier,  wounded  Dec.  18. 
Ephraim  Wilson,  Trumpeter,  frost  bitten. 
William  Daviss,  Saddler,  do.,  re- 

signed Nov.  20. 

A  T  ES  . 

Samuel  J.  Caldwell,  frost  bitten  and  sick. 


John  Baseman, 

do. 

Jesse  Bowlden, 

do. 

John  Funston, 

do. 

James  Johnston, 

do. 

John  Layson, 

do. 

Will.  B.  Northcutt, 

do. 

Jonathan  Clinkenbeard,  do. 

Thomas  Webster,  wounded  on  the  18th  Dec. 

Abel  C.  Pepper,  frost  bitten  and  sick. 

Beverly  Brown,  killed  in  action  18th  Dec. 

Edward  Waller,  fit  for  duty. 

Gustavus  E.  Edwards,  wounded,  frost  bitten. 

Stephen  Barton,  do.  do. 

Stephen  Bedford,  do. 

John  M.  Robinson,  do. 

Jacob  Sharrer,  sick  on  furlough. 

Isaac  Sanders,  rejoined  26th  November. 

James  Brown,  frost  bitten. 

Henry  Towles,  sick  on  furlough. 

John  .Metcalfe,  frost  bitten. 

Stephen  Owen,  do. 

James  Conn,  sick  on  furlough. 

Jacob  Thomas,  frost  bitten. 

William  AUentharp,  not  yet  joined  the  troop. 

Nathaniel  Hill,  do. 

Strotber  J.  Hawkins,  wounded,  frost  bitten. 

Edward  McGuire,  sick  on  furlough. 

Troy  Waugh,  servant,  frost  bitten. 


*  Sketches  of  Western  Adventure. 


200  DISTINGUISHED   MEN. 

The  number  of  horses  marked  as  killed,  on  the  roll,  is  eight,  and  eight  as 
wounded. 

This  county  was  the  residence  of  Governor  James  Garrard,  whose  biograph- 
ical sketch  will  be  found  under  the  head  of  Garrard  county.  The  monument  to 
his  memory,  erected  by  the  state  of  Kentucky,  contains  the  following  inscription  : 

"This  marble  consecrates  the  spot  on  which  repose  the  mortal  remains  of  Colonel  James> 
Garkauu,  and  records  a  brief  memorial  of  his  virtues  and  his  worth.  He  was  born  in  the 
county  of  Statford,  in  the  colony  of  Virginia,  on  the  14th  day  of  January,  1749.  On  at- 
tainining  the  age  of  manhood,  he  participated  with  the  patriots  of  the  day  in  the  dangers 
and  privations  incident  to  the  glorious  and  successful  contest  which  terminated  in  the  inde- 
pendence and  happiness  of  our  country.  Endeared  to  his  family,  to  his  friends,  and  to  society, 
by  the  practice  of  the  social  virtues  of  Husband,  Father,  Friend  and  Neighbor;  honored  by 
his  country,  by  frequent  calls  to  represent  her  dearest  interests  in  her  Legislative  Councils  ; 
and  finally  by  two  elections,  to  fill  the  chair  of  the  Chief  Magistrate  of  the  State,  a  trust 
of  the  highest  confidence  and  deepest  interest  to  a  free  community  of  virtuous  men,  pro- 
fessing equal  rights,  and  governed  by  equal  laws ;  a  trust  which,  for  eight  successive  years, 
he  fulfilled  with  that  energy,  vigor,  and  impartiality  which,  tempered  with  christian  spirit  of 
God-like  mercy  and  charity  for  the  frailty  of  men,  is  best  calculated  to  perpetuate  the  ines- 
timable blessings  of  Government  and  the  happiness  of  Man.  An  administration  which  re- 
ceived its  best  reward  below,  the  approbation  of  an  enlightened  and  grateful  country,  by  whose 
voice,  expressed  by  a  resolution  of  its  general  assembly  in  December,  1822,  this  Monu- 
ment of  departed  worth  and  grateful  sense  of  public  service,  was  erected,  and  is  inscribed. 
He  departed  this  hfe  on  the  19th  day  of  January,  1822,  as  he  had  lived,  a  sincere  and  pious 
christian,  firm,  constant  and  sincere  in  his  own  religious  sentiments,  tolerant  for  those  who 
differed  from  him ;  reposing  in  the  mercy  of  God,  and  the  merits  of  his  Redeemer,  his 
hopes  of  a  glorious  and  happy  Immortality." 

This  county  has  been  the  nursery  of  many  prominent,  and  some  very  distin- 
guished men,  particularly  at  the  bar  and  on  the  bench.  It  was  the  residence  of 
Judge  Robert  Trimble,  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States,  (see  Trimble 
county) — of  Judge  Mills,  of  the  court  of  appeals  of  Kentucky — and  of  Judge 
Bledsoe,  who  was  remarkable  for  his  forensic  powers.  Captain  William  and 
General  James  Garrard,  were  active  soldiers  in  the  war  of  1812 — both  frequent 
representatives  in  the  legislature,  and  the  former  for  many  years  clerk  of  the 
Bourbon  county  court.  Several  distinguished  pioneer  divines  were  also  residents 
of  this  county,  who  are  noticed  under  proper  heads. 

The  Honorable  Thomas  Corwin,  the  able  and  eloquent  senator  of  Ohio,  and 
the  Rev.  John  P.  Durbin,  D.  D.,  late  president  of  Dickinson  college,  and  one  of 
the  most  eloquent  divines  in  the  United  States,  are  both  natives  of  Bourbon 
county. 

Colonel  James  Smith,  whose  interesting  narrative  of  his  captivity  in  western 
Pennsylvania  and  residence  among  the  Indians,  was  published  many  years  since, 
and  transferred,  in  an  abridged  form,  to  the  "Sketches  of  Western  Adventure,  " 
settled  in  Bourbon,  seven  miles  above  Paris,  in  1788.  Having  been  prominent 
in  his  native  State,  as  an  Indian  fighter,  a  member  of  the  Pennsylvania  conven- 
tion, and  a  member  of  her  legislature,  his  public  and  private  worth  became  spee- 
dily known  in  Bour!)on ;  and  in  the  first  year  of  his  residence,  he  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  convention,  that  sat  at  Danville,  to  confer  about  a  separation  from 
the  State  of  Virginia.  From  that  period  until  171*9,  with  an  intermission  of  two 
years  only,  according  to  his  narrative,  he  continued  to  represent  Bourbon  county, 
either  in  convention  or  as  a  member  of  the  general  assembly.  A  few  extracts 
from  the  narrative  of  Colonel  Smith  are  sul)joined. 

On  the  second  evening  succeeding  liis  capture,  (in  the  year  1755),  Colonel 
Smith  arrived  with  his  captors  at  fort  Du  Quesne,  now  Pittsburgh.  When 
within  half  a  mile  of  the  fort,  they  raised  the  scalp  halloo,  and  fired  their  guns. 
The  garrison  was  instantly  in  commolion,  the  cannon  were  fired,  the  drums  were 
beaten,  and  tlie  French  and  Indians  ran  out  in  great  numbers  to  meet  the  party 
and  partake  of  their  triumph.  Smith  was  instantly  surrciiinded  by  a  multitude 
of  savages,  painted  in  various  colors,  and  shouting  with  delight.  They  rapidly 
formed  in  two  long  lines,  and  brandishing  their  hatchets,  ramrods,  switches,  etc., 
called  aloud  upon  him  to  run  the  gauntlet. 

"  Never  having  heard  of  this  Indian  ceremony  before,  he  stood  anrazcd  for  some  time,  not 


BOURBON   COUNTY.  201 

kiiowiiig  what  to  do;  one  of  his  caiJtors  explained  to  him,  that  he  was  to  run  butween  tlie 
two  lines,  and  receive  a  blow  from  each  Indian  as  lie  passed,  concluding  his  explanation  by 
exhorting  him  to  "  run  his  best,"  as  the  faster  he  run  tlio  sooner  the  alfair  would  be  over. 
'J'his  truth  was  very  plain  ;  and  young  Smith  entered  upon  his  race  with  great  spirit.  He 
was  switched  very  handsomely  along  the  lines,  for  about  three-fourths  of  the  distance,  the 
stripes  only  acting  as  a  spur  to  greater  exertions,  and  he  had  almost  reached  the  opposite  ex- 
tremity of  the  line,  when  a  tall  chief  struck  him  a  furious  blow  with  a  club  upon  the  back 
of  the  head,  and  instantly  telled  him  to  the  ground.  Kccovering  himself  in  a  moment,  he 
sprung  to  his  teet  and  started  forward  again,  when  a  handful  of  sand  was  thrown  in  his 
eyes,  which,  in  addition  to  the  great  pain,  completely  blinded  hun.  He  still  attempted  to 
grope  his  way  through ;  but  was  again  knocked  down  and  beaten  with  merciless  severity. 
He  soon  became  insensible  under  such  barbarous  treatment,  and  recollected  nothing  more, 
until  he  found  himself  in  the  hospital  of  the  fort,  under  the  hands  of  a  French  surgeon,  bea- 
ten to  a  jelly,  and  unable  to  move  a  limb.  Here  he  was  quickly  visited  by  one  of  his  cap- 
tors, the  same  who  had  given  him  such  good  advice,  when  about  to  commence  his  race.  He 
now  inquired,  with  some  interest,  if  he  felt  "  very  sore."  Young  Smith  replied,  that  he 
had  been  bruised  almost  to  death,  and  asked  what  he  had  done  to  merit  such  barbarity.  The 
Indian  replied  that  he  had  done  nothing,  but  that  it  was  the  customary  greeting  of  the  In- 
dians to  Iheir  prisoners  ;  that  it  was  sometlnng  like  the  EngUs'.i  '■  how  d'ye  do  !"  and  that 
now  all  ceremony  would  be  laid  aside,  and  he  would  be  treated  with  kindness." 

Smith  was  still  a  captive  and  at  fort  Du  Qiiesne,  when  General  Braddock 
was  defeated,  the  same  year,  and  nearly  the  whole  of  his  army  cut  down,  or 
drag-ged  into  captivity,  and  reserved  for  a  more  painful  death. 

"  About  sunset,  [on  the  day  of  battle]  he  heard  at  a  distance  the  well  known  scalp  halloo, 
followed  by  wild,  quick,  joyful  shrieks,  and  accompanied  by  long  continued  tiring.  'J'his 
too  surely  announced  the  fate  of  the  day.  About  dusk,  the  party  returned  to  the  fort,  driving 
before  them  twelve  British  regulars,  stripped  naked  and  with  their  faces  painted  black  !  an 
evidence  that  the  unhappy  wretches  were  devoted  to  death.  Next  came  the  Indians  dis- 
playing their  bloody  scalps,  of  which  they  had  immense  numliers,  and  dressed  in  the  scarlet 
coats,  sashes,  and  military  hats  of  the  otHcers  and  soldiers.  Behind  all  came  a  train  of  bag- 
gage horses,  laden  with  piles  of  scalps,  canteens,  and  all  the  accoutrements  of  British  sol- 
diers. The  savages  appeared  frantic  with  joy,  and  when  Smith  beheld  them  entering  the 
fort,  dancing,  yelling,  brandishing  their  red  tomahawks,  and  waving  their  scalps  in  the  air, 
while  the  great  guns  of  the  fort  replied  to  the  incessant  discharge  of  rifles  witliout,  he  says, 
that  it  looked  as  if  h — jl  had  given  a  holiday,  and  turned  loose  its  inhabitants  upon  the 
upper  world.  The  most  melancholy  spectacle  was  the  band  of  prisoners.  They  appeared 
dejected  and  anxious.  Poor  fellows !  They  had  but  a  few  months  before  left  London,  at 
the  command  of  their  superiors,  and  we  may  easily  imagine  their  feelings,  at  the  strange 
and  dreadful  spectacle  around  them.  The  yells  of  delight  and  congratulation  were  scarcely 
over,  when  those  of  vengeance  began.  The  devoted  prisoners— British  regulars — were  led 
out  from  the  fort  to  the  banks  of  the  Alleghany,  and  to  the  eternal  disgrace  of  the  French 
commandant  were  there  burnt  to  death,  one  after  another,  with  the  most  awful  tortures. 
Smith  stood  upon  the  battlements  and  witnessed  the  shocking  spectacle.  The  prisoner  was 
tied  to  a  stake  with  his  hands  raised  above  his  head,  stripped  naked,  and  surrounded  by  In- 
dians. They  would  touch  him  with  red  hot  irons,  and  stick  his  body  full  of  pine  splinters 
and  set  them  on  lire,  drowning  the  shrieks  of  the  victim  in  the  yells  of  delight  with  which 
th?y  danced  around  him.  His  companions  in  the  meantime  stood  in  a  group  near  the  stake, 
and  had  a  foretaste  of  what  was  in  reserve  for  each  of  them.  As  fast  as  one  prisoner  died 
under  his  tortures,  another  tilled  his  place,  until  the  whole  perished.  All  this  took  place  so 
near  the  ibrt,  that  every  scream  of  the  victims  must  have  rung  in  the  ears  of  the  French 
commandant !" 

Colonel  Smith  has  an  article  in  his  pamphlet  on  the  manners  and  customs  of 
the  Indians,  their  traditions  and  religious  sentiments,  their  police  or  civil  govern- 
ment, ect.     The  following  extracts  must  suffice: 

"  Their  traditions  are  vague,  whimsical,  romantic,  and  many  of  them  scarce  worth  relat- 
ing; and  not  any  of  them  reach  back  to  the  creation  of  the  world.  They  tell  of  a  squaw 
that  was  found  when  an  infant,  in  the  water,  in  a  canoe  made  of  bull-rushes ;  this  squaw 
became  a  great  prophetess  and  did  many  wonderful  things;  she  turned  water  into  dry  land, 
and  at  length  made  this  continent,  which  was,  at  that  time,  only  a  very  small  island,  and 
but  a  few  Indians  in  it.  Though  they  were  then  but  few,  they  had  not  suthcient  room  to 
hunt ;  therefore  this  squaw  went  to  the  water  side,  and  prayed  that  this  httle  island  might  be 
enlarged.  The  great  Being  then  heard  her  prayer,  and  sent  great  numbers  of  water  tortoises 
and  muskrats,  which  brought  with  them  mud  and  other  materials,  for  enlarging  this  island, 
and  by  this  means,  they  say,  it  was  increased  to  the  size  that  it  now  remains ;  therefore, 


202  BENJAMIN   MILLS. 

they  say,  that  the  white  people  ought  not  to  encroach  upon  them,  or  take  their  land  from 
them,  because  their  great  grand-mother  made  it.  They  say  that,  about  this  time,  the  angels 
or  the  heavenly  inhabitants,  as  they  call  them,  frequently  visited  them  and  talked  with  their 
forefathers ;  and  gave  directions  how  to  pray,  and  how  to  appease  the  great  Being  when  he 
was  oflended  They  told  them  they  were  to  ofler  sacrifice,  burnt  tobacco,  buliiilo  and  deer 
bones ;  but  that  they  were  not  to  bum  bear  or  raccoon  bones  in  sacrifice. 

"  The  Indians,  generally,  are  of  opinion  that  there  are  a  great  number  of  uiferior  Deities, 
which  they  call  Carre yai^aroana,  which  signifies  the  Heavenly  inhabitants.  These  beings, 
they  suppose,  are  employed  as  assistants  in  managing  the  affairs  of  the  universe,  and  in  in- 
specting the  actions  of  men :  and  that  even  the  irrational  animals  are  engaged  in  viewing 
their  actions,  and  bearing  hitelligence  to  the  gods.  The  eagle,  for  this  purpose,  with  her 
keen  eye,  perched  on  the  trees  around  their  camp  in  the  night ;  therefore,  when  they  obsen'c 
the  eagle  or  the  owl  near,  they  immediately  offer  sacrifice,  or  burn  tobacco,  that  they  may 
have  a  good  report  to  carry  to  the  gods.  They  say  that  there  are  also  great  numbers 
of  evil  spirits,  which  they  call  Onasahroona,  which  signifies  the  inhabitants  of  the  Lower 
Region.  These  spirits  are  always  going  after  them,  and  setting  things  right,  so  that  they  are 
constantly  working  in  oj)position  to  each  other.  Some  talk  of  a  future  state,  but  not  with 
any  certainty :  at  best,  their  notions  are  vague  and  unsettled.  Others  deny  a  future  state  al- 
together, and  say  that  after  death  they  neither  think  nor  live. 

'•  I  have  often  heard  of  Indian  kings,  but  never  saw  any.  How  any  term  used  by  In- 
dians in  their  own  tongue,  for  the  chief  man  of  a  nation,  could  be  rendered  king,  I  know 
not.  The  chief  of  a  nation  is  neither  the  supreme  ruler,  monarch  or  potentate :  He  can 
neither  make  war  or  peace,  league  or  treaties  :  He  cannot  impress  soldiers  or  dispose  of 
magazines:  He  cannot  adjourn,  prorogue  or  dissolve  a  general  assembly,  nor  can  he  refuse 
his  assent  to  their  conclusions,  or  in  any  manner  control  them.  With  them,  there  is  no 
such  thing  as  hereditary  succession,  title  of  nobility  or  royal  blood,  even  talked  of.  The 
chief  of  a  nation,  even  with  the  consent  of  his  assembly,  or  council,  cannot  raise  one  shilling 
of  tax  off  the  citizens,  but  only  receive  what  they  please  to  give  as  free  and  voluntary  dona- 
tions.    The  chief  of  a  nation  has  to  hunt  for  his  living,  as  any  other  citizen." 

Benjamin  Mills  was  born  in  the  county  of  Worcester,  on  the  eastern  shore 
of  Maryland,  January  12th,  1779.  While  he  was  quite  young,  his  family  emi- 
grated to  the  vicinity  of  Washington,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  obtained  his  edu- 
cation, and  engaged  in  the  study  of  medicine.  While  yet  a  youth,  he  was  called 
to  the  presidency  of  Washington  Academy,  an  institution  which  was  soon  after 
erected  into  Washington  College,  and  which  has  sent  from  its  walls  a  number 
of  prominent  public  men.  Having  removed  with  his  father  to  Bourbon  county, 
Kentuck)',  and  relinquished  the  study  of  medicine  for  that  of  the  law,  in  1805  or 
'OG,  he  commenced  in  Paris  the  practice  of  the  latter  profession.  His  abilities 
and  diligence  soon  ensured  him,  in  his  own  and  the  adjacent  counties,  an  extent 
sive  practice.  For  several  years  he  was  elected  to  represent  the  county  of  Bour- 
bon in  the  legislature,  and  in  1816  failed  of  an  election  to  the  senate  of  the 
United  States,  in  competition  with  Isham  Talbot,  Esq.,  by  only  three  votes.  In 
1817,  to  relieve  himself  from  an  oppressive  and  injurious  practice  of  the  law,  he 
accepted  the  appointment  of  judge  in  the  Montgomery  circuit.  In  the  succeed- 
ing year,  by  the  unanimous  recjuest  of  the  Fayette  bar,  he  was  transferred  to  that 
circuit.  In  18'20,  he  was  elevated  to  a  seal  on  the  bench  f)f  the  court  of  appeals, 
which  he  filled  with  great  firmness,  through  a  period  of  extraordinary  excitement 
with  reference  to  the  judiciary  of  the  State,  till  he  retired  in  1828.  Having  re- 
signed this  post,  he  removed  from  Paris  to  Frankfort,  to  engage  again  in  the 
practice  of  the  law  in  the  higher  courts  of  the  State.  Success  commensurate 
with  his  wishes  again  crowned  his  labors,  till  the  morning  of  the  6th  of  Decem- 
ber, IS.'Jl,  when,  by  an  apoplectic  stroke,  his  mortal  existence  w-as  terminated. 

As  a  man.  Judge  Mills  was  never  remarkably  popular.  Though  kind  and 
faithful  in  every  relation  of  life,  he  aimed,  by  a  course  of  firm  and  inflexible  in- 
tegrity, rather  to  command  the  approbation  than  to  win  the  affrctions  of  his  fellow 
men.  He  was,  to  a  very  great  exent,  a  self-made  man,  and  affords  a  fine  ex- 
ample of  the  ennobling  tendency  of  republican  institutions,  and  an  encouragement 
to  ail  meritorious  young  men  who  are  strugijliiig  in  obscurity  and  poverty. 

As  a  practitioner  of  the  law,  by  a  profound  and  thorough  knowledge  of  its 
principles,  and  the  most  approved  forms  of  practice,  he  soon  rose  to  eminence. 
As  a  public  speaker,  he  was  clear,  logical  and  forcible;  but  not  possessing  a  fine 
voice,  and  seldom  using  the  ornaments  of  rhetoric,  he  was  less  admired  as  an 
orator  than  many  others. 


BOURBON  COUNTY.  203 

As  a  legislator,  he  was  zealous  and  active  in  the  promotion  of  wise,  and  the 
resistance  of  injudicious  measures.  Some  of  the  most  valuable  provisions  of  the 
statutes  of  the  state,  had  their  origin  in  his  conceptions.  His  efforts  on  the  exci- 
ting new  election  question  in  1816,  will  be  remembered  by  those  familiar  with 
the  politics  of  that  day,  as  having  a  great  influence  in  settling  a  construction  of 
the  constitution,  which,  in  several  instances  since,  has  been  acquiesced  in  with 
happy  effects  by  the  people  of  the  state. 

As  a  circuit  judge,  he  conducted  the  business  of  the  courts  with  uncommon 
industry  and  energy.  The  promptness  and  general  accuracy  of  his  decisions,  and 
the  perfect  impartiality  of  his  administration  of  justice,  gained  for  him  the  respect 
of  the  orderly  portion  of  the  community. 

While  on  tiie  bench  of  the  court  of  appeals,  his  official  acts  tended  not  only 
to  enlighten,  but  to  enlarge  the  sphere  of  his  profession,  and  to  establish  a  sys- 
tem of  legal  polity  alike  favorable  to  the  country  and  honorable  to  himself.  His 
written  opinions  furnish  abundant  proofs  of  the  clearness  of  his  perceptions,  the 
deptli  of  his  legal  researches,  the  strength  of  his  memory,  his  power  of  analysis, 
and  the  steadiness  and  sternness  of  his  integrity. 

For  the  last  twelve  years  of  his  life,  he  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  and  for  a  considerable  portion  of  that  time  a  ruling  elder.  His  life,  during 
this  period,  was  in  a  high  degree  consistent  with  his  profession  ;  and  the  extent 
of  his  charities  in  the  support  of  all  the  great  benevolent  enterprises  of  the  day, 
was  surprising  to  those  who  knew  how  limited  were  his  means. 

.Jesse  Bledsoe  was  born  on  the  6th  of  April,  1776,  in  Culpepper  county,  Vir- 
ginia. His  father,  Joseph  Bledsoe,  was  a  Baptist  preacher.  His  mother's  maiden 
name  was  Elizabeth  Miller.  In  early  life,  Judge  Bledsoe's  health  was  delicate, 
and  from  weakness  in  his  eyes,  could  not  be  sent  regularly  to  school.  When  his 
health  and  sight  were  restored,  which  was  not  until  he  had  become  quite  a  large 
boy,  (having  emigrated  with  an  elder  brother  to  the  neighborhood  of  Lexington, 
Kentucky),  he  went  to  Transylvania  seminary,  and  by  the  force  of  talent  and 
assiduous  industry,  became  a  fine  scholar.  Few  men  were  better  or  riper  clas- 
sical scholars  ;  and  to  the  day  of  his  death  it  was  his  pleasure  and  delight  to 
read  the  Grecian  orators  and  poets  in  their  original  tongue.  After  finishing  his 
collegiate  course,  he  studied  law,  and  commenced  its  practice  with  success  and 
reputation. 

Judge  Bledsoe  was  repeatedly  elected  to  the  house  of  representatives  of  the 
Kentucky  legislature,  from  the  counties  of  Fayette  and  Bourbon  ;  and  was  also 
a  senator  from  the  latter  county.  He  was  secretary  of  state,  of  Kentucky,  under 
Gov.  Charles  Scott ;  and  during  the  war  with  Great  Britain,  was  elected  a  sen- 
ator in  the  congress  of  the  United  States  from  the  state  of  Kentuckj^  for  an 
unexpired  term,  serving  in  that  capacity  for  two  or  three  j'ears.  In  18'2'2,  he  was 
appointed  by  Gov.  Adair,  a  circuit  judge  in  the  Lexington  district,  and  removed 
to  Lexington,  where  he  received  the  appointment  of  professor  of  law  in  the  Tran- 
sylvania University.  He  held  the  offices  of  judge  and  professor  for  five  or  six 
years,  when  he  resigned  both,  and  again  commenced  the  practice  of  law. 

In  18.33,  he  removed  to  Mississippi,  and  in  the  fall  of  1835  or  spring  of  1836, 
he  emigrated  to  Texas,  and  commenced  gathering  materials  for  a  history  of  the 
new  republic.  In  May,  1836,  he  was  taken  sick  in  that  portion  of  Texas  near 
the  line  of  the  United  States,  and  not  far  from  Nacogdoches,  where  he  died. 

At  an  early  age,  he  married  the  eldest  daughter  of  Colonel  Nathaniel  Gist,  and 
his  widow  is  still  living  in  Frankfort. 

Judge  Bledsoe  possessed  a  strong  and  powerful  intellect,  and  was  surpassed 
in  popular  and  forensic  eloquence  by  but  few  men  of  his  day. 

John  Allen  was  born  in  James  City  county,  Va.,  in  1749.  When  the  revolu- 
tonary  war  broke  out,  he  joined  the  American  army,  and  devoted  all  his  energies 
to  the  service  of  his  country.  He  rose  to  the  rank  of  major,  and  acted  for  some 
time  as  commissary  of  subsistence.  At  a  tea  party  in  Charleston,  South  Caro- 
lina, which  was  attended  by  British  and  American  officers,  the  conduct  of  the 
former  towards  the  latter  became  ver)' insulting;  and  an  officer  named  Davis 
repeated  the  insult  so  frequently  as  to  provoke  Major  Allen  to  strike  him  with 
his  sword,  which  instantly  broke  up  the  party.  In  the  course  of  the  war,  Major 
Allen  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  same  officer,  (Davis),  and  what  was  most  re- 


204  BOYLE    COUNTY. 

markable  in  the  liistory  of  the  times,  was  treated  by  him  with  special  kind- 
ness. 

In  1781,  Major  Allen  married  Miss  Jane  Tandy,  of  Alberrnarle  county,  Vir- 
ginia, and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  the  law,  having  studied  his  profession  with 
Colonel  George  Nicholas,  then  of  Charlottesville.  He  emigrated  to  Kentucky 
in  1786,  in  company  with  Judge  Sebastian,  and  located  in  Fayette  county.  In 
1788,  he  removed  to  Bourbon,  and  settled  in  Paris,  then  containing  l)ut  a  few  ]oa 
cabins — the  ground  upon  which  the  town  is  now  reared  being  then  a  marsh, 
springs  of  water  bursting  from  the  earth  in  great  profusion.  After  the  organization 
of  the  State  government.  Major  Allen  was  elected  one  of  the  conmiissioners  to 
select  a  site  for  the  permanent  seat  of  government.  During  the  first  term  of  Gov. 
Garrard,  under  the  old  constitution,  Major  Allen  was  appointed  judge  of  the  Paris 
district  court,  the  duties  of  which  he  discharged  with  general  acceptance.  In 
1802,  after  the  adoption  of  the  present  constitution,  and  during  the  second  term 
of  Gov.  Garrard,  he  was  appointed  judge  of  the  circuit  court,  including  in  his 
district  the  county  of  Bourbon. 

Judge  Allen  died  in  the  year  1816,  having  devoted  a  large  portion  of  his  long 
life  to  the  service  of  his  country,  and  leaving  behind  him  a  name  which  will  be 
held  in  grateful  remembrance  by  his  posterity.  He  had  born  to  him  twelve  chil- 
dren— nine  sons  and  three  daughters.  His  widow  still  survives,  and  resides  in 
Paris,  being  now  four  score  years  of  age,  and  enjoying  a  degree  of  health  which 
rarely  falls  to  the  lot  of  one  of  her  years. 


BOYLE    COUNTY. 

Boyle  county  was  formed  from  parts  of  Mercer  and  Lincoln  in 
1841,  and  named  for  the  Hon.  John  Boyle,  for  many  years  chief 
justice  of  the  state.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Mercer,  east 
b}^  Garrard,  south  by  Casey  and  Lincoln,  and  west  by  Marion. 
Danville,  the  county  seat,  is  forty  miles  from  Frankfort.  The 
soil  of  this  county  is  very  deep  and  rich,  and  generally  lies  well 
for  cultivation.  The  products  are  principally  stock  and  hemp. 
The  citizens  are  generally  independent  in  their  circumstances 
well  educated  and  intelligent.  Number  of  acres  of  land  in  the 
county,  147,045;  average  value  per  acre,  $12,22;  taxable  prop- 
erty in  184G,  $3,852,123  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  1,119  ;  number  of  children  between  the  ages  of 
five  and  sixteen  years,  1,372.  The  county  was  organized  since 
the  census  of  1840  was  taken. 

The  towns  of  Boyle  are  Danville  and  Perryville.  Danville  is 
situated  three  miles  west  from  Dick's  river,  forty  miles  south  by 
west  from  Frankfort,  and  thirty-five  miles  from  Lexington — lati- 
tude thirty-seven  degrees  thirt}^  minutes  north.  It  contains  a 
new  and  capacious  court-house  and  other  public  buildings,  six 
churches — Presbyterian,  Methodist,  Baptist,  Reformed  or  Chris- 
tian, Episcopal  and  African, — a  branch  bank  of  the  Bank  of  Ken- 
tucky, twelve  dry  goods  stores,  one  book  and  drug  store,  two  ho- 
tels, ten  ph^^sicians,  nine  lawyers,  one  weekl}"  newspaper,  (the 
Kentucky  Tribune),  several  mills  and  factories,  and  about  forty 
mechanics'  shops  and  manufacturing  establishments.  Centre 
College,  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  Asylum,  and  a  fine  Female  Semi- 
nary, arc  also  situated  in  Danville.     Danville  was  established  by 


BOYLE  COUNTY. 


205 


the  Virginia  legislature  in  1787,  and  was  for  many  years  the 
seat  of  government  of  Kentucky.  The  tirst  court-house  and  jail 
built  in  Kentucky  was  erected  here,  and  here  the  first  constitu- 
tion of  the  state  was  formed  ;  but  owing  to  some  freak  of  for- 
tune, the  seat  of  government  was  moved  to  Lexington  in  1792, 
where  it  enjoyed  but  a  brief  sojourn,  and  was  removed  from 
thence  to  Frankfort.  The  town  was  laid  out  by  Mr.  Walker 
Daniel,  who  gave  it  its  name.  Population  about  2,000.  Perry- 
viLLE  is  a  small  village  twelve  miles  west  of  Danville — contains 
one  Presbyterian  church  and  one  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
church,  seven  physicians,  two  taverns,  five  stores,  one  wool  fac- 
tory, and  eight  mechanical  trades.     Established  in  1817. 

The  Deaf  and  Dumb  Asylum  located  at  Danville  was  chartered  in  1822,  and 
went  into  operation  the  spring  following.  The  plan  of  instruction  pursued  in 
this  institution  is  based  upon  the  system  invented  and  successfully  used  by  the 
Abbe  Sicard,  of  Paris,  in  France,  with  such  improvements  as  experience  has 
pointed  out.  The  average  number  of  pupils  is  about  thirty.  Two  instructors 
attend  them  all  the  time.  The  other  officers  of  the  institution  are  a  physician, 
superintendent  and  matron,  in  whose  family  all  the  pupils  reside  and  receive  their 
constant  attention.  The  terms  of  admission  are  $105  per  year  for  board  and  tui- 
tion to  those  who  can  afford  to  pay;  but  ample  provision  has  been  made  by  the 
state  for  tliose  who  are  in  indigent  circumstances,  which  fact  must  be  certified  to 
by  a  magistrate  in  the  county  where  they  reside.  Persons  in  comfortable  cir- 
cumstances at  home,  but  unable  to  educate  their  children  without  ruinous  sacrifi- 
ces, receive  the  public  assistance,  in  part  or  in  whole,  as  may  be  necessary.  The 
buildings  consist  of  two  substantial  plain  brick  houses,  which  are  ample  and 
comfortable,  situated  in  a  retired  part  of  the  town,  with  a  superintendent  who  is 
eminently  qualified  to  discharge  the  duties  of  his  station.  The  number  of  pupils 
in  the  Mistitution  from  January  1,  184G,  to  January  1,  1847,  was  fifty-three,  and 
provis  -in  is  made  by  law  for  the  support  of  forty  indigent  pupils. 


CENTRE  COLLEGE,  DANVILLE,  KY. 


206  CENTRE    COLLEGE. 

Centrk  College  is  located  in  Danville,  a  pleasant  town  near  the  centre  of  the 
state,  with  a  very  intellectii-Al  and  intfliiurcnt  population.  The  college  was  char- 
tered by  the  legislature  of  Kentucky  in  1819.  Jeremiah  Chamberlain,  D.  D., 
the  first  president,  went  into  office  in  18-23.  In  1824,  the  board  of  trustees,  ac- 
cording to  an  arrangement  with  the  Presbyterian  synod  of  Iventucky,  procured 
an  act  of  the  legislature  modifying  its  charter  so  as  to  secure  to  the  synod,  on 
its  payment  of  twenty  thousand  dollars  to  tiie  funds  of  the  inslilulion,  the  rioht 
of  appointing  the  board  of  trustees.  This  condition  having,  in  1830,  been  com- 
pletely fulfilled  on  the  part  of  the  synod,  all  the  members  of  the  board  have 
since  that  period  been  appointed  by  the  synod,  as  their  terms  of  office,  from  lime 
to  time,  have  expired.     One  third  of  the  board  are  appointed  each  year. 

Dr.  Chamberlain  resigned  his  office  in  18'2G,  and  the  Rev.  Gideon  Blackburn, 
D.  D.,  succeeded  him  in  1827,  the  office  having,  in  the  meantime,  been  temjjora- 
rily  filled  by  the  Rev.  David  C.  Proctor.  On  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Blackburn  in 
1830,  John  C.  Young,  D.  D.,  the  present  president,  was  elected. 

The  number  of  students  varied  in  the  earlier  period  of  the  existence  of  the 
institution,  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  and  ten,  and  a  very  large  proportion  of  those 
in  attendance  were  pursuing  only  a  partial  and  irregular  course.  In  1830,  the 
number  of  students  had  been  reduced  to  33  of  all  classes,  including  those  in  the 
grammar  school,  as  well  as  those  in  the  college  proper.  Since  that  period,  the 
number  has  been,  with  slight  temporary  variations,  steadily,  but  slowly  increasing, 
until  it  has  ranged,  during  the  last  three  years,  from  one  hundred  and  sixty-five 
to  one  hundred  and  eighty-five.  The  number  of  those  pursuing  a  full  course,  has 
increased  in  a  much  greater  ratio.  The  graduating  classes,  formerly  very  small, 
have  been  steadily  enlarging.  The  graduates  of  the  first  twelve  years  amounted 
to  55.  This  number  the  last  ten  years  has  enlarged  to  224.  About  1200  students 
have  been  connected  with  the  institution,  nearly  all  of  whom  have  received  all 
their  higher  education  from  its  instructions. 

The  synod  determined  to  raise  $100,000  as  a  permanent  endowment.  Funds 
have  been  already  contributed,  by  the  liberality  of  various  individuals,  which,  as 
vested  by  the  board,  yield  an  annual  income  of  about  $3,000.  Of  this  amount, 
t\*elve  thousand  dollars  were  given  by  Mr.  Samuel  Laird,  of  Fayette  county,  to 
endow  a  professorship.  Measures  have  been  adopted  which,  it  is  hoped,  will 
secure  the  full  amount  contemplated  by  the  synod. 

The  course  of  instruction  varies  but  slightly  from  that  pursued  by  those  colleges 
which  have  the  oldest  and  most  established  reputation.  An  equal  amount  of  the 
ancient  languages  and  mathematics  is  taught.  In  the  natural  sciences,  the  want 
of  equal  facilities  for  illustration  and  experiment  renders  the  course  somewhat  less 
complete  than  theirs ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  in  the  moral  and  mental  sciences, 
it  is  somewhat  more  extensive. 

The  moral  and  religious  culture  of  the  youth  under  their  care,  has  been  always 
regarded  by  the  officers  of  the  college,  as  their  most  important  object.  Their  aim 
is  not  to  inculcate  the  peculiarities  of  any  religious  sect,  but  to  fix  in  the  minds 
and  hearts  of  their  pupils  those  great  and  controlling  truths  of  revelation,  which 
influence  the  happiness,  and  shape  the  character  of  men  for  time  and  eternity ; 
and  while  no  parent  of  any  other  religious  denomination  has  ever  had  his  son 
proselyted  here,  many  have  rejoiced  to  find  him  return,  at  the  close  of  his  college 
course,  deeply  impressed  with  those  religious  principles  which  give  strength  and 
consolation  to  man  in  the  duties  and  trials  of  life.  The  college  has  been  remark- 
able for  many  years,  for  the  moral  and  religious  habits  of  its  students,  and  for  the 
rare  occurrence  of  such  disorders  as  are  freijuent  in  many  institutions. 

The  tuition  fee  is  thirty  dollars  per  session  of  ten  months.  The  ordinary 
charges  in  town,  for  board,  washing,  lodging,  fuel  and  lights,  vary  from  two  dol- 
lars to  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  per  week  ;  and  in  the  country,  at  from  one  to 
two  miles  distant,  from  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  to  two  dollars  per  week. 
Young  men  pursuing  their  studies  with  a  view  to  the  ministry,  and  receiving  aid 
from  any  society,  pay  only  ten  dollars  per  annum  for  tuition. 

In  the  libraries  connected  with  the  college,  there  are  between  five  thousand  and 
six  thousand  volumes,  and  among  them,  some  rare  and  valuable  works.  'I'he 
course  of  study  embraces  the  customary  period  of  four  years  ;  and  instruction  is 
given  in  all  the  branches  of  learning  usually  taught  in  the  colleges  of  the  country. 

There  is  but  one  term  during  the  year,  with  a  short  vacation  in  the  spring. 


.•«<'^ 


BOYLE   COUNTY.  207 

Commencement  on  the  third  Thursday  in  July.     The  session  begins  on  the  third 
Thursday  in  September. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  Danville,  was  a  young  man,  named  Tom  Johnson, 
possessed  of  a  good  education  and  some  genius,  and  withal  a  poet.  He  became, 
however,  an  inveterate  drunkard,  his  intemperance  hurrying  him  to  a  premature 
grave.  On  one  occasion,  when  Tom's  poetical  inspirations  were  quickened  by 
his  devotions  at  the  shrine  of  Bacchus,  he  came  into  Gill's  tavern  to  procure  his 
dinner;  but  too  many  hearty  eaters  had  been  in  advance  of  him  at  the  table,  and 
Tom  found  nothing  but  bones  and  crumbs.  He  surveyed  the  table  for  some 
minutes  quite  philosophically,  and  then  otTered  up  the  following  prayer : 

"0  !  Thou  who  blest  the  loaves  and  fishes, 
Look  down  upon  these  empty  dishes; 
And  that  same  power  that  did  them  fill, 
Bless  each  of  us,  but  d — n  old  Gill." 

A  man  in  the  neighborhood,  bearing  the  christian  name  of  John,  had  become 
largely  indebted  to  the  merchants  and  others  of  Danville,  and  like  many  of  the 
present  day,  left  for  parts  unknown.  Tom  consoled  the  suflTerers  by  the  following 
impromptu  effusion : 

"  John  ran  so  long  and  ran  so  fast, 
No  wonder  he  ran  out  at  last ; 
He  ran  in  debt,  and  then  to  pay, 
He  distanc'd  all,  and  ran  away." 

Walker  Daniel,  a  young  lawyer  from  Virginia,  came  to  Boyle,  then  Lincoln, 
in  1781,  and  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession.  His  only  competitor 
at  that  period,  was  Christopher  Greenup,  afterwards  governor  of  the  State.  Mr. 
Daniel  was  the  original  proprietor  of  the  town  of  Danville,  and  succeeded  in  lay- 
ing the  foundation  of  an  extensive  fortune.  He  was  killed  by  the  Indians  in 
August,  1784,  after  the  short  residence  of  three  years.  From  an  old  pioneer  of 
Mercer,  we  learn  that  Mr.  Daniel  was  a  young  gentleman  of  rare  talents,  and 
gave  promise  of  great  distinction. 

John  Boyle,  for  more  than  sixteen  years  chief  justice  of  Kentucky,  was  born 
of  humble  parentage,  October  28,  1774,  in  Virginia,  at  a  place  called  "Castle 
Woods,"  on  Clinch  river,  in  the  then  county  of  Bottetourt,  near  Russell  or  Taze- 
well. His  father  emigrated,  in  the  year  1779,  to  Whitley's  station  in  Kentuckj", 
whence  he  afterwards  moved  to  a  small  estate  in  the  county  of  Garrard,  where  he 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  days. 

Young  Boyle's  early  education,  notwithstanding  the  limited  means  of  obtaining 
scholastic  instruction,  was  good,  and  his  knowledge  of  what  he  learned  thorough. 
In  the  rudiments  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  languages,  and  of  the  most  useful  of 
the  sciences,  the  Rev.  Samuel  Finiey,  a  pious  Presbyterian  minister  of  Madison 
county,  was  his  instructor.  Energetic  and  ambitious,  Mr.  Boyle  readily  settled 
upon  the  law  as  the  calling  most  congenial  to  his  feelings,  and  most  certain  and 
gratifying  in  its  rewards.  He  studied  under  the  direction  of  Thomas  Davis,  of 
Mercer  county,  then  a  member  of  congress,  and  whom  he  succeeded  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  district. 

In  the  year  1797,  just  after  he  had  entered  upon  his  professional  career,  he 
married  Elizabeth  Tilford,  the  daughter  of  a  plain,  pious,  and  frugal  farmer,  and 
moved  to  the  town  of  Lancaster,  In  the  following  year,  upon  an  out-lot  of  the 
town,  which  he  had  purchased,  he  built  a  small  log  house,  with  only  two  rooms, 
in  which  not  only  himself,  but  three  other  gentlemen — who  successively  followed 
him  as  a  national  reprtsenlaiive,  and  one  of  ivkoni  succeeded  him  in  the  chief  Justice- 
ship, and  another  served  a  constitutional  term  in  the  gubernatorial  chair  of  Kentucky, 
— began  the  sober  business  of  conjugal  life.  Here  the  duties  of  his  profession 
engrossed  his  attention  until  1802,  when  he  was  elected,  without  opposition,  to 
the  house  of  representatives  of  the  United  States. 

As  a  member  of  congress,  Mr.  Boyle  was  vigilant,  dignified,  and  useful,  com- 
manding at  once  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  Jeffersonian,  the  then  domin- 
ant party,  with  which  he  acted,  and  the  hearty  approbation  of  a  liberal  constitu- 
ency. He  was  twice  re-elected  without  competition,  and  refused  a  fourth  canvass, 
because  a  political  life  was  less  congenial  to  his  taste,  than  the  practice  of  his 


208  JOHN  BOYLE. 

profession  amid  the  sweets  of  his  early  home.  The  same  feelinrr  compelled  him 
to  decline  more  than  one  federal  appointment,  tendered  him  by  President  Jefferson. 
President  Madison,  among'  his  earliest  official  acts,  appointed  him  the  first  gov- 
ernor of  Illinois,  a  position  doubly  alluring,  and  which  Mr.  Boyle  conditionally 
accepted.  On  his  return  to  Kentucky,  he  was  tendered  a  circuit  judgeship,  and 
afterwards  a  seat  upon  the  bench  of  the  court  of  appeals.  The  latter  he  accepted, 
and  entered  upon  its  onerous  and  responsible  duties  on  the  4th  of  April,  1809. 
Ninian  Edwards,  then  chief  justice  of  the  court,  solicited  and  obtained  the  relin- 
quished governorship. 

On  the  3d  of  April,  1810,  Judge  Boyie  was  promoted  to  the  chief  justiceship, 
which  he  continued  to  hold  until  the  8th  of  November,  182G.  The  decisions  of 
the  court,  while  he  was  upon  the  bench,  are  comprised  in  fifteen  volumes  of  the 
State  Reports,  from  1st  Bibb  to  3d  Monroe,  and  are  marked  with  firmness  and 
purity. 

Chief  Justice  Boyle  was  the  head  of  the  "  Old  Court"  of  appeals,  during  the 
intensely  exciting  contest  of  three  years  duration,  between  the  "Relief"  or 
"  New  Court,"  and  the  "Anti-Relief"  or  "Old  Court"  parties.  The  notes  of 
"  The  Bank  of  the  Commonwealth,"  issued  upon  a  deficient  capital,  were  ne- 
cessarily quite  fluctuating  in  value — at  one  time  depreciating  more  than  fifty  per 
cent.  A  serious  revulsion  in  the  monetary  interests  of  the  State,  opened  the  way 
for  a  system  of  popular  legislation,  designed  to  satisfy  temporarily  the  cry  for  re- 
lief. The  two  years  replevin  law — prolonging  from  three  months  to  two  years 
the  right  of  replevying  judgments  and  decrees  on  contracts,  unless  the  creditor 
would  accept  Commonwealth  bank  money  at  par — was  the  crowning  project  of 
the  system.  The  court  of  appeals  unanimously  decided  the  statute  unconstitu- 
tional, so  far  as  it  was  designed  to  be  retroactive — a  step  that  brought  upon  them 
the  full  torrent  of  popular  abuse  and  indignation.  The  relief  party  carried  the 
day  at  the  election  soon  after,  (1823),  and  on  the  meeting  of  the  legislature,  an 
address  was  voted — by  less  than  ftco-l/iirds,  as  the  constitution  required,  to  re- 
move by  address — calling  upon  the  governor  to  remove  the  appellate  judges,  and 
setting  forth  their  decision  as  unauthorised,  ruinous  and  absurd.  This  bold  etfort 
at  intimidation  failing  in  its  end,  at  the  succeeding  session  the  majority,  grown 
more  determined  as  the  echo  of  the  popular  will  became  louder,  "re-organized" 
the  court  of  appeals,  or  abolished  the  court  established  by  the  constitution,  and 
instituted  a  new  court,  for  which  purpose  commissions  were  issued  to  other  per- 
sons. Matters  now  reached  a  crisis,  and  Kentucky  was  required  either  to  take 
her  stand  by  the  broad  fundamental  law  which  had  so  powerfully  contributed  to 
her  progress,  or  to  yield  to  the  inconstant,  unreasonable  and  selfish  clamor  that 
rang  hoarsely  through  the  State.  The  struggle  was,  as  it  were,  for  the  life  of 
the  State — involving  the  stability  of  a  constitutional  government,  and  the  effi- 
ciency and  independence  of  an  enlightened  judiciary.  In  August,  1826,  the  appeal 
to  the  ballot  box  decided  the  contest.  The  "  Old  Court"  party  triumphed,  and 
confidence  was  gradually  restored  in  the  ability,  integrity  and  purity  of  Chief 
Justice  Boyle  and  his  associates. 

In  the  November  following,  the  earliest  day  at  which  it  could  be  done  consis- 
tently with  his  determination  to  ride  out  the  judicial  storm  the  memorable  deci- 
sion of  the  court  had  brewed,  Boyle  resigned  the  chief  justiceship  of  Kentucky. 
But  his  services  upon  the  bench  were  too  highly  appreciated  to  be  dispensed  with. 
The  federal  government,  anticipating  his  resignation,  tendered  him  the  office  of 
district  judge  of  Kentucky,  which  he  accepted,  and  was  induced  to  hold,  although 
his  better  judgment  |)rom]ited  him  to  give  it  up,  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
on  the  28th  day  of  January,  1835.  His  estimable  lady  preceded  him  a  year  and 
a  half,  having  fallen  a  victim  to  that  scourge  of  the  nations,  the  cholera,  in  1833. 

The  appointment  of  associate  justice  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States 
was  lwi(;e  within  his  reach  ;  but  he  loved  retirement,  and  distrusted  his  qualifi- 
cations for  a  position  so  responsible.  Upon  the  death  of  Judge  Todd,  he  refused 
to  be  recommended  as  his  successor;  and,  subsequently,  expressed  the  same  un- 
willingness upon  the  demise  of  Judge  Trimble,  of  the  same  court. 

For  one  year,  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  he  was  sole  professor  in  the  Tran- 
sylvania law  school.  Numbers  of  young  men  followed  him  to  the  quiet  of  his 
home,  where  his  pleasures  were  divided  between  teaching  law,  miscellaneous 
reading,  and  the  cares  of  his  family  and  farm. 


AUGUSTA  COLLEGE,  AUGUSTA,  KY. 


BRACKEN   COUNTY.  209 

His  dying  ejaculation — "  /  have  lived  for  my  country''' — is  the  best  eulogium 
that  could  be  written  upon  his  life  and  public  services.  In  all  the  relations  of 
father,  friend,  representative  and  judge,  his  conduct  and  conversation  marked  him 
as  a  man,  tender  and  sympathising,  generous  and  disinterested,  faithful  and  vigi- 
lant, deliberative  and  incorruptible. 


BRACKEN     COUNTY. 

Bracken  county  was  formed  in  1796,  lies  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  state,  on  the  Ohio  river,  and  bounded  as  follows :  North  by 
the  Ohio  river,  east  by  Mason,  west  by  Pendleton,  south-west  by 
Harrison,  and  south-east  by  Nicholas.  Brooksville  is  the  county 
seat — Augusta  the  principal  town  and  landing  place  or  depot. 
The  lands  of  the  county  are  high,  and  the  surface  rolling  and 
hilly,  such  as  usually  border  on  the  Ohio  river,  the  south-west 
resting  upon  the  Licking  river.  The  upper  part,  bordering  on 
Mason,  is  rich  and  fertile.  The  staples  are  tobacco,  wheat,  corn 
and  pork.  The  finest  '•'■Mason  county  tobacco''''  is  raised  in  Bracken ; 
the  wheat  crops  are  good,  and  the  land,  when  new,  produces 
good  corn. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  Bracken  124,844  ;  taxable  property 
in  1846,  $1,750,242  ;  average  value  of  land  per  acre,  $7,99  ;  num- 
ber of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  1,421  ;  number 
of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  old,  1,675.  Popula- 
tion in  1830,  6,392— in  1840,  7,053. 

Augusta  lies  on  the  Ohio  river,  six  miles  below  the  Mason  line, 
and  immediately  below  the  mouth  of  Bracken  creek.  The  town 
includes  three  hundred  acres  of  land,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  situations  on  the  Ohio  river,  with  a  fine  harbor.  It  is 
eighteen  miles  below  Maysville,  and  forty-five  miles  above  Cin- 
cinnati— has  three  lawyers,  four  physicians,  and  contains  three 
brick  churches,  (Methodist,  Presbyterian  and  Baptist),  the  town 
hall,  a  large  brick  building  fifty  feet  square,  the  spacious  and  el- 
egant edifice  of  the  Augusta  college,  large  steam  saw  and  mer- 
chant mills,  an  extensive  tannery,  ten  stores  and  groceries,  one 
book  and  drug  store,  three  tobacco  warehouses,  a  large  number 
of  mechanics'  shops,  and  1,200  inhabitants.  A  letter  from  Gen. 
John  Payne,  who  has  resided  many  years  in  Augusta,  and  who 
was  an  active,  brave,  and  efficient  officer  under  Harrison  at  the 
Mississinaway  towns,  and  on  the  north-west  frontier  during  the 
last  war  with  Great  Britain,  gives  the  following  interesting  ac- 
count of  the  ancient  remains  discovered  in  that  place  : 

The  bottom  on  vyhich  Augusta  is  situated,  is  a  large  burying  ground  of  the  ancients. 
A  post  hole  cannot  be  dug  without  turning  up  human  bones.  They  have  been  found  in 
great  numbers,  and  of  all  sizes,  every  where  between  the  mouths  of  Bracken  and  Locust 
creeks,  a  distance  of  about  a  mile  and  a  half.  From  the  cellar  under  my  dwelling,  sixty  by 
seventy  feet,  one  hundred  and  ten  skeletons  were  taken.  I  numbered  them  by  the  skulls  ,• 
and  there  might  have  been  many  more,  whose  skulls  had  crumbled  into  dust.  My  garden 
was  a  cemetery  ;  it  is  full  of  bones,  and  the  richest  ground  I  ever  saw.  The  skeletons  were 
of  all  sizes,  from  seven  feet  to  the  infant.     David  Kilgour  (who  was  a  tall  and  very  large 

14 


210  '         BREATHITT  COUNTY. 

man)  passed  our  village  at  the  time  I  was  excavating  my  cellar,  and  we  took  him  down  and 
applied  a  thigh  bone  to  his — the  owner,  if  well  proportioned,  must  have  been  some  ten  or 
twelve  inches  taller  than  Kilgour,  and  the  lower  jaw  bone  would  slip  on  over  his,  skin  and 
all.  Who  were  they  ?  How  came  their  bones  there  ?  Among  the  Indians  there  is  no  tra- 
dition that  any  town  was  located  near  here,  or  that  any  battle  was  ever  fought  near  here. 
When  I  was  in  the  army,  I  inquired  of  old  Crane,  a  Wyandott,  and  of  Anderson,  a  Dela- 
ware, both  intelligent  old  chiefs,  (the  former  died  at  camp  Seneca  in  1813,)  and  they  could 
give  no  information  in  reference  to  these  remains  of  antiquity.  They  knew  the  localities  at 
the  mouths  of  Locust,  Turtle  and  Bracken  creeks,  but  they  knew  nothing  of  any  town  or 
village  near  there.  In  my  garden,  Indian  arrow  heads  of  flint  have  been  found,  and  an 
earthen  ware  of  clay  and  pounded  muscle.  Some  of  the  largest  trees  of  the  forest  were 
growing  over  these  remains  when  the  land  was  cleared  in  1792. 

Augusta  College,  one  of  the  best  literary  institutions  of  the  west,  is  located 
here.  It  is  under  the  patronage  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  was  the 
first  college  ever  established  by  that  denomination  in  the  world.  The  college 
was  founded  in  1822 — has  six  professorships,  and  a  preparatory  and  primary 
school  attached  to  it.  The  number  of  students  varies  from  one  hundred  to  one 
hundred  and  fifty.  The  library  contains  2,500  volumes.  Commencement  on 
Thursday  after  the  first  Wednesday  in  August.  Rev.  Joseph  S.  Tomlinson, 
D.  D.  President. 

Brooksville,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  nine  miles  from  Au^sta,  and 
about  sixty-five  miles  from  Frankfort — contains  a  commodious 
brick  court-house  and  other  public  buildings  ;  three  taverns,  three 
stores,  three  lawyers,  two  physicians,  and  four  mechanics'  shops. 
Population  about  seventy-five.  Namedafter  David  Brooks.  Pow- 
ersvi/le,  is  a  small  village,  three  miles  south  of  Brooksville,  con- 
taining but  few  inhabitants.  Gcrmantown,  a  handsome  village, 
lies  on  the  line  between  Mason  and  Bracken, — the  greatest  portion 
in  Bracken. 

The  soil  of  Bracken  is  based  on  yellow  clay,  with  limestone  foundation.  Tim- 
ber, in  some  parts,  sugar  tree,  buckeye,  black  walnut  and  hickory ;  in  others, 
white  and  black  oak.  Gold  has  been  found  in  the  county,  and  it  is  believed  by 
some  of  the  most  intelligent  citizens  that,  upon  a  strict  examination,  by  competent 
persons,  this  precious  metal  might  be  found  in  great  abundance. 

This  county  derived  its  name  from  two  creeks  :  Big  and  Little 
Bracken,  and  these  creeks  were  called  for  an  old  hunter,  named 
Bracken,  who  settled  on  the  banks  of  one  of  them,  and  is  supposed 
to  have  been  killed  by  the  Indians  at  an  early  period  of  the  settle- 
ment of  Kentucky. 


BREATHITT    COUNTY. 

Breathftt  county  was  formed  in  1839,  and  called  after  the  late 
Governor  Breathitt.  It  is  situated  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State, 
on  the  head  waters  of  the  Kentucky  river ;  and  is  bounded  on 
the  north  by  Morgan  county  ;  east  by  Floyd  ;  south  by  Perry,  and 
west  by  Owsley.  Jackson  is  the  county  seat  and  only  tovi^n.  The 
surface  is  hilly,  interspersed  with  rich  and  productive  vallies — the 
soil  based  on  red  clay,  with  sandstone  foundation.  The  county 
abounds  in  bituminous  coal,  large  quantities  of  which  are  sent  to 
market  annually,  down  the  Kentucky  river.  Iron  ore  is  also  found 
in  abundance ;  and  salt  is  manufactured  to  some  extent.     The 


BREATHITT   COUNTY.  211 

principal  articles  of  export  are  coal,  timber,  beeswax  and  ginseng. 
Taxable  property  of  the  county  in  1846,  $323,479.  Number  of 
acres  of  land  in  Breathitt  162,121  ;  number  of  white  males  over 
twenty-one  years,  528 ;  number  of  children  between  the  ages  of 
five  and  sixteen  years,  868.     Population  in  1840,  2,195. 

Jackson,  the  county  seat,  received  its  name  in  honor  of  the  late 
president  Jackson.  It  contains  the  county  buildings,  one  Metho- 
dist church,  one  Reformed  church,  two  schools,  five  stores  and 
groceries,  two  taverns,  three  lawyers,  one  doctor  and  five  me- 
chanical trades.     Population,  150. 

John  Breathitt,  late  governor  of  Kentucky,  (for  whom  this  county  was  called) 
was  a  native  of  the  state  of  Virginia.  He  was  the  eldest  child  of  William 
Breathitt,  and  was  born  on  the  ninth  day  of  September,  1786,  about  two  miles 
from  New  London,  near  the  road  leading  to  Lynchburg.  His  father  removed  from 
Virginia,  and  settled  in  Logan  county,  Kentucky,  in  the  year  1800,  where  he 
raised  a  family  of  five  sons  and  four  daughters.  The  old  gentleman  was  a  farmer, 
possessed  of  a  few  servants  and  a  tract  of  land,  but  not  sufficiently  wealthy  to 
give  his  children  collegiate  educations.  The  schools  of  his  neighborhood  (for  it 
should  be  remembered  the  Green  river  country  was  a  wilderness  in  1800),  afforded 
but  few  opportunities  for  the  advancement  of  pupils.  John,  the  subject  of  this 
notice,  made  the  best  use  of  the  means  for  improvement  placed  within  his  reach, 
and  by  diligent  attention  to  his  books,  made  himself  a  good  surveyor.  Before  he 
arrived  at  age,  he  received  an  appointment  as  deputy  surveyor  of  the  public  lands, 
and  in  that  capacity,  surveyed  many  townships  in  the  state  of  Illinois,  then  a 
territory  of  the  United  States. 

John  Breathitt  taught  a  country  school  in  early  life,  and  by  his  industry  and 
economy,  as  teacher  and  surveyor,  he  acquired  property  rapidly,  consisting  mostly 
in  lands,  which  were  easily  obtained  under  the  acts  of  the  assembly  appropriating 
the  public  domain.  After  his  earnings  had  secured  a  capital  capable  of  sustaining 
him  a  few  years,  he  resolved  to  read  law,  which  he  did  under  the  direction  of  the 
late  Judge  Wallace.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  as  a  qualified  attorney,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1810.  His  industry  and  capacity  for  business,  soon  secured  him  a  lucrative 
practice ;  and  from  this  time  he  rapidly  advanced  in  public  estimation. 

In  1810  or  '11,  he  was  elected  to  represent  the  county  of  Logan  in  the  house 
of  representatives  of  the  general  assembly,  and  filled  the  same  office  for  several 
years  in  succession.  In  1828,  he  was  elected  lieutenant  governor  of  the 
commonwealth,  the  duties  of  which  station  he  filled  with  great  dignity  and 
propriety.  In  1832,  he  was  elected  governor,  but  did  not  live  to  the  end  of  his 
official  term.  He  died  in  the  governor's  house,  in  Frankfort,  on  the  21st  of 
February,  1834. 

It  is  not  the  design  of  the  writer  to  notice  the  political  principles,  official  acts, 
and  measures  of  policy  recommended  or  executed  by  Governor  Breathitt.  These 
may  be  found  among  the  archives  and  records  of  the  country,  and  their  considera- 
tion here  would  swell  this  article  to  the  magnitude  of  a  lengthy  work.  It  may 
not,  however,  be  improper  to  say,  that  Governor  Breathitt  acted  with  the  demo- 
cratic party,  and  espoused  with  warmth  the  election  of  General  Jackson  to  the 
presidency  in  1828  and  1832. 

Governor  Breathitt  had  two  wives,  both  of  whom  he  survived.  The  first  was 
Miss  Whitaker,  daughter  of  William  Whitaker  of  Logan  county  ;  and  the  second 
was  Miss  Susan  M.  Harris,  daughter  of  Richard  Harris,  of  Chesterfield  county, 
Virginia.  By  his  first  wife  he  left  a  son  and  daughter,  and  by  his  last  a  daughter. 

Governor  Breathitt,  in  all  his  transactions,  was  considerate  and  cautious. 
Rashness  was  no  part  of  his  character.  He  was  nevertheless,  firm,  and  pursued 
his  objects  with  great  assiduity,  after  resolving  upon  the  course  he  intended  to 
pursue.  He  did  not  commit  himself  in  favor  of  any  measure,  without  beforehand 
weighing  the  consequences  with  much  deliberation. 

As  a  husband,  father,  friend  and  neighbor,  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  Gov- 
ernor Breathitt  had  no  superior.     In  all  the  relations  of  life,  he  was  actuated  by 


212  BRECKINRIDGE    COUNTY. 

a  spirit  of  indulgence  and  benevolence.  The  comfort  and  happiness  of  others, 
•with  him  were  objects  of  pre-eminent  solicitude.  His  affection  and  kindness  to 
his  relations,  manifested  itself  in  an  eminent  degree,  by  the  assistance  he  gave 
his  father,  and  the  liberal  expenditures  he  made  in  educating  his  brothers  and 
sisters.  To  associates  of  his  profession,  he  was  uniformly  courteous,  and  ever 
ready  to  give  the  younger  members  of  the  bar  aid  and  instruction. 


BRECKINRIDGE      COUNTY. 

The  county  of  Breckinridge  was  formed  in  the  year  1799,  and 
was  named  in  honor  of  the  Hon.  John  Breckinridge.  It  is  situa- 
ted in  the  western-middle  part  of  the  State,  and  bounded  on  the 
north  by  the  Ohio  river,  on  the  east  by  Hardin,  on  the  south  by 
Grayson,  and  on  the  west  by  Hancock  county. 

The  face  of  the  country  is  generally  rolling,  high,  dry,  and 
finely  watered.  The  climate  is  pleasant  and  healthy;  the  soil 
fertile,  with  a  basis  of  red  clay  and  limestone.  The  principal 
water  courses  are.  Sinking  creek,  the  North  Fork  of  Rough  creek, 
main  Rough  creek,  and  Clover  creek. 

The  principal  products  of  the  county  are  tobacco,  corn,  wheat, 
and  oats.  Four  thousand  five  hundred  hogsheads  of  tobacco  are 
annually  raised  and  exported.  The  total  wealth  of  the  county  in 
1846,  according  to  the  auditor's  report,  was  $1,933,364.  Number 
of  acres  of  land,  309,926.  The  population  in  1830  was  7,345 — 
in  1840  it  was  8,944;  showing  an  increase  of  population  in  ten 
years  of  1,599. 

The  principal  towns  are  Hardinsburg,  Cloverport,  Stephens- 
port,  Hudsonville,  Constantine,  and  Jackeysburg. 

Hardinsburg  is  the  seat  of  justice,  and  was  named  in  honor  of 
Captain  William  Hardin,  a  distinguished  Indian  fighter.  It  was 
laid  out  in  town  lots  in  1782 ;  incorporated  in  1800,  and  contains 
a  population  of  eight  hundred  inhabitants. 

Cloverport  is  the  second  town  in  the  county  ;  it  is  a  place  of 
considerable  importance  as  a  shipping  point,  and  contains  a  pop- 
ulation of  seven  hundred  inhabitants.  Its  immediate  neighbor- 
hood abounds  in  extensive  banks  of  coal  of  fine  quality.  Four 
miles  from  Cloverport  are  the  Breckinridge,  Tar,  and  White  Sul- 
phur Springs,  which  are  becoming  one  of  the  most  fashionable 
watering  places  in  the  State. 

Stephensport  is  a  neat  and  handsome  village,  of  some  commer- 
cial importance,  situated  on  the  Ohio  river,  at  the  mouth  of  Sink- 
ing creek.  It  contains  a  population  of  two  hundred  inhabitants, 
and  was  incorporated  in  1825.  The  remaining  towns  are  Hud- 
sonsville,  Constantine,  and  Jackeysbm-g. 

Breckinridge  county  possesses  a  very  remarkable  curiosity,  in 
Sinking  creek,  a  considerable  stream,  which  supplies  a  suiBciency 
of  water  to  drive  machinery  during  the  entire  year.   Six  or  seven 


BRECKINRIDGE   COUNTY.  213 

miles  from  its  source,  the  creek  suddenly  sinks  beneath  the  earth, 
showing  no  trace  of  its  existence  for  five  or  six  miles,  when  it 
re-appears  above  ground,  and  flows  into  the  Ohio.  On  this  creek 
is  to  be  seen  a  natural  rock  mill-dam,  eight  feet  high,  and  forty 
feet  wide,  which  answers  all  the  purposes  of  a  dam  to  a  mill 
which  has  been  erected  at  the  place  by  a  Mr.  Huston.  Near  the 
creek  is  a  large  cave,  called  Penitentiary  cave,  which  has  never 
been  fully  explored.  Some  of  the  apartments  are  said  to  rival, 
in  the  splendor  and  magnificence  of  their  scenery,  the  celebrated 
Mammoth  cave  in  Edmonson  county.  In  one  of  the  rooms,  about 
one  hundred  yards  from  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  the  roof  is  from 
sixty  to  seventy  feet  high,  and  on  the  floor  there  are  thi-ee  natural 
basins  or  troughs  of  cool,  clear  water,  of  very  remarkable  con- 
struction and  appearance,  fifteen  feet  in  length,  four  feet  wide, 
and  twelve  inches  deep.  These  basins  are  elevated  above  the 
level  of  the  floor  in  the  form  of  troughs,  and  it  is  remarkable  that 
the  stone  which  forms  the  sides  and  ends  of  the  basins,  do  not 
exceed  in  thickness  the  blade  of  a  table  knife. 

One  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  that  portion  of  Kentucky  which  now  forms  the 
county  of  Breckinridge,  was  Capt.  William  Hardin,  a  noted  hunter  and  Indian 
fighter — a  man  of  dauntless  courage  and  resolution — cool,  calm,  and  self-pos- 
sessed in  the  midst  of  most  appalling  dangers,  and  perfectly  skilled  in  all  the 
wiles  and  arts  of  border  warfare.  Soon  after  Capt.  Hardin  had  erected  a  station 
in  what  is  now  the  county  of  Breckinridge,  intelligence  was  received  that  the 
Indians  were  building  a  town  on  Saline  creek,  in  the  present  state  of  Illinois. 
Hardin,  not  well  pleased  that  the  savages  should  establish  themselves  in  such 
close  vicinity  to  his  little  settlement,  determined  to  dislodge  them.  He  soon  had 
collected  around  him  a  force  of  eighty  select  men ;  the  hardiest  and  boldest  of 
those  noted  hunters  whose  lives  were  passed  in  a  continual  round  of  perilous  ad- 
venture. 

When  this  force  reached  the  vicinity  of  the  lick,  they  discovered  Indian  signs, 
and  approaching  the  town  cautiously,  they  found  it  in  the  possession  of  three  war- 
riors who  had  been  left  to  guard  the  camp.  Hardin  ordered  his  men  to  fire  on 
them,  which  they  did,  killing  two.  The  third  attempted  to  make  his  escape, 
but  he  was  shot  down  as  he  ran.  He  succeeded,  however,  in  regaining  his  feet, 
and  ran  fifty  yards,  leaped  up  a  perpendicular  bank,  six  feet  high,  and  fell  dead. 

In  the  mean  time,  Hardin,  correctly  supposing  that  the  main  body  of  the  In- 
dians were  out  on  a  hunting  expedition,  and  would  shortly  return,  made  immedi- 
ate preparation  for  battle.  He  accordingly  selected  a  place  where  a  few  acres  of 
timbered  land  were  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  the  prairie.  Here  he  posted  his  men 
with  orders  to  conceal  themselves  behind  the  trees,  and  reserve  their  fire  until  the 
Indians  should  approach  within  twenty-five  yards.  Soon  after  the  little  band  had 
taken  their  position,  they  discovered  the  Indians  rapidly  approaching  on  their  trail, 
and  numbering  apparently  between  eighty  and  one  hundred  men.  When  the  sav- 
ages had  arrived  within  one  hundred  yards  of  the  position  of  the  Kentuckians, 
one  of  the  men,  in  his  impatience  to  begin  the  battle,  forgot  the  order  of  the  cap- 
tain, and  fired  his  gun.  Immediately  the  Indians  charged,  and  the  fight  com- 
menced in  earnest. 

At  the  first  fire,  Captain  Hardin  was  shot  through  the  thighs.  Without,  how- 
ever, resigning  his  command,  or  yielding  to  the  pain  of  his  wound,  he  sat  down 
on  a  large  log,  and  during  the  whole  action,  continued  to  encourage  his  men  and 
give  forth  his  orders,  with  as  much  coolness,  promptitude,  and  self-possession,  as 
if  engaged  in  the  most  ordinary  avocation.  This  more  than  Spartan  firmness  and 
resolution,  was  not,  however,  anything  very  remarkable  in  the  early  history  of 
Kentucky.  Every  battle  field  furnished  many  examples  of  similar  heroism.  The 
iron  men  of  those  times,  seem,  indeed,  to  have  been  born  insensible  to  fear,  and 
impregnable  to  pain.     The  coolness,  courage,  and  unyielding  determination  of 


214  JOHN   BRECKINRIDGE. 

Hardin,  in  this  trying  situation,  no  doubt  contributed  greatly  to  the  success  of  the 
day ;  and  after  a  severe  contest,  in  which  some  thirty  of  the  savages  fell,  they 
were  finally  repulsed.  The  loss  of  the  whites,  in  killed  and  wounded,  was  very 
considerable.  During  the  action  the  parties  were  frequently  engaged  hand  to 
hand. 

This  battle  was  never  reported  to  the  government,  and  it  seems  to  have  es- 
caped the  notice  of  the  historians  of  early  times  in  Kentucky ;  though  it  was, 
unquestionably,  one  of  the  most  fiercely  contested  battles  ever  fought  in  the  west. 

The  Honorable  John  Breckinridge,  [for  whom  this  county  was  named],  was 
the  second  son  of  Colonel  Robert  Breckinridge,  of  Augusta  county,  Virginia, 
and  was  born  on  a  farm,  upon  a  part  of  which  the  town  of  Staunton  now  stands, 
on  the  2d  day  of  December,  1760.  His  paternal  ancestors  were  what  were  then 
called  "  Scotch  Irish,"  that  is,  they  were  Presbyterians — from  the  north  of  Ire 
land,  immediately — but  originally  from  Scotland.  After  the  restoration  of 
Charles  II.,  they  were  hotly  persecuted  in  Ayreshire,  their  original  seat,  and 
being  driven  out  from  thence,  spent  half  a  century  in  the  highlands  of  Breadal- 
bane,  and  removed  thence  to  Ireland,  and  early  in  the  last  century  to  "Virginia; 
a  portion  of  the  persecuted  remnant  of  the  Scotch  Covenanters,  who  suffered 
so  long  and  so  heroically  for  liberty  and  the  reformed  religion.  His  paternal 
and  maternal  grand  fathers  both  lie  buried  in  the  grave  yard  of  the  Tinkling 
Springs  congregation,  in  the  county  of  Augusta,  of  which  both  of  them  were 
ruling  elders.  His  mother,  Lettice  Preston,  was  the  oldest  child  of  John  Pres- 
ton and  Elizabeth  Patton,  and  was  the  second  wife  of  his  father.  General 
James  Breckinridge,  of  Virginia,  was  his  younger,  and  a  full  brother;  General 
Robert  Breckinridge,  of  Kentucky,  was  his  elder,  and  a  half  brother. 

At  a  very  early  age,  he  was  carried  by  his  father  to  the  neighborhood  of 
Fincastle,  in  Bottetourt  county,  Virginia,  whither  he  removed,  and  where  he 
died,  when  his  son  was  about  eleven  years  of  age ;  leaving  a  widow,  and  seven 
children,  in  circumstances  which  we  should  now  consider  narrow  :  and  exposed, 
upon  what  was  then  almost  the  extreme  limit  of  the  white  settlements,  to  all  the 
dangers  of  an  Indian  frontier;  and  this  only  a  few  years  before  the  commence- 
ment of  our  long  and  bloody  struggle  for  National  Independence,  which  was 
ended  about  the  time  the  subject  of  this  notice  arrived  at  man's  estate. 

Raised  in  the  midst  of  dangers,  hardships,  and  privations ;  the  tradition  of  his 
family  replete  only  with  tales  of  suffering  and  exile,  for  conscience  sake ;  and  a 
widowed  mother  and  orphan  family — of  which  he  became  the  head  at  the  age  of 
early  boyhood — the  objects  of  his  constant  care  ;  it  is  by  no  means  strange  that 
his  powerful  character  and  uncommon  talents,  should  have  been  early  and  re- 
markably developed.  A  calm,  simple,  correct  man — gentle  to  those  he  loved — 
stern  and  open  to  those  he  could  not  trust — always  true,  always  brave,  always 
self  dependent,  it  is  just  in  such  a  way,  that  such  circumstances  would  mould 
and  develop  such  a  nature  as  his.  But  it  is  not  so  easy  to  ascertain  how  it  was, 
that  in  his  circumstances,  there  should  have  been  implanted  in  him,  from  earliest 
childhood,  a  thirst  for  knowledge  that  seemed  to  the  end  of  his  life,  insatiable ; 
nor  could  anything  less  than  the  highest  mental  endowments,  directed  with 
energy  that  never  flagged,  explain  the  extent,  the  variety,  and  the  richness  of 
the  acquisitions  which  he  was  enabled  to  make.  His  education,  both  preparatory 
and  professional,  was  privately  conducted,  and  so  far  as  is  now  known,  chiefly 
without  other  aid  than  books,  except  about  two  years,  which  he  spent  at  the  col- 
lege of  William  and  Mary,  in  Virginia.  During  the  latter  part  of  his  attendance 
at  this  ancient  seat  of  learning,  and  when  he  was  about  nineteen  years  of  age,  he 
was  elected  to  the  Virginia  house  of  burgesses,  from  the  county  of  Bottetourt, 
without  his  having  even  suspected  that  such  a  matter  was  in  agitation.  On  ac- 
count of  his  youth,  the  election  was  twice  set  aside,  and  it  was  only  on  the  third 
return,  and  against  his  own  wishes  and  remonstrances,  that  he  took  his  seat. 
From  this  time  to  the  period  of  his  death,  he  lived  constantly,  as  a  lawyer  and  a 
statesman,  in  the  public  eye. 

In  the  year  1785  he  married  Mary  Hopkins  Cabell,  a  daughter  of  Colonel 
Joseph  Cabell,  of  Buckingham  county,  Virginia;  and  settled' in  the  county  of 
Albemarle,  and  practised  law  in  that  region  of  Virginia,  until  the  year  1793,  in 
the  spring  of  which  he  removed  to  Kentucky,  and  settled  in  Lexington ;  near  ta 


BRECKINRIDGE   COUNTY.  215 

which  place,  at  •'  Cabell's  Dale,"  in  the  county  of  Fayette,  he  resided  till  the 
period  of  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  14th  December,  1806,  when  he  had 
just  completed  his  46th  year. 

As  a  lawyer,  no  man  of  his  day  excelled  him,  and  very  few  could  be  compared 
with  him.  Profoundly  acquainted  with  his  profession,  highly  gifted  as  a  public 
speaker,  laborious  and  exact  in  the  performance  of  all  his  professional  duties  and 
engagements — these  great  qualities,  united  to  his  exalted  private  character,  gave 
him  a  position  at  the  bar,  which  few  men  ever  attained,  or  ever  deserved;  and 
enabled  him,  besides  the  great  distinction  he  acquired,  to  accumulate  a  large  for- 
tune. An  event  extremely  characteristic  attended  the  disposition  of  his  estate: 
for  on  his  death  bed,  he  absolutely  refused  to  make  a  will,  saying  that  he  had 
done  his  best  to  have  such  provisions  made  by  law  for  the  distribution  of  estates, 
as  seemed  to  him  wise  and  just,  and  he  would  adhere  to  it  for  his  own  family. 
At  the  end  of  forty  years,  it  is  not  unworthy  to  be  recorded,  that  his  wisdom  and 
foresight,  in  this  remarkable  transaction,  did  not  lose  their  reward. 

As  a  statesman,  very  few  men  of  his  generation  occupied  a  more  commanding 
position,  or  mingled  more  controllingly  with  all  the  great  questions  of  the  day  ; 
and  not  one  enjoyed  a  more  absolute  popularity,  or  maintained  a  more  spotless 
reputation.  He  took  a  leading,  perhaps  a  decisive  part  in  all  the  great  questions 
of  a  local  character  that  agitated  Kentucky,  from  1793  to  1806,  and  whose  settle- 
ment still  exerts  a  controlling  influence  upon  the  character  of  her  people  and  in- 
stitutions. The  constitution  of  1798-99,  which  is  still  preserved  unaltered,  was 
more  the  work  of  his  hands  than  of  any  one  single  man.  The  question  of  negro 
slavery,  as  settled  in  that  constitution,  upon  a  middle  and  moderate  ground, — the 
ground  which  Kentucky  still  occupies — the  systematizing,  to  some  extent,  the 
civil  and  criminal  codes — the  simplification  of  the  land  law — the  law  of 
descents — the  penitentiary  system — the  abolition  of  the  punishment  of  death, 
except  for  wilful  murder  and  treason — all  these,  and  many  other  important  sub- 
jects, of  a  kindred  nature,  fell  under  his  moulding  labors  at  the  forming  period  of 
the  commonwealth,  and  remain  still  nearly  as  they  were  adjusted  half  a  century 
ago.  In  those  vital  questions  that  involved  the  destiny  of  the  whole  west,  and 
threatened  the  plan  if  not  the  continuance  of  the  Union  itself,  no  man  took  an 
earlier  or  more  decided  stand.  It  is  capable  of  proof,  that  the  fret  navigation  of 
the  Mississippi  river,  and  subsequently  the  purchase  of  Louisiana  (which  latter 
act,  though  it  covered  Mr.  Jefferson  with  glory,  he  hesitated  to  perform,  upon 
doubts  both  as  to  its  policy  and  constitutionality),  were  literally  forced  upon  the 
general  government  by  demonstrations  from  the  west,  in  which  the  mind  and  the 
hand  of  this  great  patriot  and  far-sighted  statesman  were  conspicuous  above  all. 

As  a  statesman,  however,  he  is  best  known  as  one  of  the  leading  men — perhaps 
in  the  west,  the  undoubted  leader  of  the  old  democratic  party;  which  came  into 
power  with  Mr.  Jeflferson,  as  president,  under  whose  administration  he  was  made 
attorney  general  of  the  United  States.  He  was  an  ardent  friend,  personal  and 
political,  of  Mr.  Jefferson  ;  he  coincided  with  him  upon  the  great  principles  of  the 
old  democracy;  he  concerted  with  him  and  Mr.  Madison,  and  others  of  kindred 
views,  the  movements  which  brought  the  democratic  party  into  power;  he  sup- 
ported the  interests  of  that  party  with  pre-eminent  ability,  in  the  legislature  of 
Kentucky,  and  in  the  senate  of  the  United  States ;  and  died  as  much  beloved, 
honored  and  trusted  by  it,  as  any  man  he  left  behind.  Some  twenty  years  after 
his  death,  it  began  to  be  whispered,  and  then  to  be  intimated  in  a  i&vi  news- 
papers, that  the  Kentucky  resolutions  of  1798-9,  which  he  offered,  and  which 
was  the  first  great  movement  against  the  alien  and  sedition  laws — and  the  general 
principles  of  the  party  that  passed  them,  were  in  fact  the  production  of  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson himself,  and  not  of  John  Breckinridge  ;  and  it  is  painful  to  reflect  that  Mr. 
Jefferson  did  certainly  connive  at  this  mean  calumny  upon  the  memory  of  his 
friend.  The  family  of  Mr.  Breckinridge  have  constantly  asserted  that  their  father 
was  the  sole  and  true  author  of  these  resolutions,  and  constantly  defied  the  pro- 
duction of  proof  to  the  contrary  :  and  there  seems  to  be  no  question  that  they  are 
right. 

In  stature,  John  Breckinridge  was  above  the  middle  size  of  men  ;  tall,  slender 
and  muscular ;  a  man  of  great  power  and  noble  appearance.  He  had  very  clear 
gray  eyes,  and  brown  hair,  inclining  to  a  slight  shade  of  red.     He  was  extremely 


216  BULLITT  COUNTY. 

grave  and  silent  in  his  ordinary  intercourse  ;  a  man  singularly  courteous  and 
gentle,  and  very  tenderly  loved  by  those  who  knew  him.  His  family  consisted 
of  nine  children:  two  of  them  only,  with  his  venerable  widow,  still  live;  but  his 
descendants  are  numerous,  both  of  his  own  and  other  names. 


BULLITT   COUNTY. 

BuLLirr  county  was  established  in  1796,  and  named  for  Lieuten- 
ant Governor  Bullitt.  It  is  situated  in  the  north-west  middle 
part  of  the  state,  its  extreme  western  boundary  extending  to  near 
the  mouth  of  Salt  river,  and  is  watered  by  that  stream  and  its 
tributaries.  Bounded  on  the  north  by  Jefferson  ;  east  by  Spencer ; 
south  by  Nelson,  and  on  the  west  by  Hardin  and  Meade, — the 
Rolling  fork  of  Salt  river  washing  its  south-west  border.  This 
county  is  generally  fertile,  though  the  surface  is  rolling ;  the 
scenery  is  variegated  and  beautiful,  the  hills  covered  with  tall 
pine  and  laurel,  and  abounding  in  iron  and  other  ores,  and  salt 
and  mineral  waters.  The  valuation  of  taxable  property  in  1846, 
$1,801,972;  number  of  acres  in  the  county,  162,004;  average 
value  per  acre,  $5,56 ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  1,206;  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  of 
age,  1,313.  Hogs,  cattle  and  sheep,  are  the  principal  articles  of 
commerce  ;  a  great  number  of  the  former  being  driven  to  Louis- 
ville annually.  There  are  in  the  county,  three  woolen  factories, 
four  steam  merchant  mills,  a  number  of  blast  iron  furnaces,  and 
a  rolling  mill  and  forges,  making  superior  iron  and  nails. 

The  towns  in  Bullitt,  are,  Shepherdsville,  Mount  Washington 
and  Pittstown.  Shepherdsville,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  on  Salt 
river,  seventy-four  miles  from  Frankfort — contains  one  Methodist 
church,  (a  handsome  brick  building,  appropriated  to  the  use  of 
Bullitt  academy,)  four  stores,  two  groceries,  five  doctors,  seven 
lawyers,  three  taverns  and  twenty  mechanics'  shops.  Incorpo- 
rated in  1793.  Population  about  four  hundred.  Mount  Wash- 
ington, formerly  Vernon,  a  beautiful  town,  incorporated  in  1822, 
contains  three  churches,  two  schools,  six  stores  and  groceries,  five 
doctors,  one  lawyer,  two  taverns,  and  twelve  mechanical  trades. 
Population  about  seven  hundred.  Pittstown  is  a  small  village, 
situated  at  the  junction  of  the  Rolling  fork  and  main  Salt  river, 
nine  miles  from  Shepherdsville. 

The  Paroquet  Springs,  a  fine  and  popular  watering  place — the 
grounds  beautifully  improved,  with  rooms  sufficient  for  the  accom- 
modation of  six  hundred  persons — is  situated  half  a  mile  above 
Shepherdsville,  in  this  county.  The  water  contains  salt,  iron, 
magnesia  and  salts.  Bullitt's  old  licks,  where  the  first  salt  works 
were  erected  in  Kentucky,  lie  about  three  miles  from  Shepherds- 
ville. 

The  first  forts  and  stations  erected  in  the  county,  were  called  Fort  Nonsense, 
Mud  Garrison,  Breashear's  Station,  Clear's  Station  and  Whitaker's  Station; 
which  were  severally  the  scenes  of  a  number  of  conflicts  with  the  Indians,  who 


BULLITT   COUNTY.  217 

resorted  to  the  licks  to  hunt  the  game,  and  make  salt.  Near  Bullitt's  lick,  on  a 
high  knob,  which  is  called  "  Cahill's  knob,"  the  Indians  whipped  to  death  an  old 
man  whom  they  caught  while  chopping  wood  for  the  salt  works. 

Henry  Crist  was  born  in  the  state  of  Virginia,  in  the  year  1764.  During  the 
revolutionary  war,  his  father,  with  a  numerous  family,  emigrated  to  the  western 
part  of  Pennsylvania,  from  whence  young  Henry  and  other  ardent  youths  of  the 
neighborhood,  made  frequent  and  daring  excursions  into  the  western  wilderness; 
sometimes  into  what  is  now  the  state  of  Ohio,  sometimes  to  Limestone,  (now 
Maysville,)  and  finally  to  the  falls  of  the  Ohio,  which  place  he  first  visited  in  1779. 
The  buffalo  and  deer  had  clearly  indicated  to  the  early  settlers,  those  places  where 
salt  water  was  to  be  found.  The  great  difficulty  of  importing  salt,  the  increasing 
demand  and  high  price  of  the  article,  encouraged  the  attempt  to  manufacture  here 
at  a  very  early  day.  Salt  was  made  at  Bullitt's  lick,  now  in  Bullitt  county,  near 
seventy  years  ago. 

In  Grist's  excursions  to  the  west,  he  had  become  acquainted  and  associated  with 
an  enterprising  Dutchman,  named  Myers,  a  land  agent  and  general  locator,  and  in 
whose  name  more  land  has  been  entered  than  in  that  of  almost  any  other  man  in 
the  west.  This  pursuit  of  locator  of  lands,  brought  Crist  at  a  very  early  day  to 
Bullitt's  lick,  where  he  took  a  prominent  and  active  part  in  some  of  those  scenes 
which  have  contributed  to  the  notoriety  of  that  renowned  resort  of  all  who  lived 
within  fifty  miles  around  in  the  first  settlement  of  the  country.  Here  the  first  salt 
was  made  in  Kentucky,  and  here  from  five  hundred  to  a  thousand  men  were  col- 
lected together  in  the  various  branches  of  salt  making,  as  well  as  buying  of,  sell- 
ing to,  and  guarding  the  salt  makers,  when  Louisville  and  Lexington  could  boast 
but  a  few  hovels,  and  when  the  buffalo  slept  in  security  around  the  base  of  Cap- 
itol hill. 

In  May,  1778,  a  flat  boat  loaded  with  kettles,  intended  for  the  manufacture  of 
salt  at  Bullitt's  lick,  left  Louisville  with  thirteen  persons,  twelve  armed  men  and 
one  woman,  on  board.  The  boat  and  cargo  were  owned  by  Henry  Crist  and  Sol- 
omon Spears;  and  the  company  consisted  of  Crist,  Spears,  Christian  Crepps, 
Thomas  Floyd,  Joseph  Boyce,  Evans  Moore,  an  Irishman  named  Fossett,  and  five 
others,  and  a  woman,  whose  names  the  writer  cannot  now  recollect,  though  he 
has  heard  Crist  often  repeat  them.  The  intention  of  the  party  was  to  descend  the 
Ohio,  which  was  then  very  high,  to  the  mouth  of  Salt  river,  and  then  ascend  the 
latter  river,  the  current  of  which  was  entirely  deadened  by  back  water  from  the 
Ohio,  to  a  place  near  the  licks,  called  Mud  Garrison,  which  was  a  temporary  for- 
tification, constructed  of  two  rows  of  slight  stockades,  and  the  space  between 
filled  with  mud  and  gravel  from  the  bank  of  the  river  hard  by.  The  works  enclosed 
a  space  of  about  half  an  acre,  and  stood  about  midway  between  Bullitt's  lick 
and  the  falls  of  Salt  river,  where  Shepherdsville  now  stands.  These  works  were 
then  occupied  by  the  families  of  the  salt  makers,  and  those  who  hunted  to  supply 
them  with  food,  and  acted  also  as  an  advanced  guard  to  give  notice  of  the  approach 
of  any  considerable  body  of  men. 

On  the  25th  of  May,  the  boat  entered  Salt  river,  and  the  hands  commenced 
working  her  up  with  sweep-oars.  There  was  no  current  one  way  or  the  other — 
while  in  the  Ohio,  the  great  breadth  of  the  river  secured  them  against  any  sud- 
den attack,  but  when  they  came  into  Salt  river,  they  were  within  reach  of  the 
Indian  rifle  from  either  shore.  It  became  necessary,  therefore,  to  send  out  scouts, 
to  apprise  them  of  any  danger  ahead.  In  the  evening  of  the  first  day  of  their  as- 
cent of  the  river,  Crist  and  Floyd  went  ashore  to  reconnoitre  the  bank  of  the  river 
ahead  of  the  boat.  Late  in  the  evening  they  discovered  a  fresh  trail,  but  for 
want  of  light,  they  could  not  make  out  the  number  of  Indians.  They  remained 
out  all  night,  but  made  no  further  discoveries.  In  the  morning,  as  they  were  re- 
turning down  the  river  towards  the  boat,  they  heard  a  number  of  guns,  which 
they  believed  to  be  Indians  killing  game  for  breakfast.  They  hastened  back  to 
the  boat  and  communicated  what  they  had  heard  and  seen. 

They  pulled  on  up  the  river  until  about  eight  o'clock,  and  arrived  at  a  point 
eight  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Rolling  fork,  where  they  drew  into  shore  on 
the  north  side  of  the  river,  now  in  Bullitt  county,  intending  to  land  and  cook  and 
eat  their  breakfast.  As  they  drew  into  shore,  they  heard  the  gobbling  of  turkeys 
(as  they  supposed)  on  the  bank  where  they  were  going  to  land,  and  as  the  boat 
touched,  Fossett  and  another  sprang  ashore,  with  their  guns  in  their  hands,  to 


218  FIGHT  WITH  THE  INDIANS. 

shoot  turkeys.  They  were  cautioned  of  their  danger,  but  disregarding  the  adino« 
nition,  hastily  ascended  the  bank.  Their  companions  in  the  boat  had  barely  lost 
sight  of  them,  when  they  heard  a  volley  of  rifles  discharged  all  at  once  on  the 
bank  immediately  above,  succeeded  by  a  yell  of  savages  so  terrific  as  to  induce 
a  belief  that  the  woods  were  filled  with  Indians.  This  attack,  so  sudden  and  vi- 
olent, took  the  boat's  company  by  surprise ;  and  ihey  had  barely  time  to  seize 
their  rifles  and  place  themselves  in  a  posture  of  defence,  when  Fossett  and  his 
companion  came  dashing  down  the  bank,  hotly  pursued  by  a  large  body  of  Indi- 
ans. Crist  stood  in  the  bow  of  the  boat,  with  his  rifle  in  his  hand.  At  the  first 
sight  of  the  enemy,  he  brought  his  gun  to  his  face,  but  instantly  perceived  that 
the  object  of  his  aim  was  a  white  man,  and  a  sudden  thought  flashed  across  his 
mind,  that  the  enemy  was  a  company  of  surveyors  that  he  knew  to  be  then  in 
the  woods,  and  that  the  attack  was  made  in  sport,  &c.,  let  his  gun  down,  and 
at  the  same  time  his  white  foeinan  sunk  out  of  bis  sight  behind  the  bank.  But 
the  firing  had  begun  in  good  earnest  on  both  sides.  Crist  again  brought  his  rifle 
to  his  face,  and  as  he  did  so  the  white  man's  head  was  rising  over  the  bank,  with 
his  gun  also  drawn  up  and  presented.  Crist  got  the  fire  on  him,  and  at  the  crack 
of  his  rifle  the  white  man  fell  forward  dead.  Fossett's  hunting  companion  plun- 
ged into  the  water,  and  got  in  safely  at  the  bow  of  the  boat.  But  Fossett's  arm 
was  broken  by  the  first  fire  on  the  hill.  The  boat,  owing  to  the  high  water,  did 
not  touch  the  land,  and  he  got  into  the  river  further  toward  the  stern,  and  swam 
round  with  his  gun  in  his  left  hand,  and  was  taken  safely  into  the  stern.  So  in- 
tent were  the  Indians  on  the  pursuit  of  their  prey,  that  many  of  them  ran  to  the 
water's  edge,  struck  and  shot  at  Fossett  and  his  companion  while  they  were  get- 
ting into  the  boat,  and  some  even  seized  the  boat  and  attempted  to  draw  it  nearer 
the  shore.  In  this  attempt  many  of  the  Indians  perished ;  some  were  shot  dead 
as  they  approached  the  boat,  others  were  killed  in  the  river,  and  it  required  the 
most  stubborn  resistance  and  determined  valor  to  keep  them  from  carrying  the 
boat  by  assault.  Repulsed  in  their  eflforts  to  board  the  boat,  the  savages  with 
drew  higher  up  the  bank,  and  taking  their  stations  behind  trees,  commenced 
a  regular  and  galling  fire,  which  was  returned  with  the  spirit  of  brave  men  ren- 
dered desperate  by  the  certain  knowledge  that  no  quarter  would  be  given,  and 
that  it  was  an  issue  of  victory  or  death  to  every  soul  on  board. 

The  boat  had  a  log-chain  for  a  cable,  and  when  she  was  first  brought  ashore, 
the  chain  was  thrown  round  a  small  tree  that  stood  in  the  water's  edge,  and  the 
hook  run  through  one  of  the  links.  This  had  been  done  before  the  first  fire 
was  made  upon  Fossett  on  shore.  The  kettles  in  the  boat  had  been  ranked  up 
along  the  sides,  leaving  an  open  gangway  through  the  middle  of  the  boat  from 
bow  to  stern.  Unfortunately,  the  bow  lay  to  shore,  so  that  the  guns  of  the  Indi- 
ans raked  the  whole  length  of  the  gangway,  and  their  fire  was  constant  and  de- 
structive. Spears  and  several  others  of  the  bravest  men  had  already  fallen,  some 
killed  and  others  mortally  wounded.  From  the  commencement  of  the  battle, 
many  eff"orts  had  been  made  to  disengage  the  boat  from  the  shore,  all  of  which 
had  failed.  The  hope  was  that,  if  they  could  once  loose  the  cable,  the  boat 
would  drift  out  of  the  reach  of  the  enemy's  guns  ;  but  any  attempt  to  do  this  by 
hand  would  expose  the  person  to  certain  destruction.  Fossett's  right  arm  was 
broken,  and  he  could  no  longer  handle  his  rifle.  He  got  a  pole,  and  placing  him- 
self low  down  in  the  bow  of  the  boat,  commenced  punching  at  the  hook 
in  the  chain,  but  the  point  of  the  hook  was  turned  from  him,  and  all  his  efforts 
seemed  only  to  drive  it  further  into  the  link.  He  at  length  discovered  where  a 
small  limb  had  been  cut  from  the  pole,  and  left  a  knot  about  an  inch  long  ;  this 
knot,  after  a  number  of  efforts,  he  placed  against  the  point  of  the  hook,  and,  jerking 
the  pole  suddenly  towards  him,  threw  the  hook  out  of  the  link.  The  chain  fell,  and 
the  boat  drifted  slowly  out  from  the  bank ;  and  by  means  of  an  oar  worked  over 
head,  the  boat  was  brought  into  the  middle  of  the  river,  with  her  side  to  the  shore, 
which  protected  them  from  the  fine  of  the  Indians.  The  battle  had  now  lasted  up- 
wards of  an  hour.  The  odds  against  the  crew  was  at  least  ten  to  one.  The  fire 
had  been  very  destructive  on  both  sides,  and  a  great  many  of  the  Indians  had  been 
killed  ;  but  if  the  boat  had  remained  much  longer  at  the  shore,  it  was  manifest 
that  there  would  have  been  none  of  the  crew  left  to  tell  the  tale  of  their  disaster. 

The  survivors  had  now  time  to  look  round  upon  the  havoc  that  had  been  made 
of  their  little  band.     Five  of  their  companions  lay  dead  in  the  gangway — Spears, 


BULLITT    COUNTY.  219 

Floyd,  Fossett  and  Boyce  were  wounded — Crepps,  Crist  and  Moore  remained 
unhurt.  It  was  evident  that  Spears'  wound  was  mortal,  and  that  he  could  sur- 
vive but  a  few  moments.  He  urged  the  survivors  to  run  the  boat  to  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river,  and  save  themselves  by  immediate  flight,  and  leave  him  to  his 
fate.     Crepps  and  Crist  positively  refused. 

But  the  boat  was  gradually  nearing  the  southern  shore  of  the  river.  At  this 
time  the  Indians,  to  the  number  of  forty  or  fifty,  were  seen  crossing  the  river 
above,  at  a  few  hundred  yards  distance,  some  on  logs,  and  some  swimming  and 
carrying  their  rifles  over  their  heads.  The  escape  of  the  boat  was  now  hopeless, 
as  there  was  a  large  body  of  Indians  on  each  side  of  the  river.  If  the  boat  had 
been  carried  immediately  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  as  soon  as  her  cable 
was  loosed,  the  survivors  might  have  escaped  ;  but  to  such  minds  and  hearts,  the 
idea  of  leaving  their  dying  friends  to  the  mercy  of  the  Indian  tomahawk  was  in- 
supportable. The  boat  at  length  touched  the  southern  shore — a  hasty  preparation 
was  made  to  bear  the  wounded  into  the  woods — Floyd,  Fossett  and  Boyce  got  to 
land,  and  sought  concealment  in  the  thickets.  Crepps  and  Crist  turned  to  their 
^utfering  friend.  Spears,  but  death  had  kindly  stepped  in  and  cut  short  the  savage 
triumph.  The  woman  now  remained.  They  offered  to  assist  her  to  shore,  that 
she  might  take  her  chance  of  escape  in  the  woods ;  but  the  danger  of  her  posi- 
tion, and  the  scenes  of  blood  and  death  around  her,  had  overpowiered  her  senses, 
and  no  entreaty  or  remonstrance  could  prevail  with  her  to  move.  She  sat  with 
her  face  buried  in  her  hands,  and  no  effort  could  make  her  sensible  that  there  was 
any  hope  of  escape. 

The  Indians  had  gained  the  south  side  of  the  river,  and  were  yelling  like 
blood-hounds  as  they  ran  down  towards  the  boat,  which  they  now  looked  upon 
as  their  certain  prey.  Crepps  and  Crist  seized  a  rifle  apiece,  and  ascended  the 
river  bank :  at  the  top  of  the  hill  they  met  the  savages  and  charged  them  with  a 
shout.  Crepps  fired  upon  them,  but  Crist,  in  his  haste,  had  taken  up  Fossett's 
gun,  which  had  got  wet  as  he  swam  with  ii  into  the  boat  on  the  opposite  side — 
it  missed  fire.  At  this  time  Moore  passed  them  and  escaped.  The  Indians, 
when  charged  by  Crepps  and  Crist,  fell  back  into  a  ravine  that  put  into  the  river 
immediately  above  them.  They  parted,  and  met  no  more.  The  Indians,  intent 
on  plunder,  did  not  pursue  them,  but  rushed  into  the  boat.  Crist  heard  one  long, 
agonizing  shriek  from  the  unfortunate  woman,  and  the  wild  shouts  of  the  sava- 
ges, as  they  possessed  themselves  of  the  spoils  of  a  costly  but  barren  victory. 

Crepps,  in  the  course  of  the  next  day,  arrived  in  the  neighborhood  of  Long 
lick,  and  being  unable  to  travel  farther,  laid  down  in  the  woods  to  die.  Moore 
alone  escaped  unhurt,  and  brought  in  the  tidings  of  the  defeat  of  the  boat.  The 
country  was  at  once  roused.  Crepps  was  found,  and  brought  in,  but  died  about 
the  time  he  reached  home.  Crist  described  Crepps  as  a  tall,  fair  haired,  hand- 
some man :  kind,  brave,  and  enterprising,  and  possessed  of  all  those  high  and 
striking  qualities  that  gave  the  heroic  stamp  to  that  hardy  race  of  pioneers 
amongst  whom  he  had  lived  and  died.  He  had  been  the  lion  of  the  fight.  By 
exposing  himself  to  the  most  imminent  peril,  he  inspirited  his  companions  with 
his  own  contempt  of  danger.  He  and  Crist  had  stood  over  Fossett,  and  kept  the 
Indians  treed  while  he  disengaged  the  cable ;  and  his  coolness  during  the  long, 
bloody  struggle  of  the  day,  had  won  the  admiration  of  Crist  himself — than  whom 
a  more  dauntless  man  had  never  contended  with  mortal  foe.  Crepps  left  a  young 
wife  and  one  son,  then  an  infant.  His  wife  was  enceinte  at  the  time  of  his  death 
— the  posthumous  child  was  a  daughter,  and  is  the  wife  of  the  Hon.  Charles  A. 
WicklifFe.     The  son  died  shortly  after  he  arrived  at  man's  estate. 

Crist  was  so  disabled  by  the  wound  that  he  could  not  walk.  The  bones  of 
his  heel  were  crushed.  He  crept  into  a  thicket  and  laid  down — his  wound  bled 
profusely.  He  could  not  remain  here  long.  His  feet  were  now  of  no  use  to  him. 
He  bound  his  moccasins  on  his  knees,  and  commenced  his  journey.  Piece  by 
piece  his  hat,  hunting  shirt,  and  vest  were  consumed  to  shield  his  hands  against 
the  rugged  rocks  which  lay  in  his  way.  He  crawled  on  all  day  up  the  river, 
and  at  night  crossed  over  to  the  north  side  upon  a  log  that  he  rolled  down  the 
bank.  He  concealed  himself  in  a  thicket  and  tried  to  sleep — but  pain  and  ex- 
haustion and  loss  of  blood  had  driven  sleep  from  his  eyes.  His  foot  and  leg 
were  much  swollen  and  inflamed.  Guided  by  the  stars  he  crept  on  again — be- 
tween midnight  and  day  he  came  in  sight  of  a  camp  fire,  and  heard  the  barking 


220  HENRY  CRIST. 

of  a  dog.  A  number  of  Indians  rose  up  from  around  the  fire,  and  he  crept  softly 
away  from  the  light.  He  laid  down  and  remained  quiet  for  some  time.  When 
all  was  still  again,  he  resumed  his  slow  and  painful  journey.  He  crawled  into  a 
small  branch,  and  kept  on  down  it  for  some  distance  upon  the  rocks,  that  he 
might  leave  no  trace  behind  him.  At  daylight,  he  ascended  an  eminence  of  con- 
siderable height  to  ascertain,  if  possible,  where  he  was,  and  how  to  shape  his 
future  course;  but  all  around  was  wilderness.  He  was  aiming  to  reach  Bullitt's 
lick,  now  about  eight  miles  distant,  and  his  progress  was  not  half  a  mile  an  hour. 
He  toiled  on  all  day — night  came  on — the  second  night  of  his  painful  journey. 
Since  leaving  the  small  branch  the  night  before,  he  had  found  no  water — since 
the  day  before  the  battle  he  had  not  tasted  food.  Worn  down  with  hunger,  want 
of  sleep,  acute  pain,  and  raging  thirst,  he  laid  himself  down  to  die.  But  his  suf- 
ferings were  not  to  end  here — guided  again  by  the  stars,  he  struggled  on.  Every 
rag  that  he  could  interpose  between  the  rugged  stones  and  his  bleeding  hands 
and  knee  (for  he  could  now  use  but  one),  was  worn  away.  The  morning  came 
— the  morning  of  the  third  day;  it  brought  him  but  little  hope;  but  the  indomi- 
table spirit  within  him  disdained  to  yield,  and  during  the  day  he  made  what  pro- 
gress he  could.  As  the  evening  drew  on,  he  became  aware  that  he  was  in  the 
vicinity  of  Bullitt's  lick;  but  he  could  go  no  further;  nature  had  made  her  last 
effort,  and  he  laid  himself  down  and  prayed  that  death  would  speedily  end  his 
sufferings. 

When  darkness  came  on,  from  where  he  lay  he  could  see  the  hundred  fires  of 
the  furnaces  at  the  licks  all  glowing;  and  he  even  fancied  he  could  see  the  dusky 
forms  of  the  firemen  as  they  passed  to  and  fro  around  the  pits,  but  they  were  more 
than  a  half  mile  off,  and  how  was  he  to  reach  them  1  He  had  not  eaten  a  morsel 
in  four  days,  he  had  been  drained  of  almost  his  last  drop  of  blood,  the  wounded 
leg  had  become  so  stiff  and  swollen  that  for  the  last  two  days  and  nights  he  had 
dragged  it  after  him  ;  the  flesh  was  worn  from  his  knee  and  from  the  palms  of  his 
hands.  Relief  was  in  his  sight,  but  to  reach  it  was  impossible.  Suddenly  he 
heard  the  tramp  of  a  horse's  feet  approaching  him,  and  hope  sprang  up  once  more 
in  his  breast.  The  sound  came  nearer  and  still  more  near.  A  path  ran  near  the 
place  where  he  lay,  a  man  on  horse-back  approached  within  a  few  rods  of  him, 
he  mustered  his  remaining  strength,  and  hailed  him  ;  but  to  his  utter  surprise  and 
dismay,  the  horseman  turned  suddenly  and  galloped  off  towards  the  Licks.  De- 
spair now  seized  him.  To  die  alone  of  hunger  and  thirst,  in  sight  of  hundreds 
and  of  plenty,  seemed  to  him  the  last  dregs  of  the  bitterest  cup  that  fate  could 
offer  to  mortal  lips.  O  !  that  he  could  have  fallen  by  the  side  of  his  friends  in 
the  proud  battle  I  That  he  could  have  met  the  Indian  tomahawk,  and  died  in  the 
strength  of  his  manhood  ;  and  not  have  been  doomed  to  linger  out  his  life  in  days 
and  nights  of  pain  and  agony,  and  to  die  by  piecemeal  in  childish  despair.  While 
these  thoughts  were  passing  in  his  mind,  the  horseman  (a  negro),  regained  the 
Licks  and  alarmed  the  people  there  with  the  intelligence  that  the  Indians  were 
approaching.  On  being  interrogated,  all  the  account  he  could  give  was,  that 
some  person  had  called  to  him  in  the  woods  a  half  mile  off,  and  called  him  by  the 
wrong  name.  It  was  manifest  it  was  not  Indians ;  and  forthwith  a  number  of 
men  set  out,  guided  by  the  negro,  to  the  place.  Crist's  hopes  again  revived,  when 
he  heard  voices,  and  saw  lights  approaching.  They  came  near  and  hailed.  Crist 
knew  the  voice,  and  called  to  the  man  by  name.  This  removed  all  doubt,  and 
they  approached  the  spot  where  he  lay.  A  sad  and  mournful  sight  was  before 
them.  A  man  that  had  left  them  but  a  few  days  before,  in  the  bloom  of  youth, 
health  and  buoyant  spirits,  now  lay  stretched  upon  the  earth,  a  worn  and  mangled 
skeleton,  unable  to  lift  a  hand  to  bid  them  welcome.  They  bore  him  home.  The 
ball  was  extracted  ;  but  his  recovery  was  slow  and  doubtful.  It  was  a  year  before 
he  was  a  man  again. 

The  woman  in  the  boat  was  carried  a  prisoner  to  Canada.  Ten  years  after- 
wards, Crist  met  her  again  in  Kentucky.  She  had  been  redeemed  by  an  Indian 
trader,  and  brought  into  Wayne's  camp  on  the  Maumee,  and  restored  to  her  friends. 
She  informed  Crist  that  the  body  of  Indians  which  made  the  attack  on  the  boat, 
numbered  over  one  hundred  and  twenty,  of  whom  about  thirty  were  killed  in  the 
engagement.  This  account  was  confirmed  by  Indians  whom  Crist  met  with 
afterwards,  and  who  had  been  in  the  battle.  They  told  Crist  that  the  boat's  crew 
fought  more  like  devils  than  men,  and  if  they  had  taken  one  of  them  prisoner, 


BUTLER  COUNTY.  221 

they  would  have  roasted  him  alive.  Crist  vpas  afterwards  a  member  of  the  Ken- 
tucky legislature,  and  in  1808  was  a  member  of  Congress.  He  died  at  his  resi- 
dence in  Bullitt  county,  in  August,  1844,  aged  eighty  years. 

Alexander  Scott  Bullitt  was  born  in  Prince  William  county,  Virginia,  in 
the  year  1761.  His  father,  Cuthbert  Bullitt,  was  a  lawyer  of  some  distinction, 
and  practiced  his  profession  with  success  until  he  was  appointed  a  judge  of  the 
supreme  court  of  Virginia,  which  office  he  held  at  the  time  of  his  death.  In  1784, 
six  years  before  the  father's  death,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  emigrated  to  Ken- 
tucky, then  a  portion  of  Virginia,  and  settled  on  or  near  the  stream  called  Bullskin, 
in  what  is  now  Shelby  county.  Here  he  resided  but  a  few  months,  being  com- 
pelled by  the  annoyances  to  which  he  was  subjected  by  the  Indians,  to  seek  a  less 
exposed  situation.  This  he  found  in  Jefferson  county,  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Sturgus'  station,  where  he  entered  and  settled  upon  the  tract  of  land  on  which 
he  continued  to  reside  until  his  death.  In  the  fall  of  1785,  he  married  the  daughter 
of  Col,  W.  Christian,  who  had  removed  from  Virginia  the  preceding  spring.  In 
"April,  1786,  Colonel  Christian,  with  a  party  of  eight  or  ten  men,  pursued  a  small 
body  of  Indians,  who  had  been  committing  depredations  on  the  property  of  the 
settlers  in  the  neighborhood  of  Sturgus'  station.  Two  of  the  Indians  were  over- 
taken about  a  mile  north  of  Jeffersonville,  Indiana,  and  finding  escape  impossible, 
they  turned  upon  their  pursuers,  and  one  of  them  fired  at  Colonel  Christian,  who 
was  foremost  in  the  pursuit,  and  mortally  wounded  him.  Next  to  Colonel  Chris- 
tian, was  the  subject  of  this  sketch  and  Colonel  John  O'Bannon,  who  fired  simul- 
taneously, bringing  both  Indians  to  the  ground.  Under  the  impression  that  the 
Indians  were  both  dead,  a  man  by  the  name  of  Kelly  incautiously  approached 
them,  when  one  of  them  who,  though  mortally  wounded,  still  retained  some 
strength  and  all  his  thirst  for  blood,  raised  himself  to  his  knees,  and  fired  with 
the  rifle  which  had  not  been  discharged,  killed  Kelly,  fell  back  and  expired.* 

In  the  year  1792,  Colonel  Bullitt  was  elected  by  the  people  of  Jefferson  county 
a  delegate  to  the  convention  which  met  in  Danville,  and  framed  the  constitution 
of  Kentucky.  After  the  adoption  of  the  constitution,  he  represented  the  county 
in  the  legislature,  and  was  president  of  the  senate  until  1799,  when  he  was  again 
chosen  a  delegate  to  the  convention  to  amend  the  constitution,  which  met  in 
Frankfort.  Of  this  convention  he  was  chosen  president.  The  year  following 
this  convention,  (1800,)  he  was  elected  lieutenant  governor  of  the  state,  in  which 
capacity  he  served  one  term.  After  this,  his  county  continued  to  send  him  to  the 
legislature,  of  which  body  he  served  either  as  a  representative  or  senator,  until 
about  1808,  when  he  retired  from  public  life,  and  resided  on  his  farm  in  Jefferson 
county  until  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  13th  of  April,  1816. 


BUTLER    COUNTY. 

Butler  county  was  organized  in  the  year  1810.  It  is  situated  in 
the  south-west  part  of  the  State,  and  lies  on  both  sides  of  Green 
river.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Ohio  and  Grayson;  east  by 
Warren  ;  south  by  Logan,  and  west  by  Muhlenburg.  The  taxa- 
ble property  of  the  county  in  1846,  as  reported  by  the  auditor,  is 
$501,483  ;  number  of  acres  of  land,  163,441 ;  average  value  per 
acre,  $1,45;  white  males  over  twenty-one  years,  793;  children 
between  the  ages  of  five  and  sixteen  years,  1,162.  Population  in 
1830,  3,055  ;  in  1840,  3,898.  The  surface  is  hilly  ;  the  soil  second 
rate,  but  productive.  Besides  Barren  river,  which  flows  through 
# , 

•This  account,  which  is  believed  to  be  substantially  correct,  differs  in  some  particulars  from  that 
given  in  the  biographical  sketch  of  Colonel  Christian. 


222  CALDWELL    COUNTY". 

the  county,  it  is  watered  by  a  number  of  fine  mill  streams.     To- 
bacco is  the  principal  staple. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are — Morgantown,  Lockport  and 
Roduster.  Morgantown  is  the  seat  of  justice,  and  is  situated  on 
the  left  or  southern  bank  of  Green  river,  one  hundred  and  forty- 
one  miles  from  Frankfort — contains  a  court-house  and  jail,  post 
office,  one  school,  two  lawyers,  three  doctors,  six  different  trades, 
and  one  hundred  and  ten  inhabitants.  Incorporated  in  1813. 
Lockport  is  a  small  village,  containing  thirty  inhabitants,  situated 
on  the  Green  river,  at  lock  and  dam  No.  4.  Roduster  is  also  a 
very  small  village,  containing  about  thirty  inhabitants. 

This  county  received  its  name  in  honor  of  General  Butler,  of  Pennsylvania, 
an  officer  of  the  revolutionary  war,  who  distinguished  himself,  on  more  than  one 
occasion,  in  a  remarkable  manner.  He  commanded  the  right  wing  of  the  Ameri- 
can army  under  General  St.  Clair,  in  the  memorable  and  disastrous  battle  with 
the  Indians  on  one  of  the  tributaries  of  the  Wabash,  near  the  Miami  villages,  in 
the  now  state  of  Ohio.  He  was  wounded  early  in  the  action,  and  before  his 
wounds  could  be  dressed,  an  Indian  who  had  penetrated  the  ranks  of  the  regi- 
ment, ran  up  to  the  spot  where  he  lay,  and  tomahawked  him  before  his  attendaats 
could  interpose.     The  desperate  savage  was  instantly  killed. 


CALDWELL    COUNTY. 

Caldwell  county  was  formed  in  1809,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Gen.  John  Caldwell.  It  is  situated  on  the  waters  of  the  Cumber- 
land and  Tennessee  rivers — bounded  on  the  north  by  Crittenden 
and  Hopkins ;  east  by  Christian  ;  south  by  Trigg ;  and  west  by 
the  Tennessee  river.  The  portion  of  the  county  lying  between 
the  Twigg  and  Crittenden  lines,  is  a  beautiful  plain,  being  level 
and  productive,  except  between  the  Cumberland  and  Tennessee, 
which  is  broken  and  poor,  but  abounds  with  ore  ;  and  there  are 
already  in  operation  in  that  section,  five  large  iron  establish- 
ments, and  one  furnace  for  smelting  lead.  The  portion  of  the 
county  bordering  on  the  Trade  water,  (a  navigable  stream,)  is 
generally  undulating.  Coal  has  been  found  on  Flinn's  fork,  but 
has  not  yet  been  worked.  The  principal  exports  are  tobacco, 
corn,  pork,  and  iron. 

The  valuation  of  taxable  property  in  1846,  was  $2,157,206  ; 
number  of  acres  of  land,  304,935  ;  number  of  white  males  over 
twenty  one  years  of  age,  1,935;  children  between  five  and  six- 
teen years  of  age,  2,253.  Population  in  1830,  8,832— in  1840, 
10,365. 

The  towns  of  Caldwell  are,  Princeton,  Fredonia,  and  Eddyville, 
Princeton,  the  county  seat,  is  about  230  miles  from  Frankfort — 
contains  four  churches  (Episcopal,  Methodist,  Presbyterian  and 
Cumberland  Presbyterian),  Cumberland  college,  one  academy, 
two  schools,  ten  stores  and  groceries,  four  taverns,  seven  lawyers^ 
seven  doctors,  and  twenty  mechanical  shops  and  manufactories- 
Incorporated  in  1820 — population  twelve  hundred.     Fredonia  is  a 


CALLOWAY    COUNTY.  223 

small  town,  twelve  miles  west  of  Princeton,  and  contains  one 
Presbyterian  church,  one  school,  two  stores,  two  doctors,  and  four 
mechanical  trades — population  one  hundred.  EddyviUe  is  situa- 
ted on  the  Cumberland  river,  at  the  mouth  of  Eddy  creek,  from 
which  it  takes  its  name — contains  one  church  edifice,  two  schools, 
ten  stores  and  groceries,  four  warehouses,  two  taverns,  three  doc- 
tors, and  fourteen  mechanical  shops.  Incorporated  in  1812 — pop- 
ulation six  hundred. 

The  Cumberland  College  is  located  in  the  vicinity  of  Princeton,  and  under 
the  control  and  management  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church.  The  in- 
stitution was  organized  in  1825,  as  a  manual  labor  school ;  but  the  mode  of  con- 
ducting it  has  been  changed,  and  it  is  now  a  literary  institution  only,  the  manual 
labor  system  not  having  operated  well.  Like  most  institutions  of  learning  in  the 
west,  it  has  had  many  and  trying  reverses.  In  1842  it  was  in  a  great  measure 
abandoned  by  the  church.  In  1844,  the  Green  river  synod  assumed  the  charge 
of  the  college,  and  undertook  to  endow  and  perpetuate  it.  Its  operations,  in  the 
mean  time,  had  been  carried  on  by  enterprising  individuals.  The  institution  is 
located  one  mile  from  the  court  house.  The  site  is  beautiful,  and  susceptible  of 
the  highest  degree  of  improvement.  There  are  two  neat  and  substantial  brick 
buildings,  one  of  them  newly  erected,  for  dormitories  and  public  purposes,  be- 
sides a  president's  house.  The  college  library  consists  of  several  hundred  vol- 
umes. There  is  also  a  respectable  philosophical  and  chemical  apparatus.  The 
faculty  of  the  institution  consists  of  a  president,  two  professors,  and  a  tutor.  The 
average  number  of  students  is  sixty.  The  whole  number  of  graduates  since  the 
establishment  of  the  college  is  fifty-two. 

Gen.  John  Caldwell,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its  name,  was  a 
native  of  Prince  Edward  county,  Virginia.  He  removed  to  Kentucky  in  1781,  and 
settled  near  where  Danville  now  stands.  He  took  an  active  part  in  the  conflicts 
with  the  Indians,  and  rose  by  regular  steps  from  the  rank  of  a  common  soldier  to 
that  of  a  major  general  in  the  militia.  He  served  as  a  subaltern  in  the  campaign 
against  the  Indians  in  1786,  under  Gen.  George  Rogers  Clark.  He  was  a  prom- 
inent man  of  his  day — esteemed  in  private  and  political,  as  he  was  in  military 
life.  He  was  a  member,  from  Nelson  county,  of  the  conventions  held  in  Dan- 
ville in  1787  and  1788.  In  1792,  he  was  elected  from  the  same  county  a  senato- 
rial elector,  under  the  first  constitution ;  and  in  the  college  of  electors,  he  was 
chosen  the  senator  from  Nelson.  He  took  his  seat  in  the  senate  at  the  session  of 
1792-3.  He  was  elected  lieutenant  governor  of  the  State  in  1804,  and  during 
his  term  of  service  removed  to  the  lower  part  of  the  State.  He  died  at  Frank- 
fort in  the  year  1807  or  1808,  while  the  legislature  was  in  session. 


CALLOWAY    COUNTY. 

Calloway  county  was  formed  in  1821,  and  is  situated  in  the 
south-western  part  of  the  State,  immediately  below  and  on  the 
waters  of  the  Tennessee  river — bounded  on  the  north  by  Mar- 
shall, east  by  the  Tennessee  river,  south  by  the  State  line  of 
Tennessee,  and  west  by  the  county  of  Graves.  The  surface  of 
more  than  half  of  the  county  is  level  bottoms,  interspersed  with 
enough  timber  for  farming  purposes,  though  the  broken  and  hilly 
portion  has  the  densest  population.  The  staple  products  are  to- 
bacco, corn,  and  small  grain. 

Value  of  taxable  property  in  1846,  $860,004  ;  number  of  acres 


224  CAMPBELL  COUNTY. 

of  land  in  the  county,  235,736  ;  average  value  per  acre,  $1,78 ; 
number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  1,191  ; 
children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  old,  1,966.  Population 
in  1840,  9,794. 

There  are  three  towns,  Murray,  New  Concord,  and  Wadesbo- 
rough,  in  Calloway.  Murray,  the  county  seat,  is  about  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles  from  PVankfort — contains  a  handsome  brick 
court-house  and  jail,  a  Christian  church,  four  stores,  two  taverns, 
three  lawyers,  three  doctors,  five  mechanics'  shops,  with  200  in- 
habitants— named  after  the  Hon.  J.  L.  Murray.  New  Concoj^d  is 
a  small  village  in  the  south-eastern  part  of  the  county,  contain- 
ing two  doctors,  one  store,  one  tavern,  a  few  mechanics'  shops, 
with  60  inhabitants,  Wadesborough  was  formerly  the  county  seat 
— contains  one  store,  two  taverns,  one  doctor,  one  smith,  one 
lanyard — population  70.     Named  after  Mr.  Banister  Wade. 

This  county  was  called  after  Col.  Richard  Callowav,  who  removed  with  his 
family  to  Kentucky  in  1776.  He  speedily  became  an  efficient  actor  in  the  affairs 
of  the  infant  settlements,  and  his  services  were  numerous  and  valuable.  As 
early  as  1777,  he  and  John  Todd  were  elected  the  first  burgesses  to  the  general 
assembly  of  Virginia ;  while,  in  the  spring  of  the  same  year,  he  had  been  appointed 
a  justice  of  the  peace.  In  1779,  he,  with  others,  under  an  act  of  the  Virginia  legis- 
lature, was  appointed  a  trustee  to  lay  off  the  town  of  Boonsborough.  The 
trustees  declined  to  act;  others  were  appointed.  Mr.  Morehead,  in  his  eloquent 
Boonsborough  address,  classes  Col.  Calloway  among  the  law-givers  and  defen- 
ders of  the  frontier.  His  career  in  the  new  settlements,  however,  was  short. 
Like  a  great  many  other  daring  spirits  of  the  times,  he  was  killed  before  b«  had 
an  opportunity  of  very  greatly  distinguishing  himself. 


CAMPBELL     COUNTY. 

Campbell  county  was  formed  in  1794,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Colonel  John  Campbell.  It  is  situated  in  the  north  part  of  the 
State,  and  lies  on  the  Ohio,  immediately  above  Licking  river : 
Bounded  on  the  north  and  east  by  the  Ohio  river ;  south  by  Pen- 
dleton, and  west  by  Licking  river,  which  separates  it  from  Ken- 
ton. Alexandria,  the  county  seat,  is  about  eighty  miles  from 
Frankfort.  The  face  of  the  country  is  diversified — the  river  bot- 
toms being  level,  rich  and  productive,  while  the  uplands  are  undu- 
lating or  hilly.  The  staple  products  are  corn,  wheat,  tobacco 
and  pork. 

The  taxable  property  of  Campbell  in  1846,  was  valued  at 
$1,668,757;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  77,208; 
average  value  per  acre,  $11,56;  total  number  of  white  males 
over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  1,472;  children  between  five  and 
sixteen  years  old,  1,444.     Population  in  1840,  5,214. 

Newport  is  the  principal  town  of  Campbell.  It  is  situated  on 
a  beautiful  bottom  on  the  Ohio,  immediately  above  the  junction 
of  the  Licking  with  that  noble  river,  and  opposite  the  city  of 
Cincinnati.     It  contains  five  churches  of  different  denominations, 


BATTLE    WITH  THE   INDIANS.  225 

one  seminary  of  learning,  five  private  schools,  five  lawyers,  five 
physicians,  six  stores,  twenty-three  groceries,  two  lodges  of  Ma- 
sons, one  lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  one  division  of  the  Sons  of 
Temperance,  one  rolling  mill,  one  cotton  factory,  one  rope  walk, 
one  silk  factory,  three  blacksmith  shops,  twelve  carpenter  and 
joiners'  shops,  two  tailor  and  two  saddler  shops,  two  taverns,  one 
com-t-house,  one  market-house — with  two  hundred  and  fifty  brick 
and  one  hundred  and  seventy -five  frame  houses.  Population 
about  4,000.  Newport  is  rapidly  increasing  in  population  and 
wealth,  and  her  trade  and  manufacturing  establishments  have 
more  than  doubled  within  the  short  period  of  five  years. 

Alexandria  is  the  county  seat  of  Campbell,  situated  about  thir- 
teen miles  from  Newport,  and  about  eighty  miles  from  Frankfort. 
It  contains  a  court-house  and  the  usual  public  buildings,  with  a 
small  population. 

The  county  of  Campbell,  as  originally  organized,  comprised  the 
territory  at  present  embraced  by  Campbell,  Pendleton,  Boone, 
Kenton  and  part  of  Grant.  The  justices  of  the  first  quarter  ses- 
sion court  of  the  riew  county,  were — Washington  Berry,  presi- 
dent. Captain  John  Craig  and  Charles  Daniel,  sen.  The  county 
court  justices,  were — Robert  Benham,  Thomas  Kennedy,  John 
Hall,  John  Bush,  John  Cook,  John  Ewing  and  Thomas  Corwin. 
The  first  courts  of  the  county  met,  by  law,  at  Wilmington, 
on  Licking  river,  about  twenty-two  miles  from  Newport,  but  the 
county  seat  was  afterwards  located  at  Newport. 

James  Taylor  (the  present  venerable  General  James  Taylor  of 
Newport),  was  elected  the  first  clerk  of  both  the  county  and  quar- 
ter sessions  court,  and  Captain  Nathan  Kelly  the  first  sheriff  of 
the  county.  When  the  county  of  Kenton  was  stricken  off  from 
Campbell,  the  county  seat  was  removed  to  Alexandria. 

In  the  autumn  of  1779,  two  keel  boats,  laden  with  military  stores,  bound  from 
New  Orleans  to  Pittsburgh,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Rogers,  were  ascend- 
ing the  Ohio  river;  and  when  near  the  sand-bar,  above  where  the  city  of  Cin- 
cinnati now  stands,  called  four  mile  bar — they  discovered  a  number  of  Indians 
on  rafts  and  in  canoes  coming  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Miami  river,  which 
stream  was  then  very  high,  and  shot  its  waters,  together  with  the  Indian  craft, 
nearly  across  the  river.  Colonel  Rogers  immediately  landed  his  boats,  and  the 
crew,  to  the  number  of  seventy  men,  advanced  secretly  through  the  woods  and 
willows  that  grew  thickly  on  the  sand  bar  which  here  joined  the  Kentucky  shore, 
expecting  to  attack  the  Indians,  when  they  should  land,  by  surprise.  Before, 
however,  Rogers  had  succeeded  in  reaching  the  point  where  he  presumed  he 
would  encounter  the  savages,  he  found  himself  suddenly  surrounded  by  a  force 
of  more  than  treble  his  numbers.  The  Indians  instantly  poured  in  a  close  dis- 
charge of  rifles,  and  then  throwing  down  their  guns,  fell  upon  the  survivors  with 
the  tomahawk!  The  panic  was  complete,  and  the  slaughter  prodigious.  Major 
Rogers,  together  with  forty-five  of  his  men,  were  almost  instantly  destroyed. 
The  survivors  made  an  effort  to  regain  their  boats,  but  the  five  men  who  had  been 
left  in  charge  of  them,  had  immediately  put  off  from  shore  in  the  hindmost  boat, 
and  the  enemy  had  already  gained  possession  of  the  other.  Disappointed  in  the 
attempt,  they  turned  furiously  upon  the  enemy,  and  aided  by  the  approach  of 
darkness,  forced  their  way  through  their  lines,  and  with  the  loss  of  several 
severely  wounded,  at  length  effected  their  escape  to  Harrodsburgh. 

Among  the  wounded  was  Capt.  Robert  Benham.  Shortly  after  breaking  through 
the  enemy's  line,  he  was  shot  through  both  hips,  and  the  bones  being  shattered, 
15 


226  CAMPBELL   COUNTY. 

he  instantly  fell  to  the  ground.  Fortunately,  a  large  tree  had  recently  fallen  near 
the  spot  where  he  lay,  and  wilh  great  pain,  he  dragged  himself  into  the  top,  and 
lay  concealed  among  the  branches.  The  Indians,  eager  in  pursuit  of  the  others, 
passed  him  without  notice,  and  by  midnight  all  was  quiet.  On  the  following  day, 
the  Indians  returned  to  the  battle  ground,  in  order  to  strip  the  dead  and  take  care 
of  the  boats.  Benham,  although  in  danger  of  famishing,  permitted  them  to  pass 
without  making  known  his  condition,  very  correctly  supposing  that  his  crippled 
legs  would  only  induce  them  to  tomahawk  him  on  the  spot,  in  order  to  avoid  the 
trouble  of  carrying  him  to  their  town. 

He  lay  close,  therefore,  until  the  evening  of  the  second  day,  when  perceiving  a 
racoon  descending  a  tree,  near  him,  he  shot  it,  hoping  to  devise  some  means  of 
reaching  it,  when  he  could  kindle  a  fire  and  make  a  meal.  Scarcely  had  his  gun 
cracked,  however,  when  he  heard  a  human  cry,  apparently  not  more  than  fifty 
yards  off.  Supposing  it  to  be  an  Indian,  he  hastily  reloaded  his  gun,  and  re- 
mained silent,  expecting  the  approach  of  an  enemy.  Presently  the  same  voice 
was  heard  again,  but  much  nearer.  Still  Benham  made  no  reply,  but  cocked  his 
gun,  and  sat  ready  to  fire  as  soon  as  an  object  appeared.  A  third  halloo  was 
quickly  heard,  followed  by  an  exclamation  of  impatience  and  distress,  which  con- 
vinced Benham  that  the  unknown  must  be  a  Kentuckian.  As  soon,  therefore,  as 
he  heard  the  expression,  "  whoever  you  are,  for  God's  sake  answer  me,"  he 
replied  with  readiness,  and  the  parties  were  soon  together. 

Benham,  as  we  have  already  observed,  was  shot  through  both  legs.  The  man 
who  now  appeared,  had  escaped  from  the  same  battle,  with  both  arms  broken ! 
Thus  each  was  enabled  to  supply  what  the  other  wanted.  Benham,  having  the 
perfect  use  of  his  arms,  could  load  his  gun  and  kill  game  with  great  readiness, 
while  his  friend,  having  the  use  of  his  legs,  could  kick  the  game  to  the  spot 
where  Benham  sat,  who  was  thus  enabled  to  cook  it.  When  no  wood  was  near 
them,  his  companion  would  rake  up  brush  with  his  feet,  and  gradually  roll  it 
within  reach  of  Eenham's  hands,  who  constantly  fed  his  companion,  and  dressed 
his  wounds  as  well  as  his  own — tearing  up  both  their  shirts  for  that  purpose. 
They  found  some  difficulty  in  procuring  water  at  first;  but  Benham  at  length 
took  his  own  hat,  and  placing  the  rim  between  the  teeth  of  his  companion,  direc- 
ted him  to  wade  into  the  Licking  up  to  his  neck,  and  dip  the  hat  into  the  water 
by  sinking  his  own  head.  The  man  who  could  walk,  was  thus  enabled  to  bring 
water  by  means  of  his  teeth,  which  Benham  could  afterwards  dispose  of  as  was 
necessary. 

In  a  few  days,  they  had  killed  all  the  squirrels  and  birds  within  reach,  and  the 
man  with  broken  arms  was  sent  out  to  drive  game  within  gunshot  of  the  spot  to 
which  Benham  was  confined.  Fortunately,  wild  turkies  were  abundant  in  those 
woods,  and  his  companion  would  walk  around,  and  drive  them  towards  Benham, 
who  seldom  failed  to  kill  two  or  three  of  each  flock.  In  this  manner  they  sup- 
ported themselves  for  several  weeks,  until  their  wounds  had  healed  so  as  to  ena- 
ble them  to  travel.  They  then  shifted  their  quarters,  and  put  up  a  small  shed  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Licking,  where  they  encamped  until  late  in  November,  anxiously 
expecting  the  arrival  of  some  boat,  which  should  convey  them  to  the  falls  of  the 
Ohio. 

On  the  27th  of  November,  they  observed  a  flat  boat  moving  leisurely  down  the 
river.  Benham  instantly  hoisted  his  hat  upon  a  stick,  and  hallooed  loudly  for 
help.  The  crew,  however,  supposing  theui  to  be  Indians — at  least  suspecting 
them  of  an  intention  to  decoy  them  ashore,  paid  no  attention  to  their  signals  of 
distress,  but  instantly  put  over  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  manning  ev- 
ery oar,  endeavored  to  pass  them  as  rapidly  as  possible.  Benham  beheld  them 
pass  him  wilh  a  sensation  bordering  on  despair,  for  the  place  was  much  frequen- 
ted by  Indians,  and  the  approach  of  winter  threatened  them  with  destruction, 
unless  speedily  relieved.  At  length,  after  the  boat  had  passed  him  nearly  half  a 
mile,  he  saw  a  canoe  put  otT  from  its  stern,  and  cautiousl)'  approach  the  Ken- 
tucky shore,  evidently  reconnoitering  them  with  great  suspicion. 

lie  called  loudly  upon  them  for  assistance,  mentioned  his  name,  and  made 
known  his  condition.  After  a  long  parley,  and  many  evidences  of  reluctance  on 
the  part  of  the  crew,  the  canoe  at  length  touched  the  shore,  and  Benham  and  his 
■friend  were  taken  on  board.  Their  appearance  excited  much  suspicion.  They 
were  almost  entirely  naked,  and   their  faces   were  garnished   with  six  weeks 


GENERAL  JAMES  TAYLOR.  227 

growth  of  beard.  The  one  was  barely  able  to  hobble  on  crutches,  and  the  other 
could  manage  to  feed  himself  with  one  of  his  hands.  They  were  taken  to  Lou- 
isville, where  their  clothes  (which  had  been  carried  off  in  the  boat  which  deserted 
them)  were  restored  to  them,  and  after  a  few  weeks  confinement,  both  were  per- 
fectly recovered. 

Benham  afterwards  served  in  the  north-west  throughout  the  whole  of  the  Indian 
war,  accompanied  the  expeditions  of  Harmar  and  Wilkinson,  shared  in  the  dis- 
aster of  St.  Clair,  and  afterwards  in  the  triumph  of  Wayne.  Upon  the  return  of 
peace,  he  bought  the  land  upon  which  Rogers  had  been  defeated,  and  ended  his 
days  in  tranquility,  amid  the  scenes  which  had  witnessed  his  sufferings. 

The  county  of  Campbell  received  its  name  in  honor  of  Colonel  John  Camp- 
bell, a  native  of  Ireland.  He  came  to  Kentucky  at  an  early  period.  Having 
received  a  grant  of  four  thousand  acres  of  land  from  the  commonwealth  of  Vir- 
ginia, which  was  located  immediately  below,  and  adjoining  the  grant  on  which 
Louisville  stands,  Col.  Campbell  became  an  extensive  landed  proprietor,  and  a 
very  wealthy  man.  He  was  a  member  of  the  convention  which  formed  the  first 
constitution  of  Kentucky,  from  Jefferson  county.  During  the  same  year,  he  was 
elected  one  of  the  electors  of  the  senate  from  Jefferson,  and  in  the  electoral  col- 
lege was  chosen  the  senator  from  Jefferson  county,  in  the  new  State  legislature. 
He  was  a  large  man,  of  fine  personal  appearance,  and  strong  mind,  but  rough  in 
his  manners.  He  never  married,  and  having  died  intestate,  his  large  estate  passed 
into  the  hands  of  many  heirs. 

General  James  Taylor,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Kentucky,  resides  in  Newport. 
He  has  attained  his  seventy-eighth  year,  and  is  remarkably  active  and  sprightly 
for  a  man  of  his  age.  His  venerable  consort,  to  whom  he  has  been  united  for 
upwards  of  half  a  century,  and  who  came  to  Kentucky  in  the  midst  of  Indian 
troubles,  still  retains  much  of  the  vigor  of  her  youth,  and  attends  strictly  to  her 
household  affairs.  The  mansion  of  these  venerable  pioneers,  "i?e//eit?ew,"  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  and  costly  in  Kentucky,  has  long  been  distinguished  for  ele- 
gant hospitality. 

Mrs.  Taylor  removed  to  Kentucky  in  1784,  in  company  with  a  large  party  of 
emigrants,  among  them  the  Rev.  Augustine  Eastin,  of  Bourbon  county,  who 
married  an  elder  sister.  In  their  progress  through  the  wilderness,  and  after  they 
had  made  their  encampment  for  the  night,  the  party  of  Mr.  Eastin  were  overta- 
ken about  night-fall  by  a  large  body  of  emigrants,  who  were  seeking  new  homes 
in  Kentucky.  Mr.  Eastin  advised  the  party  to  encamp  with  him,  as  Indian 
signs  had  been  discovered  through  the  day,  and  there  were  strong  reasons  to  ap- 
prehend an  attack.  The  party,  however,  disregarded  the  warning,  and  having 
traveled  about  a  mile  further,  made  their  encampment.  From  some  unex- 
plained cause — probably  incredulous  of  danger — they  retired  to  rest  without  sta- 
tioning a  single  sentinel  to  guard  their  camp,  or  warn  them  of  the  approach  of 
an  enemy.  In  the  midst  of  the  night,  when  the  fatigued  and  jaded  travelers 
were  wrapped  in  the  most  profound  sleep,  the  savages  attacked  them,  and  killed  and 
scalped  more  than  half  of  the  company,  numbering  altogether  about  forty  per- 
sons. A  man,  his  wife,  and  two  children,  of  this  company,  became  separated  at 
the  instant  of  alarm.  The  mother,  with  her  youngest  child,  effected  her  escape 
to  the  woods,  and  made  her  way  back  to  the  camp  of  Mr.  Eastin.  The  father 
also  escaped,  and  in  a  short  time  afterwards  reached  the  settlements;  the  eldest 
child  was  slain.  Two  weeks  after  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Eastin's  party  in  Kentucky, 
the  husband  and  wife  were  re-united,  each  supposing,  up  to  the  period  of  their 
meeting,  the  other  to  be  dead. 

Gen.  James  Taylor  is  a  native  of  Virginia,  having  been  born  at  Midway,  in 
Caroline  county,  on  the  19th  day  of  April,  1769.  He  was  a  quarter-master  general 
of  the  north-western  army  in  the  late  war,  and  was  active  in  the  discharge  of  the 
important  duties  which  devolved  upon  him.  When  Gen.  Hull  surrendered  De- 
troit to  the  British  forces  under  General  Brock,  in  August,  1812,  General  Tay- 
lor and  Major  (now  General)  Jesup,  with  other  officers,  were  called  upon  to  as- 
sist in  drawing  up  the  articles  of  capitulation;  but  they  all  indignantly  refused 
any  participation  in  an  act  so  disgraceful  to  the  American  arms.  General  Taylor 
had  previously  taken  an  active  part  in  the  plan  concerted  by  the  field  officers  to 
displace  General  Hull,  and  confer  the  command  of  the  fortress  on  General  McAr- 


228  CARROLL  COUNTY. 

thur.  Had  the  latter,  with  his  command,  reached  Detroit  in  time,  the  plan  would 
have  been  consummated.  In  the  course  of  a  long  life,  General  Taylor  has  accu- 
mulated a  very  large  estate,  and  is  probably  one  of  the  most  extensive  landed 
proprietors  of  the  west. 


CARROLL   COUNTY. 

Carroll  county  was  formed  in  the  year  1838,  and  named  in 
honor  of  Charles  Carroll  of  Carrollton.  It  lies  on  the  Ohio  and 
Kentucky  rivers — bounded  north  by  the  Ohio  river,  east  by  Gal- 
latin, south  by  Owen  and  Henry,  and  west  by  Trimble  county. 
The  hills  bordering  the  rivers  are  lofty,  and  in  some  places  pre- 
cipitous ;  back  of  them  the  surface  of  the  county  is  rolling,  and 
the  soil  of  good  quality.  The  staple  products  are  corn,  small 
grain,  and  Irish  potatoes. 

The  taxable  property  of  the  county,  according  to  the  auditor's 
report  of  1846,  amounts  to  $1,310,213  ;  number  of  acres  of  land 
in  the  county,  75,525  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  884  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen 
years  old,  1,094.     Population  in  1840,  3,966. 

Carrollton,  (formerly  Port  William),  the  seat  of  justice,  is 
about  fifty  miles  from  Frankfort.  It  is  situated  on  the  Ohio,  im- 
mediately above  the  mouth  of  the  Kentucky  river — contains  a 
fine  brick  court-house  and  jail,  three  churches,  (Methodist,  Presby- 
terian and  Reformed),  seven  stores  and  groceries,  four  taverns,  four 
lawyers,  three  physicians,  one  academy,  one  common  school,  two 
piano  forte  manufacturers,  thirty  mechanical  trades,  embracing 
every  variety,  two  corn  mills,  one  steam  saw  mill,  one  wool  carding 
factory,  and  one  rope  walk  ^\  ith  six  spindles,  working  twenty 
tons  of  hemp  per  week.  Population  800.  It  was  incorporated 
as  Port  William  in  1794  ;  but  received  its  present  name  from 
"  Carrollton,"  the  residence  of  Charles  Carroll. 

Ghent  is  a  neat  village,  also  situated  on  the  Ohio  river,  oppo- 
site the  town  of  Vevay  in  Indiana.  It  contains  one  Baptist,  one 
Methodist,  and  one  Reformed  church,  one  tavern,  five  stores  and 
groceries,  two  physicians,  one  tobacco  factory,  and  seven  me- 
chanics' shops — population  300.  Named  after  the  city  of  Ghent 
in  Europe,  where  the  treaty  of  peace  between  Great  Britain  and 
the  United  States  was  signed.  Preston  is  a  small  village  situated 
below  the  mouth  of  the  Kentucky,  and  opposite  Carrollton — con- 
tains a  store  and  tavern  and  about  100  inhabitants.  Named 
after  Col.  Preston,  of  Virginia,  who  owned  the  land  on  which  it 
is  erected. 

In  March,  1785,  a  body  of  Indians  surrounded  the  house  of  Mr.  Elliott,  situated 
at  the  mouth  of  Kentucky  river,  and  made  a  furious  assault  upon  it.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  family  generally  made  their  escape  ;  but  Mr.  Elliott  was  killed  and 
his  house  burnt  by  the  savages.  In  1786  or  '87,  Captain  Ellison  built  a  block 
house  on  the  point  at  the  confluence  of  the  Kentucky  and  Ohio  river,  and  was 
wccessively  driven  from  his  post  in  the  two  succeeding  summers,  by  a  superior 


CHARLES   CARROLL.  329 

Indian  force.  In  1789-90,  General  Charles  Scott  built  a  block  house  on  the 
second  bank,  in  an  elevated  position,  and  fortified  it  by  picketing.  This  post  was 
occupied  until  1792,  when  the  town  of  Port  William  (now  Carrollton)  was  first 
laid  out.     The  Indians  were  then  troublesome. 

Antiquities. — About  one-fourth  of  a  mile  from  the  Kentucky  river,  on  the  sec- 
ond bank  of  the  Ohio,  and  about  one  hundred  yards  from  the  latter  river,  there 
are  the  remains  of  a  fortification,  of  a  circular  form,  about  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
feet  in  diameter,  situated  on  level  ground.  About  two  miles  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Kentucky,  there  are  also  the  remains  of  what  must  have  been  a  formidable 
fortification,  situated  on  an  eligible  point,  and  of  quadrangular  form.  The  heavy 
embankment  on  which  it  was  erected,  is  evidently  of  artificial  construction,  and 
must  have  been  made  at  great  labor  and  expense.  It  includes  about  an  acre  of 
ground,  and  is  so  graded  as  to  throw  the  water  from  the  centre  in  every  direction. 
On  the  west  and  north  of  the  fort,  the  paths,  or  roads  leading  to  the  water,  and 
which  were  doubtless  used  for  the  general  purpose  of  ingress  and  egress,  are  still 
distinctly  marked  and  visible. 

There  are  a  number  of  mounds  in  the  county,  but  generally  of  small  size.  la 
1837,  one  was  examined,  in  which  was  found  the  skull  and  thigh  bones  of  a  hu- 
man being  of  very  large  frame,  together  with  a  silver  snuff  box,  made  in  the  shape 
of  an  infant's  shoe.  On  an  elevated  hill,  a  short  distance  from  the  Kentucky 
river,  in  opening  a  stone  quarry,  the  jaw  bone  and  a  large  number  of  human  teeth 
were  found  ;  and  on  the  points  of  the  ridges,  generally,  similar  discoveries  have 
been  made.  About  four  miles  from  Carrollton,  on  the  Muddy  fork  of  White  run, 
in  the  bed  of  the  creek,  on  a  limestone  rock,  is  the  form  of  a  human  being,  in  a 
sitting  posture ;  and  near  by,  is  the  form  of  one  lying  on  his  back,  about  six  feet 
long,  and  distinctly  marked. 

This  county  received  its  name  in  honor  of  Charles  Carroll,  of  Carrollton, 
one  of  the  signers  of  the  declaration  of  Independence,  and  the  last  of  that  immortal 
band  of  patriots  who  descended  to  the  tomb.  Mr.  Carroll  was  born  at  Annapolis, 
Maryland,  on  the  8th  of  September,  1737,  0.  S.  He  received  his  literary  educa- 
tion in  France,  and  studied  law  in  England.  In  1764,  he  returned  to  Maryland, 
a  finished  scholar  and  an  accomplished  gentleman.  He  married  in  1768.  He 
soon  became  a  distinguished  advocate  of  popular  rights,  and  ultimately  an  ardent 
and  devoted  friend  of  the  independence  of  the  American  colonies.  At  one  time 
the  delegates  from  Maryland  in  the  continental  congress  were  instructed  to  vote 
against  the  declaration  of  independence ;  but  through  his  influence  the  decision 
was  reversed,  and  under  new  instructions  on  the  4th  of  July,  1776,  the  votes  of 
the  Maryland  delegation  were  given  for  independence.  Mr.  Carroll  having  been 
appointed  a  delegate,  on  the  18th  of  .July  took  his  seat  in  Congress.  On  the  same 
day  a  secret  resolution  was  adopted,  directing  the  declaration  to  be  engrossed  on 
parchment,  and  signed  by  all  the  members,  which  was  accordingly  done  on  the 
2nd  of  August.  As  Mr.  Carroll  had  not  given  a  vote  on  the  adoption  of  that 
instrument,  he  was  asked  by  the  president  if  he  would  sign  it;  "  most  willingly," 
he  replied,  and  immediately  affixed  his  name  to  that  "record  of  glory,"  which  has 
endeared  him  to  his  country,  and  rendered  his  name  immortal.  He  subsequently 
aided  in  the  formation  of  the  constitution  of  Maryland,  was  a  member  of  congress, 
a  member  of  the  state  senate,  and  a  member  of  the  senate  of  the  United  States. 
He  retired  from  public  employments  in  1801,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days 
in  private  life.  On  the  14th  of  November,  1832,  at  the  advanced  age  of  95,  he 
was  gathered  to  his  fathers. 

An  anecdote  is  told  of  Carroll,  illustrative  of  the  fearlessness  and  firmness  of 
the  man,  which  may  not  be  out  of  place  here.  Immediately  after  he  placed  his 
name  to  the  declaration  of  independence,  one  of  his  friends  jocularly  remarked 
that  if  the  British  got  hold  of  him,  they  would  not  know  whether  it  were  he,  or 
the  Charles  Carroll  of  Massachusetts,  who  had  signed  the  declaration;  conse- 
quently, they  would  be  at  a  loss  which  to  hang  as  the  rebel.  "In  order,"  says 
he,  "  that  there  may  be  no  mistake  about  that,  I  will  save  them  the  trouble  of 
hanging  two  of  us,"  and  instantly  aflSxed  his  residence  to  his  name,  and  by  which 
he  was  ever  afterwards  known  as  "  Charles  Carroll  of  Carrollton." 


230  CARTER  AND  CASEY   COUNTIES. 


CARTER    COUNTY. 

Carter  county  was  formed  in  1838,  and  called  in  honor  of 
Colonel  William  G.  Carter,  the  then  senator  in  the  state  legisla- 
ture from  the  counties  of  Lewis,  Greenup  and  Lawrence.  It  is 
situated  in  the  extreme  eastern  portion  of  the  State,  and  is 
watered  by  Big  and  Little  Sandy  rivers  and  Tygart's  creek: 
Bounded  on  the  north  by  Greenup  and  Lewis  ;  east  by  Big  Sandy 
river,  which  divides  Kentucky  from  Virginia ;  south  by  Lawrence, 
and  west  by  Fleming.  Grayson,  the  county  seat,  is  about  one 
hundred  and  ten  miles  from  Frankfort — contains  a  fine  brick 
court-house  and  other  public  buildings,  two  stores,  four  lawyers, 
two  doctors,  and  several  mechanics.  Named  after  Colonel  Robert 
Grayson. 

The  taxable  property  of  Carter  in  1846,  was  assessed  at 
$433,856;  number  of  acres  of  land,  246,977;  average  value  per 
acre,  $1,13  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  is 
given  at  878;  and  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen 
years  old,  1,194.     Population  in  1840,  was  2,905. 

The  surface  of  this  county,  like  most  of  the  eastern  counties, 
is  very  much  broken ;  and  except  in  the  bottoms  of  the  rivers 
and  the  numerous  small  streams  by  which  it  is  watered,  the  lands 
are  not  well  adapted  for  agricultural  purposes.  The  hills,  how- 
ever, abound  in  stone  coal  and  iron  ore  ;  and  the  mineral  resour- 
ces of  the  county,  when  fully  developed,  will  prove  an  inexhaus- 
tible source  of  wealth  to  its  population.  Salt,  in  considerable 
quantities,  has  been  annually  manufactured,  at  the  Sandy  Salines, 
for  nearly  half  a  century. 


CASEY   COUN  TY. 

Casey  county  was  organized  in  1806,  and  named  in  memory 
of  Colonel  William  Casey.  It  is  situated  in  the  middle  part  of 
the  State,  and  lies  on  the  head  waters  of  Green  river  and  the 
Rolling  Fork  of  Salt  river :  Bounded  on  the  north  by  Boyle  ;  east 
by  Lincoln  ;  south  by  Pulaski,  and  west  by  Adair.  Liberty  is  the 
seat  of  justice,  which  stands  on  the  bank  of  Green  river,  about 
sixty-five  miles  from  Frankfort.  The  surface  is  high  and  broken — 
corn,  wheat,  oats  and  potatoes,  the  principal  productions. 

Assessed  taxable  property  in  1846,  $719,257;  number  of  acres 
of  land  in  the  county  175,118;  average  value  per  acre,  $2,16; 
number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  961  ; 
number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  old,  1,425. 
Population  in  1830,  4,342— in  1840,  4,939. 

Liberty    contains    a   court-house    and    public    offices,    three 


CHRISTIAN    COUNTY.  231 

churches,  one  school,  five  stores  and  groceries,  three  taverns,  two 
lawyers,  three  doctors,  seven  mechanics'  shops — population  200. 
Incorporated  1830. 

Colonel  William  Casey,  in  honor  of  -whom  this  county  received  its  name, 
was  a  native  of  Frederick  county,  Virginia.  In  company  with  two  or  three  fami- 
lies, he  removed  to  Kentucky  in  the  early  part  of  the  winter  of  1779-80 ;  and 
during  the  intensely  cold  weather  of  that  memorable  winter,  lived  in  a  camp  on 
the  Hanging  fork  of  Dick's  river.  He  remained  there  until  the  year  1791  ;  when 
under  the  influence  of  that  spirit  of  adventure  and  change  which  marked  the  era 
in  which  he  lived,  he  struck  his  tent,  and  removed  to  Russell's  creek,  a  tributary 
of  Green  river.  Here,  at  a  distance  of  fifty  miles  from  any  white  settlement,  in 
conjunction  with  several  families  who  pushed  their  fortunes  with  him,  he  located 
and  built  a  station.  Though  feeble  in  numbers,  the  hardy  band  of  pioneers  by 
whom  he  was  surrounded,  and  who  reposed  in  him  unbounded  confidence  as  a 
leader,  maintained  themselves,  gallantly  and  victoriously,  against  several  attacks 
of  the  Indians.  His  station  was  subsequently  reinforced  by  several  families, 
whose  presence  was  instrumental  in  preventing  any  further  assault  on  the  part 
of  the  Indians.  In  one  of  the  incursions,  however,  of  a  small  band  of  savages, 
Mr.  John  Tucker,  a  Methodist  preacher,  together  with  his  wife,  were  cruelly 
murdered. 


CHRISTIAN    COUNTY. 

Christian  county  was  formed  in  the  year  1796,  and  named  in 
honor  of  Colonel  William  Christian.  It  lies  in  the  south-western 
part  of  the  State,  adjoining  the  Tennessee  line  :  Bounded  on 
the  north  by  Hopkins  and  Muhlenburg ;  east  by  Todd;  south  by 
the  State  of  Tennessee,  and  west  by  Trigg.  Hopkinsville,  the 
seat  of  justice,  is  about  two  hundred  miles  from  Frankfort. 

The  auditor  reports  the  valuation  of  the  taxable  property  of 
Christian  for  1846,  at  $4,855,552;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the 
county,  377,147  ;  average  value  per  acre,  $5,08  ;  number  of  white 
males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  2,149;  number  of  children 
between  five  and  sixteen  years  old,  2,548.  Population  in  1830, 
12,694— in  1840,  15,587. 

This  county  is  twenty-two  miles  wide  and  thirty-two  long, 
containing  an  area  of  seven  hundred  and  four  miles,  and  is  the 
eleventh  county  in  the  State  in  point  of  wealth.  The  southern 
division  of  the  county  is  generally  composed  of  rich,  fertile,  level 
bottoms,  and  produces  fine  crops  of  tobacco,  corn,  wheat,  rye, 
oats,  and  grass.  The  northern  division  is  broken,  and  in  some 
portions  almost  mountainous,  with  a  soil  less  fertile,  but  suffi- 
ciently rich  to  sustain  a  large  population — finely  timbered,  well 
watered,  and  abounding  in  inexhaustible  beds  of  coal  and  iron 
ore.  The  general  basis  of  the  soil  is  a  red  clay,  founded  on  cav- 
ernous limestone ;  and  like  most  of  the  southern  counties, 
abounds  in  sinks,  caves  and  caverns.  The  situation  of  the  coun- 
ty is  elevated,  and  the  surface  of  the  country  has  a  descending 
inclination  in  all  directions  from  the  centre,  as  it  contains  the 
head  waters  of  Pond,  Trade  Water,  Little,  and  the  west  fork  of 


232  CHRISTIAN   COUNTS'. 

Red  rivers  :  The  first  emptying  into  Green  river,  the  second  into 
the  Ohio,  and  the  two  last  into  Cumberland  river.  Mineral  and 
Sulphur  springs  abound,  and  many  invalids  visit  them  during  the 
watering  season.  The  staple  products  are  corn,  wheat,  oats  and 
tobacco — not  less  than  3,500  hogsheads  of  the  latter  article  being 
exported  annually ;  while  coal  from  the  mines,  in  large  quanti- 
ties, finds  its  way  to  market. 

There  are  five  towns  in  Christian — Hopkinsville,  Belleview, 
Garrettsburg,  Lafayette  and  Oaktown.  Hopkjnsville  is  the  county 
seat;  situated  near  the  centre  of  the  county,  on  Little  river,  in  a 
gently  undulating,  fertile  valley,  and  presents  a  neat  and  flour- 
ishing appearance :  Contains  a  large  and  commodious  court-house, 
market-house,  branch  of  the  Bank  of  Kentucky,  six  churches, 
(Baptist,  Presbyterian,  Christian,  Cumberland  Presbyterian, 
Methodist  and  Episcopalian),  a  part  beautiful  and  well  finished 
edifices ;  two  male  and  two  female  academies ;  one  printing 
office,  (the  Hopkinsville  Gazette),  eighteen  dry-goods  stores,  three 
drug  stores,  five  groceries,  three  hotels,  with  nineteen  lawyers, 
thirteen  physicians,  and  the  following  mechanics'  shops,  viz  :  four 
blacksmiths,  four  saddlers,  seven  tailors,  six  carpenters,  four  cabi- 
net and  chair  makers,  two  tinners,  two  hatters,  five  shoe  and 
boot  makers,  four  wagon  and  carriage  makers,  two  silversmiths, 
three  house  and  sign  painters,  one  gun  smith,  two  tanneries,  one 
barber,  one  carding  factory,  and  three  large  tobacco  factories. 
Population  2,000.  Immediately  in  the  vicinity  of  the  town  is  a 
beautiful  botanic  garden  and  nursery,  containing  six  acres,  and 
supplied  with  choice  fruit,  shrubbery,  plants,  etc.,  together  with  a 
fine  fish  pond,  well  stocked  with  fish,  the  water  of  which  is  con- 
veyed five  hundred  yards  through  pipes,  and  flowing  up  in  the 
centre,  forms  a  beautiful  fountain.  This  garden  is  a  place  of 
very  general  resort.  Hopkinsville  was  laid  out  in  1799,  on  the 
lands  of  Mr.  Bartholomew  Wood,  and  called  Elizabethtown,  by 
which  name  it  was  known  for  several  years.  It  was  incorpo- 
rated in  1806,  by  its  present  name,  in  honor  of  General  Samuel 
Hopkins. 

Belleview  is  a  small  village,  ten  miles  from  Hopkinsville,  con- 
taining a  Baptist  church,  post-office,  store,  grocery  and  tailor's 
shop.  Garrettsburg  in  fourteen  miles  south  from  Hopkinsville,  and 
contains  a  Baptist  church,  a  lawyer,  a  doctor,  two  stores,  one 
grocery  and  five  mechanics'  shops.  Lafayette  is  situated  in  the 
south-west  corner  of  the  county,  eighteen  miles  from  Hopkins- 
ville, and  one  mile  from  the  Tennessee  state  line — contains 
one  Presbyterian,  one  Cumberland  Presbyterian,  one  Methodist 
Episcopal,  one  Methodist  Protestant,  and  one  Reformed  or  Chris- 
tian church ;  eight  stores  and  groceries,  three  physicians,  one 
tavern,  post-office  and  eleven  mechanics'  shops.  Oaktottm  lies 
thirteen  miles  south-east  of  Hopkinsville,  on  the  Clarksville  road, 
and  contains  a  post-office,  two  stores,  a  blacksmith  and  tailor. 

Christian  county  contains  several  exceedingly  interesting  natural  curiosities. 
1st.  Two  of  the  forks  of  the  Little  river  sink  and  disappear  entirely  in  the  earth 


WILLIAM    CHRISTIAN.  233 

fur  many  miles,  when  they  emerge  and  flow  on  about  their  usual  width.  2d. 
The  Pilul  Bock,  a  rare  curiosity,  is  situated  about  twelve  miles  from  Hopkinsville, 
rather  north  of  an  east  direction.  The  rock  rests  upon  elevated  ground,  and  is 
about  two  hundred  feet  in  height.  Its  summit  is  level,  and  covers  about  half 
an  acre  of  ground,  which  affords  some  small  growth  and  wild  shrubbery.  This 
rock  attracts  great  attention,  and  is  visited  by  large  numbers  of  persons,  particu- 
larly in  the  summer  months.  Its  elevated  summit,  which  is  reached  without  much 
difficulty,  affords  a  fine  view  of  the  surrounding  country  for  many  miles,  present- 
ing a  prospect  at  once  picturesque,  magnificent  and  beautiful.  3d.  Situated  in 
the  northern  extremity  of  this  county,  near  "  Harrison's  tanyard,"  about  twenty 
miles  from  Hopkinsville,  is  a  Natural  Bridge,  somewhat  similar,  but  on  a  reduced 
scale,  to  the  celebrated  rock  bridge  in  Virginia,  which  was  considered  by  Mr. 
Jefferson  the  greatest  natural  curiosity  in  the  world.  The  bridge  in  question 
crosses  a  deep  ravine,  is  thirty  feet  in  height,  with  a  span  of  sixty  feet,  and  a 
magnificent  arch.  The  surface  is  perfectly  level,  and  the  general  width  about 
five  feet.  The  scenery  in  the  vicinity  of  the  bridge  is  remarkably  romantic,  and 
presents  great  attractions  to  the  lovers  of  the  picturesque  in  nature. 

'j'he  first  settlement  in  the  county  was  made  in  1785,  by  John  Montgomery  and 
James  Davis,  from  Virginia,  on  the  west  fork  of  Red  river,  where  they  built  a 
block  house.  At  or  near  this  block  house,  was  a  large  cave,  which  served  as  a 
hiding  place  for  themselves  and  families  against  the  attacks  of  marauding  parties 
of  Indians. 

Col.  William  Christian,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its  name, 
was  a  native  of  Augusta  county,  Virginia.  He  was  educated  at  Stanton,  and 
when  very  young,  commanded  a  company  attached  to  Col.  Bird's  regiment,  which 
was  ordered  to  the  frontier  during  Braddock's  war.  In  this  service,  he  obtained 
the  reputation  of  a  brave,  active  and  efficient  officer.  Upon  the  termination  of 
Indian  hostilities,  he  married  the  sister  of  Patrick  Henry,  and  settled  in  the  county 
of  Bottetourt.  In  1774,  having  received  the  appointment  of  colonel  of  militia,  he 
raised  about  three  hundred  volunteers,  and  by  forced  marches,  made  a  distance 
of  two  hundred  miles,  with  the  view  of  joining  the  forces  under  General  Lewis, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Kenhavva.  He  did  not  arrive,  however,  in  time  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  battle  of  Point  Pleasant,  which  occurred  on  the  preceding  day,  the 
lOth  of  October,  1774.  In  1775,  he  was  a  member  of  the  general  state  convention 
of  Virginia.  In  the  succeeding  year,  when  hostilities  had  commenced  between 
Great  Britain  and  the  American  colonies,  he  received  the  appointment  of  colonel 
in  the  Virginia  line  of  the  regular  army,  and  took  command  of  an  expedition, 
composed  of  1200  men,  against  the  Cherokee  Indians.  No  event  of  moment 
occurred  in  this  expedition,  the  Indians  having  sued  for  peace,  which  was  con- 
cluded with  them.  After  his  return  from  this  expedition.  Colonel  Christian 
resigned  his  command  in  the  regular  service,  and  accepted  one  in  the  militia,  at 
the  head  of  which  he  kept  down  the  lory  spirit  in  his  quarter  of  Virginia  through- 
out the  revolutionary  struggle.  Upon  the  conclusion  of  the  war,  he  represented 
his  county  in  the  Virginia  legislature  for  several  years,  sustaining  a  high  reputa- 
tion for  his  civil  as  well  as  his  military  talents. 

In  1785,  Colonel  Christian  emigrated  to  Kentucky,  and  settled  on  Bear-grass. 
The  death  of  Colonel  Floyd,  who  was  killed  by  an  Indian  in  1783,  rendered  his 
location  peculiarly  acceptable  to  that  section  of  the  state,  where  a  man  of  his 
intelligence,  energy  and  knowledge  of  the  Indian  character,  was  much  needed. 
In  April  of  the  succeeding  year,  1786,  a  body  of  Indians  crossed  the  Ohio  and 
stole  a  number  of  horses  on  Bear-grass,  and  with  their  usual  celerity  of  move- 
ment, recrossed  the  river,  and  presuming  they  were  in  no  further  danger  of  pursuit, 
leisurely  made  their  way  to  their  towns.  Colonel  Christian  immediately  raised 
a  party  of  men,  and  crossed  the  Ohio  in  pursuit  of  the  marauders.  Having  found 
their  trail,  by  a  rapid  movement  he  overtook  them  about  twenty  miles  from  the 
river,  and  gave  them  battle.  A  bloody  conflict  ensued,  in  which  Colonel  Chris- 
tian and  one  man  of  his  party  were  killed,  and  the  Indian  force  totally  destroyed.* 
His  death  created  a  strong  sensation  in  Kentucky.  He  was  brave,  intelligent 
and  remarkably  popular. 

•Vide  Marshall's  History,  vol.  1,  pafje  228.  This  account  varies  in  some  of  its  particulars  from 
that  which  appears  in  the  biofrnipliiciil  sketch  of  I<ieuleiiaiU  Governor  Bullitt,  who  belonged  to  the 
party  of  Colonel  Christian.    See  Bullitt  county. 


234  CLARK  COUNTY. 


CLARK   COUNTY. 

Clark  county  was  established  in  1793,  by  an  act  of  the  legis- 
lature, and  named  in  honor  of  General  George  Rogers  Clark. 
It  is  situated  in  the  middle  section  of  the  State,  and  lies  on  the 
waters  of  the  Kentucky  and  Licking  rivers.  It  is  bounded  on 
the  north  by  Bourbon  county,  on  the  east  by  Montgomery,  on  the 
south  by  the  Kentucky  river,  which  separates  it  from  Madison 
and  Estill  counties,  and  on  the  west  by  Fayette  county.  One 
half  of  the  western  half  of  Clark  county  is  very  productive^  the 
soil  being  as  good  as  any  in  Kentucky  ;  a  fourth  of  the  county 
is  very  much  broken,  but  fertile  ;  the  remaining  portion  is  very 
poor  oak  land.  The  exports  consist  principally  of  hemp,  cattle, 
horses,  mules,  and  hogs. 

The  aggregate  value  of  taxable  property  in  Clark  county  in 
1846  was  $5,904,832;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county, 
167,055  ;  average  value  per  acre,  $20,56  ;  number  of  white  males 
over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  1,666;  number  of  children  be- 
tween five  and  sixteen  years  old,  1,931.  Population  in  1830, 
13,052— in  1840,  10,302. 

The  towns  are  Winchester,  Kiddville,  Colbysville,  Scholhille, 
and  Webster.  Winchester  is  the  county  seat,  situated  on  the 
Lexington  and  Mount  Sterling  road,  and  forty  five  miles  distant 
from  Frankfort.  It  contains  a  Methodist,  Presbyterian  and  Re- 
formed Baptist  church,  a  public  seminary,  a  female  academy, 
twelve  stores,  six  grocery  stores,  ten  lawyers,  six  physicians, 
two  hemp  factories,  and  a  large  number  of  mechanical  shops.  It 
has  a  population  of  about  700  souls.  The  other  villages,  above 
named,  are  small,  and  contain  but  few  inhabitants. 

Clark  county  was  settled  at  a  very  early  period  in  the  history  of  Kentucky;  it 
being  separated  from  Boonsborough,  the  first  point  settled  in  the  State,  only  by 
the  Kentucky  river,  which  forms  the  southern  boundary  of  the  county.  Strodes 
Station,  a  point  of  considerable  importance  in  the  early  Indian  wars,  was  situated 
about  two  miles  from  Winchester,  the  present  seat  of  justice.  In  the  year  1780 
it  was  besieged  by  a  large  body  of  Indians,  who  attempted  to  cut  off  the  supply 
of  water  from  the  garrison.  But,  foiled  in  this  effort,  the  savages  were  repulsed 
and  forced  to  retreat.  In  the  pursuit  which  followed,  a  white  man  by  the  name 
of  Van  Swearingen,  a  man  of  noted  courage,  was  killed.  This  was  the  only  loss 
sustained  by  the  garrison  during  the  siege. 

When  this  county  was  first  settled,  some  ancient  corn-fields  were  discovered 
about  twelve  miles  east  of  W'inchester.  It  was  supposed  that  these  fields  had 
been  cultivated  by  the  Indians,  many  years  prior  to  the  period  of  the  first  entrance 
of  the  whites  into  this  territory. 

At  the  present  time  Clark  county  is  noted  for  its  fine  stock,  its  highly  culti- 
vated farms  and  beautiful  grass  pastures.  Captain  Isaac  Cunningham,  a  citi- 
zen of  this  county,  who  died  in  1842,  was  the  pioneer  of  the  grazing  business  in 
Kentucky,  from  which  he  amassed  a  large  fortune.  He  was  a  man  of  great  in- 
tegrity of  character,  an  ardent  patriot,  and  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  who  knew 
him.  At  the  battle  of  the  Thames  he  commanded  a  company  of  Kentucky  volun- 
teers, which  did  good  service  during  the  engagement. 

The  two  Howard's  creeks  in  Clark  county  derived  their  names  from  the  venera- 
ble John  Howard,  a  well  known  citizen  of  Kentucky,  who  died  some  years  ago 


JAMES    CLARKE.  235 

in  Fayette  county.  He  was  the  father  of  the  late  Governor  Benjamin  Howard, 
and  of  the  first  wife  of  Robert  Wickliffe,  Sen'r.,  Esq.  He  held  a  pre-emption 
of  one  thousand  acres  of  land  at  the  mouth  of  each  of  these  creeks. 

In  this  county  repose  the  remains  of  two  governors  of  Kentucky — Charles 
Scott  and  the  late  James  Clarke.  Monuments  have  been  erected  over  the  graves 
of  both  by  the  legislature. 

Among  the  noted  citizens  of  Clark,  was  the  late  venerable  Hubbard  Taylor. 
He  emigrated  to  the  county  at  a  very  early  period,  was  a  senator  for  a  number  of 
years  in  the  Kentucky  legislature,  and  on  several  occasions  was  chosen  as  one  of 
the  presidential  electors.  He  was  distinguished  for  his  patriotism,  his  hospital- 
ity and  public  spirit.  He  died  in  the  year  1842,  beloved  and  mourned  by  all  who 
knew  him. 

General  Richard  Hickman,  a  lieutenant  governor  of  the  St-  >?,  and  acting  go- 
vernor during  the  absence  of  Governor  Shelby  in  the  campaigri  jf  1813,  was  also 
a  citizen  of  this  county.  He  was  highly  esteemed  by  his  c  untrymen  for  his  in- 
telligence and  many  virtues. 

Colonel  William  Sudduth,  was  one  of  the  earliest  s.;ttlers  in  Clark  county, 
and  the  last  surviving  member  of  the  convention  which  framed  the  present  con- 
stitution of  Kentucky.  He  was  a  gallant  soldier  under  Wayne  in  the  campaign 
of  1793.  For  thirty  years  he  was  the  county  surveyor  of  Clark.  He  was  a  man 
of  intelligence,  with  the  manners  of  an  accomplished  gentleman.  He  died  at  the 
residence  of  one  of  his  sons  in  Bath  county,  in  the  year  1845,  having  nearly  at- 
tained his  eightieth  year. 

The  Hon.  Chilton  Allan,  who  for  many  years  served  as  representative  in 
congress  from  Kentucky,  with  a  high  reputation  for  ability  and  efficiency,  is  a 
citizen  of  this  county.  He  is  a  profound  lawyer,  a  statesman  of  enlarged  and 
liberal  views,  a  sound  politician,  a  devoted  patriot,  and  a  man  of  remarkably 
pure  and  elevated  moral  character. 

Among  the  most  distinguished  citizens  of  Clark  county  was  the  Hon.  James 
Clarke,  late  governor  of  the  commonwealth.  Our  materials  for  a  sketch  of  his 
life  are  exceedingly  meagre,  and  we  can  attempt  nothing  more  than  a  bare  enu- 
meration of  the  most  prominent  incidents  in  his  career.  He  was  the  son  of 
Robert  and  Susan  Clarke,  and  was  born  in  1779,  in  Bedford  coimty,  Virginia, 
near  the  celebrated  Peaks  of  Otter.  His  father  emigrated  from  Virginia  to  Ken- 
tucky at  a  very  early  period,  and  settled  in  Clark  county,  near  the  Kentucky 
river.  The  subject  of  this  notice  received  the  principal  part  of  his  education 
under  Dr.  Blythe,  afterwards  a  professor  in  Transylvania  university.  He  studied 
law  with  his  brother.  Christian  Clarke,  a  very  distinguished  lawyer  of  Virginia. 
When  he  had  qualified  himself  to  discharge  the  duties  of  his  profession,  he  re- 
turned to  Kentucky,  and  commenced  the  practice  of  the  law  in  Winchester,  in 
1797. 

He  remained  here,  however,  but  a  short  time,  before  he  set  out  in  search  of  a 
more  eligible  situation,  and  traveled  through  what  was  then  the  far  west,  taking 
Vincennes  and  St.  Louis  in  his  route;  but  failing  to  find  a  place  to  suit  his  views, 
he  returned  to  Winchester,  where,  by  his  unremitting  attention  to  business,  and 
striking  displays  of  professional  ability,  he  soon  obtained  an  extensive  and  lucra- 
tive practice. 

At  this  period  of  his  life,  he  was  several  times  elected  a  member  of  the  State 
legislature,  in  which  body  he  soon  attained  a  high  and  influential  position.  In 
1810,  he  was  appointed  a  judge  of  the  court  of  appeals,  and  acted  in  that  capacity 
for  about  two  years.  In  1812,  he  was  elected  to  congress,  and  served  from 
the  4th  of  March,  1813,  until  March,  1816.  In  1817  he  received  an  appointment 
as  judge  of  the  circuit  court,  tor  the  judicial  district  in  which  he  resided,  which 
station  he  filled  with  great  ability,  and  to  the  general  satisfaction  of  the  public, 
till  the  year  182-1,  vvlien  he  resigned.  During  his  term  of  service  as  judge,  oc- 
curred that  great  and  exciting  struggle  between  the  relief  and  anti-relief  parties, 
which  has  left  its  traces  on  the  political  and  social  condition  of  Kentucky,  in 
deep  and  indelible  characters,  to  be  seen  even  at  the  present  day.  In  May,  1823, 
Mr.  Clarke  rendered  an  opinion  in  the  Bourbon  circuit  court,  in  which  he  decide*'. 


236  CLARK   COUNTY. 

that  the  relief  laws  were  unconstitutional.  This  decision  produced  great  excite- 
ment, and  was  the  cause  of  his  being  arraigned  and  impeached  before  the  legis- 
lature. But,  notwithstanding  the  temporary  dissatisfaction  it  excited  in  the  breasts 
of  the  relief  party,  there  was  probably  no  act  of  his  life  which  inspired  his  fellow 
citizens  with  greater  confidence  in  his  integrity,  firmness,  independence,  and  pat- 
riotism, than  this  decision.  It  was  given  just  before  the  election,  and  he  must 
have  foreseen  the  temporary  injury  it  would  inflict  upon  the  party  with  which  he 
acted,  and  which  he  regarded  as  the  bulwark  of  the  constitution.  But  his  was  a 
nature  which  knew  not  the  possibility  of  making  a  compromise  between  his  prin- 
ciples and  policy. 

In  1825,  he  was  elected  to  congress  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  Mr.  Clay's 
appointment  as  secretary  of  state,  and  continued  to  represent  the  Fayette  district 
in  that  body  until  1831.  In  1832,  he  was  elected  to  the  senate  of  Kentucky, 
and  was  chosen  speaker  in  the  place  of  Mr.  Morehead,  who  was  then  acting  as 
governor,  in  the  place  of  Governor  Breathitt,  deceased.  He  was  elected  gover- 
nor of  Kentucky  in  August,  1836,  and  died  on  the  27th  of  August,  1839,  in  his 
sixtieth  year. 

Governor  Clarke  was  endowed  by  nature  with  great  strength  of  mind,  and  a  fine 
vein  of  original  wit.  His  literary  attainments  were  respectable,  ranking  in  that 
respect  with  most  of  his  cotemporaries  of  the  legal  profession  at  that  day.  A 
fine  person,  a  cheerful  and  social  disposition,  an  easy  address,  and  fascinating 
manners,  made  him  the  life  of  every  circle  in  which  he  mingled.  He  was  full  of 
fun,  fond  of  anecdotes,  and  could  tell  a  story  with  inimitable  grace.  To  these 
qualities,  so  well  calculated  to  display  the  amiable  traits  of  his  character  in  their 
most  attractive  light,  he  added  all  those  stern  and  manly  virtues  which  inspire 
confidence  and  command  respect.  His  death  made  a  vacancy  in  the  political  and 
social  circles  of  Kentucky,  which  was  very  sensibly  felt  and  universally  de- 
plored. 

General  George  Rogers  Clark,  whose  name  is  deservedly  celebrated  in  the 
early  history  of  Kentucky,  and  conspicuously  prominent  in  the  conquest  and  set- 
tlement of  the  whole  west,  was  born  in  the  county  of  Albemarle,  in  the  State  of 
Virginia,  on  the  19th  of  November,  1752.  Of  his  early  years  and  education, 
but  little  is  known.  In  his  youth,  he  engaged  in  the  business  of  land  surveying, 
which  appears  to  have  presented  to  the  enterprising  young  men  of  that  day,  a 
most  congenial  and  attractive  field  for  the  exercise  of  their  energies.  It  is  worthy 
of  remark,  that  many  of  the  most  opulent  and  influential  families  of  Kentucky 
were  founded  by  men  engaged  in  this  pursuit.  How  long  Clark  continued  in  this 
vocation,  is  unknown.  He  commanded  a  company  in  Dunmore's  war,  and  was 
engaged  in  the  only  active  operation  of  the  right  wing  of  the  invading  army, 
against  the  Indians.  At  the  close  of  this  war,  he  was  offered  a  commission  in 
the  English  service,  but,  upon  consultation  with  his  friends,  he  was  induced  by 
the  troubled  aspect  of  the  relations  between  the  colonies  and  Great  Britain,  to 
decline  the  appointment. 

In  the  spring  of  1775,  he  came  to  Kentucky,  drawn  hither  by  that  love  of  ad- 
venture which  distinguished  him  through  life.  He  remained  in  Kentucky  during 
the  spring  and  summer  of  this  year,  familiarizing  himself  with  the  character  of 
the  people  and  the  resources  of  the  country,  until  the  fall,  when  he  returned  to 
Virginia.  During  this  visit,  he  was  temporarily  placed  in  command  of  the  irreg- 
ular militia  of  the  settlements  ;  but  whether  he  held  a  commission  is  not  known. 
In  the  spring  of  the  following  year  (1776),  he  again  came  to  Kentucky,  with  the 
intention  of  making  it  his  permanent  home  ;  and  from  this  time  forth,  his  name  is 
closely  associated  with  the  progress  of  the  western  settlements  in  power  and  civ- 
ilization. 

His  mind  had  been  very  early  impressed  with  the  immense  importance  of  this 
frontier  country  to  the  security  of  the  parent  State  of  Virginia,  as  well  as  to  the 
whole  confederacy  ;  and  his  reflections  on  this  subject  led  him  to  perceive  the 
importance  of  a  more  thorough,  organized,  and  extensive  system  of  public  de- 
fence, and  a  more  regular  plan  of  military  operations,  than  the  slender  resources 
of  the  colonies  had  yet  been  able  to  effect.  With  the  view  of  accomplishing 
this  design,  he  had  been  in  Kentucky  but  a  few  months,  when  he  suggested  to 
the  settlers  the  propriety  of  convening  a  general  assembly  of  the  people  at  Har- 


GEORGE  ROGERS  CLARK.  237 

rodstown  (now  Harrodsburgh),  to  take  steps  towards  fonning  a  more  definite  and 
certain  connection  with  the  government  and  people  of  Virginia,  than  as  yet  existed. 
The  immediate  necessity  for  this  movement  grew  out  of  the  memorable  and  well 
known  conflict  between  Henderson  &  Co.,  and  the  legislature  of  Virginia,  rela- 
tive to  the  disputed  claim  of  jurisdiction  over  a  large  portion  of  the  new  territory. 
The  excitement  which  arose  out  of  this  dispute,  and  the  prevailing  uncertainty 
whether  the  south  side  of  Kentucky  river  appertained  to  Virginia  or  North  Caro- 
lina, (the  latter  claiming  by  virtue  of  Henderson's  purchase  of  the  Cherokees  at 
the  treaty  of  Wataga),  added  very  greatly  to  the  perplexity  of  the  settlers,  and 
rendered  it  necessary  that  the  disposition  of  Virginia  should  be  distinctly  ascer- 
tained. The  proposed  meeting  was  accordingly  held  at  Harrodstown  on  the  6th 
of  June,  1776,  at  which  Clark  and  Gabriel  Jones  were  chosen  members  of  the 
assembly  of  Virginia.  This,  however,  was  not  precisely  the  thing  contemplated 
by  Clark.  He  wished  that  the  people  should  appoint  agents,  with  general 
powers  to  negotiate  with  the  government  of  Virginia,  and  in  the  event  that  that 
commonwealth  should  refuse  to  recognize  the  colonists  as  within  its  jurisdiction 
and  under  its  protection,  he  proposed  to  employ  tlie  lands  of  the  country  as  a 
fund  to  obtain  settlers  and  establish  an  independent  State.  The  election  had, 
however,  gone  too  far  to  change  its  object  when  Clark  arrived  at  Harrodstown, 
and  the  gentlemen  elected,  although  aware  that  the  choice  could  give  them  no 
seat  in  the  legislature,  proceeded  to  Williamsburg,  at  that  time  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment. After  suffering  the  most  severe  privations  in  their  journey  tlirough  the 
wilderness,  the  delegates  found,  on  their  arrival  in  Virginia,  that  the  legislature 
had  adjourned,  whereupon  Jones  directed  his  steps  to  the  settlements  on  Holston, 
and  left  Clark  to  attend  to  the  Kentucky  mission  alone. 

He  immediately  waited  on  Governor  Henry,  then  lying  sick  at  his  residence 
in  Hanover  county,  to  whom  he  stated  the  objects  of  his  journey.  These  meeting 
the  approbation  of  the  governor,  he  gave  Clark  a  letter  to  the  executive  council 
of  the  state.  With  this  letter  in  his  hand  he  appeared  before  the  council,  and 
after  acquainting  them  fully  with  the  condition  and  circumstances  of  the  colony, 
he  made  application  for  five  hundred  weight  of  gun-powder  for  the  defence  of  the 
various  stations.  But  with  every  disposition  to  assist  and  promote  the  growth  of 
these  remote  and  infant  settlements,  the  council  felt  itself  restrained  by  the  un- 
certain and  indefinite  state  of  the  relations  existing  between  the  colonists  and  the 
state  of  Virginia,  from  complying  fully  with  his  demand.  The  Kentuckians  had 
not  yet  been  recognised  by  the  legislature  as  citizens,  and  the  proprietary  claim- 
ants, Henderson  &  Co.,  were  at  this  time  exerting  themselves  to  obtain  from  Vir- 
ginia, a  relinquishment  of  her  jurisdiction  over  the  new  territory.  The  council, 
therefore,  could  only  offer  to  lend  the  gun-powder  to  the  colonists  as  friends,  not 
give  it  to  them  as  fellow  citizens.  At  the  same  time  they  required  Clark  to  be 
personally  responsible  for  its  value,  in  the  event  the  legislature  should  refuse  to 
recognize  the  Kentuckians  as  citizens,  and  in  the  meantime  to  defray  the  expense 
of  its  conveyance  to  Kentucky.  Upon  these  terms  he  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to 
accept  the  proffered  assistance.  He  represented  to  the  council  that  the  emissaries 
of  the  British  were  employing  every  means  to  engage  the  Indians  in  the  war; 
that  the  people  in  the  remote  and  exposed  stations  of  Kentucky  might  be  exter- 
minated for  the  want  of  a  supply  which  he,  a  private  individual,  had  at  so  much 
hazard  and  hardship  sought  for  their  relief,  and  that  when  this  frontier  bulwark 
was  thus  destroyed,  the  fury  of  the  savages  would  burst  like  a  tempest  upon  the 
heads  of  their  own  citizens.  To  these  representations,  however,  the  council 
remained  deaf  and  inexorable;  the  sympathy  for  the  frontier  settlers  was  deep, 
but  the  assistance  already  offered  was  a  stretch  of  power,  and  they  could  go  no 
farther.  The  keeper  of  the  public  magazine  was  directed  to  deliver  the  powder 
to  Clark  ;  but  having  long  reflected  on  the  situation,  prospects  and  resources  of 
the  new  country,  his  resolution  to  reject  the  assistance  on  the  proposed  conditions, 
was  made  before  he  left  the  council  chamber.  He  determined  to  repair  to  Ken- 
tucky, and  as  he  had  at  first  contemplated,  exert  the  resources  of  the  country  for 
the  formation  of  an  independent  state.  He  accordingly  returned  the  order  of  the 
council  in  a  letter,  setting  forth  his  reasons  for  declining  to  accept  their  powder 
on  these  terms,  and  intimating  his  design  of  applying  for  assistance  elsewhere, 
adding,  '■Hhat  a  country  which  was  not  worth  defending,  was  not  worth  claiming.^'' 
On  the  receipt  of  this  letter  the  council  recalled  Clark  to  their  presence,  and  an 


238  CLARK  COUNTY. 

order  was  passed  on  the  23d  of  Auo;ust,  1776,  for  the  transmission  of  the  gun- 
powder to  Pittsburg,  to  be  there  delivered  to  Clark  or  his  order,  for  the  use  of  the 
people  of  Kentucky.  This  was  the  first  act  in  that  long-  and  affectionate  inter- 
change of  good  offices,  which  subsisted  between  Kentucky  and  her  parent  state 
for  so  many  years  ;  and  obvious  as  the  reflection  is,  it  may  not  be  omitted,  that  on 
the  successful  termination  of  this  negotiation,  hung  the  connection  between  Vir- 
ginia and  the  splendid  domain  she  afterwards  acquired  west  of  the  Alleghany 
mountains. 

At  the  fall  session  of  the  legislature  of  Virginia,  Messrs.  Jones  and  Clark  laid 
the  Kentucky  memorial  before  that  body.  They  were  of  course  not  admitted  to 
seats,  though  late  in  the  session  they  obtained,  in  opposition  to  the  exertions  of 
Colonels  Henderson  and  Campbell,  the  formation  of  the  territory  which  now  com- 
prises the  present  state  of  that  name,  into  the  county  of  Kentucky.  Our  first 
political  organization  was  thus  obtained  through  the  sagacity,  influence  and  exer- 
tions of  George  Rogers  Clark,  who  must  be  ranked  as  the  earliest  founder  of  this 
commonwealth.  This  act  of  the  Virginia  legislature  first  gave  it  form  and  a 
political  existence,  and  entitled  it  under  the  constitution  of  Virginia  to  a  repre- 
sentation in  the  assembly,  as  well  as  to  a  judicial  and  military  establishment. 

Having  obtained  these  important  advantages  from  their  mission,  they  received 
the  intelligence  that  the  powder  was  still  at  Pittsburg,  and  they  determined  to 
take  that  point  in  their  route  home,  and  bring  it  with  them.  The  country  around 
Pittsburg  swarmed  with  Indians,  evidently  hostile  to  the  whites,  who  would  no 
doubt  seek  to  interrupt  their  voyage.  These  circumstances  created  a  necessity 
for  the  utmost  caution  as  well  as  expedition  in  their  movements,  and  they  accord- 
ingly hastily  embarked  on  the  Ohio  with  only  seven  boatmen.  They  were  hotly 
pursued  the  whole  way  by  Indians,  but  succeeded  in  keeping  in  advance  until 
they  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  Limestone  creek,  at  the  spot  where  the  city  of  Mays- 
ville  now  stands.  They  ascended  this  creek  a  short  distance  with  their  boat,  and 
concealed  their  cargo  at  different  places  in  the  woods  along  its  banks.  They  then 
turned  their  boat  adrift,  and  directed  their  course  to  Harrodstown,  intending  to 
return  with  a  sufficient  escort  to  ensure  the  safe  transportation  of  the  powder  to 
its  destination.  This  in  a  short  time  was  successfully  eflfected,  and  the  colonists 
were  thus  abundantly  supplied  with  the  means  of  defence  against  the  fierce  ene- 
mies who  beset  them  on  all  sides. 

The  space  allotted  to  this  brief  sketch,  will  not  admit  of  a  detailed  narrative 
of  the  adventures  of  Major  Clark  after  his  return  to  Kentucky.  Let  it  suffice  to 
say,  that  he  was  universally  looked  up  to  by  the  settlers  as  one  of  the  master  spirits 
of  the  time,  and  always  foremost  in  the  fierce  conflicts  and  desperate  deeds  of 
those  wild  and  thrilling  days. 

Passing  over  that  series  of  private  and  solitary  adventures  in  which  he  em- 
barked after  he  returned  from  Virginia,  and  in  which  he  appears  to  have  taken  a 
peculiar  pleasure,  but  of  which  no  particulars  have  been  preserved,  we  shall  pro- 
ceed at  once  to  notice  his  successful  expedition  against  the  British  posts  of  Kas- 
kaskia  and  Vincennes  ;  one  of  the  most  important  events,  if  we  estimate  it  by 
its  consequences,  immediate  and  remote,  in  the  early  history  of  the  west.  It  was 
at  the  same  time  marked  by  incidents  of  romantic  and  thrilling  interest,  and  a 
striking  display  of  the  qualities  of  courage,  perseverance  and  fortitude,  which 
bring  to  mind  the  heroic  deeds  of  antiquity. 

The  war  in  Kentucky  previous  to  this  time  had  been  a  true  border  war,  and 
conducted  in  the  irregular  and  desultory  manner  incident  to  that  kind  of  hostili- 
ties. Nearly  all  the  military  operations  of  the  period  resembled  more  the  preda- 
tory exploits  of  those  sturdy  cattle-drovers  and  stark  moss-troopers  of  the  Scottish 
Highlands,  whose  valorous  achievements  have  been  immortalized  by  the  graphic 
pen  of  the  author  of  Waverley,  than  the  warfare  of  a  civilized  people.  Every 
man  fought,  pretty  much,  "  on  his  nwn  hook"  and  waged  the  war  in  a  fashion  to 
suit  himself.  He  selected  his  own  ground,  determined  upon  the  time,  place,  and 
manner  of  attack,  and  brought  the  campaign  to  a  close  whenever  his  own  incli- 
nations prompted.  The  war  indeed  was  sustained,  and  its  "sinews  supplied," 
by  the  adventurous  spirit  of  private  individuals.  The  solitary  backwoodsman 
would  sharpen  his  hunting  knife,  shoulder  his  rifle,  and  provide  himself  with  a 
small  quantity  of  parched  corn  as  a  substitute  for  bread,  and  thus  equipped  for 
service,  start  on  an  expedition  into  the  Indian  country,  without  beat  of  drum  or 


GEORGE  ROGERS  CLARK.  239 

note  of  warning.  Arrived  on  the  hostile  soil,  he  would  proceed  with  the  caution 
ol"  a  panther  stealing  on  his  prey,  until  he  reached  the  neighborhood  of  a  village, 
when  concealing  himself  in  the  surrounding  thickets,  he  would  lie  in  wait  until 
an  opportunity  presented  of  shooting  an  Indian  and  stealing  a  horse,  when  he 
would  return  to  the  cultivation  of  his  farm  and  the  ordinary  pursuits  of  his  busi- 
ness. Even  those  more  ambitious  enterprises  which  occasionally  diversified  this 
personal  warfare,  were  the  result  rather  of  the  spontaneous  combination  of  pri- 
vate individuals,  than  of  any  movement  by  the  state.  The  perseverance  and  gallan- 
try of  the  backwoodsman  was  left  to  sustain  itself,  with  little  assistance  from  the 
power  of  Virginia,  at  that  time  engaged  in  the  tremendous  struggle  of  the  war 
of  Independence,  which  demanded  all  her  energies  and  taxed  all  her  resources. 
The  State  had  not  disposable  means  to  act  on  so  remote  a  frontier,  nor  does  she 
appear  to  have  been  distinctly  aware  of  the  important  diversion  of  the  Indian 
force,  which  might  be  made  by  supporting  the  exertions  of  Kentucky.  As  little 
did  she  perceive  the  rich  temptations  offered  to  her  military  ambition  in  the  Bri- 
tish posts  in  the  west.  Yet  every  Indian  engaged  on  the  frontier  of  Kentucky, 
was  a  foe  taken  from  the  nearer  frontier  of  the  parent  state.  And  in  those  remote 
and  neglected  garrisons  of  Kaskaskia,  Vincennes  and  Detroit,  was  to  be  found 
the  source  of  those  Indian  hostilities,  which  staid  the  advancing  tide  of  emigra- 
tion, and  deluged  the  whole  west  in  the  blood  of  women  and  children. 

These  combined  views,  however,  began  to  acquire  weight  with  the  Virginia 
statesmen,  with  the  progress  of  the  revolution,  and  the  rapid  increase  of  emigra- 
tion to  Kentucky ;  and  they  were  particularly  aided  and  enforced  by  the  impres- 
sive representations  of  Major  Clark.  To  his  mind  they  had  been  long  familiar, 
and  his  plans  were  already  matured.  He  was  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the 
condition,  relations  and  resources  of  the  country,  and  with  that  instinctive  genius 
which  stamps  liim  as  the  most  consummate  of  the  western  commanders,  he  saw 
at  a  glance  the  policy  required  to  develop  the  nascent  strength  and  advantages 
of  the  infant  settlements.  At  a  glance,  he  discovered  what  had  so  long  escaped 
the  perspicacity  of  the  Virginia  statesmen,  that  the  sources  of  the  Indian  devasta- 
tions were  Detroit,  Vincennes  and  Kaskaskia.  It  was  by  the  arms  and  clothing 
supplied  at  these  military  stations  that  the  merciless  ferocity  of  these  blood 
thirsty  warriors  was  stimulated  to  the  commission  of  those  fearful  ravages 
which  "  drenched  the  land  to  a  mire."  If  they  could  be  taken,  a  counter  influ- 
ence would  be  established  over  the  Indians,  and  the  streams  of  human  blood, 
which  deluged  the  fields  of  Kentucky,  would  be  dried  up. 

So  strongly  had  the  idea  of  reducing  these  posts  taken  possession  of  the  mind 
and  imagination  of  Major  Clark,  that  in  the  summer  of  1777,  he  dispatched  two 
spies  to  reconnoitre  and  report  their  situation.  On  their  return  they  brought  intel- 
ligence of  great  activity  on  the  part  of  the  garrisons,  who  omitted  no  opportunity 
to  promote  and  encourage  the  Indian  depredations  on  the  Kentucky  frontier.  They 
reported  further,  that  although  the  British  had  essayed  every  art  of  misrepresen- 
tation, to  prejudice  the  French  inhabitants  against  the  Virginians  and  Kentuck- 
ians,  by  representing  these  frontier  people,  as  more  shocking  barbarians  than  the 
savages  themselves,  still  there  were  to  be  seen  strong  traces  of  affection  for  the 
Americans  among  many  of  the  inhabitants. 

In  December,  1777,  Major  Clark  submitted  to  the  executive  of  Virginia  a  plan 
for  the  reduction  of  these  posts.  The  result  was  a  full  approbation  of  the  scheme, 
and  the  governor  and  council  entered  into  the  undertaking  so  warmly  that  every 
preliminary  arrangement  was  soon  made.  Clark  received  two  sets  of  instruc- 
tions :  one  public,  directing  him  to  proceed  to  Kentucky  for  its  defence ;  the 
other  secret,  ordering  an  attack  on  the  British  post  at  Kaskaskia.  Twelve  hun- 
dred pounds  were  advanced  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  expedition,  and  orders 
issued  to  the  Virginia  commandant  at  fort  Pitt,  to  supply  Clark  with  ammunition, 
boats,  and  all  other  necessary  equipments.  The  force  destined  for  the  expedition, 
consisting,  after  a  rigid  selection,  of  only  four  companies,  rendezvoused  at  Corn 
Island,  opposite  the  falls  of  the  Ohio,  and  having  fully  completed  their  prepara- 
tions, they  embarked  in  boats  on  the  Ohio.  Landing  on  an  island  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Tennessee  river,  they  encountered  a  party  of  hunters  who  had  recently 
came  from  Kaskaskia,  and  from  them  they  obtained  the  most  important  intelli- 
gence relative  to  the  state  of  things  at  that  post.  They  reported  that  the  garrison 
was  commanded  by  one  M.  Rocheblave ;  that  the  militia  were  kept  in  a  high 


240  CLARK   COUNTY. 

state  of  discipline ;  that  spies  were  stationed  on  the  Mississippi  river,  and  all  In- 
dian hunters  directed  to  keep  a  sharp  look  out  for  the  Kentuckians.  They  stated 
further  that  the  fort  wliich  commanded  the  town  was  kept  in  order  as  a  place  of 
retreat,  but  without  a  regular  garrison,  and  the  military  defences  were  attended  to 
as  a  matter  of  form,  rather  than  from  any  belief  in  its  necessity  to  guard  against  an 
attack.  The  hunters  thought  that  by  a  sudden  surprise  the  place  might  be  easily 
captured,  and  they  offered  their  services  as  guides,  which  were  accepted.  The 
boats  were  dropped  down  to  a  point  on  the  Illinois  shore,  a  little  above  the  place 
where  fort  Massac  was  afterwards  built,  and  there  concealed,  and  the  little  army 
took  up  its  line  of  march  through  the  wilderness.  Their  commander  marched 
at  their  head,  sharing  in  all  respects  the  condition  of  his  men.  On  the  evening 
of  tiie  4lh  of  July,  1778,  the  expedition  arrived  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  town, 
where  it  lay  until  dark,  when  the  march  was  continued.  That  night  the  town 
and  fort  were  surprised  and  captured  without  the  effusion  of  a  drop  of  blood.  M. 
Rocheblave,  the  British  governor,  was  taken  in  his  chamber,  but  very  few  of  his 
public  papers  were  secured,  as  they  were  secreted  or  destroyed  by  his  wife,  whom 
the  Kentuckians  were  too  polite  to  molest.  In  the  course  of  a  few  days,  Clark 
had,  by  his  wise  and  prudent  policy,  entirely  dissipated  the  alarm,  and  gained 
the  affections  of  the  French  inhabitants,  and  his  conquest  was  thus  confirmed, 
and  the  ascendency  of  the  Virginia  government  firmly  rooted  in  the  feelings  of 
the  people.  Having  effected  this  most  desirable  revolution  in  the  sentiments  of 
the  inhabitants,  he  next  turned  his  aitention  to  the  small  French  village  of  Ca- 
hokia,  situated  about  sixty  miles  higher  up  the  Mississippi.  He  accordingly 
dispatched  Major  Bowman,  with  his  own  and  part  of  another  company,  to  effect 
the  reduction  of  this  small  post,  at  that  time  a  place  of  considerable  trade,  and  a 
depot  for  the  distribution  of  arms  and  ammunition  to  the  Indians,  a  considerable 
body  of  whom  were  encamped  in  the  neighborhood  when  the  Americans  ap- 
proached. The  expedition  was  accompanied  by  several  Kaskaskia  gentlemen, 
who  volunteered  their  services  to  assist  in  the  reduction  of  the  place.  The  expe- 
dition reached  the  town  without  being  discovered.  'J'he  surprise  and  alarm  of  the 
inhabitants  was  great,  but  when  the  Kaskaskia  gentlemen  narrated  what  had  oc- 
curred at  their  own  village,  the  general  consternation  was  converted  into  hurras 
for  freedom  and  the  Americans.  The  people  took  the  oath  of  allegiance,  and  in 
a  few  days  the  utmost  harmony  prevailed. 

The  expedition  thus  far  had  met  with  full  success,  but  Vincennes  still  remained 
in  the  possession  of  the  British,  and  until  it  should  share  the  fate  of  Kaskaskia, 
Clark  felt  that  there  was  no  safety  for  his  new  conquest.  His  uneasiness  was 
great.  His  situation  was  critical.  His  force  was  too  small  to  garrison  Kaskas- 
kia and  Cahokia,  and  leave  him  a  sufficient  power  to  attempt  the  reduction  of 
Vincennes  by  open  assault.  At  length  he  communicated  his  perplexity  to  a 
Catholic  priest,  M.  Gibault,  who  agreed  to  attempt  to  bring  the  inhabitants  over 
whom  he  had  pastoral  charge  into  the  views  of  the  American  commander.  This, 
through  the  agency  and  influence  of  the  priest,  was  effected  with  little  difficulty. 
The  inhabitants  threw  off  their  allegiance  to  the  British,  the  garrison  was  over- 
powered and  expelled,  and  the  American  flag  displayed  from  the  ramparts  of  the 
fort. 

Having  thus  succeeded  beyond  his  most  sanguine  expectations,  in  his  designs 
against  the  power  of  the  British  in  the  west,  Clark  next  turned  his  attention  to 
conciliate  the  various  Indian  tribes  inhabiting  this  region.  This  great  purpose, 
after  a  long  and  tedious  series  of  negotiations,  in  which  the  character  of  the 
American  commander  unfolded  itself  under  its  most  powerful  aspect,  was  finally 
accomplished,  the  hostility  of  many  of  the  tribes  pacified,  and  their  prejudices 
disarmed.  The  summary  nature  of  this  sketch  will  not  admit  of  a  particular  ac- 
count of  the  incidents  attending  this  great  enterprise,  though  the  narrative  would 
be  replete  with  interest,  as  it  was  in  this  wild  and  dangerous  diplomacy  that  the 
genius  of  Colonel  Clark  displayed  its  most  commanding  attributes.  Success  in 
this  politic  intercourse  with  the  untutored  savage  of  the  wilderness,  depends  far 
more  on  the  personal  qualities  of  the  negotiator,  than  on  the  justice  of  the  cause 
or  the  plausibility  of  his  reasoning.  The  American  Indian  has  an  unbounded 
admiration  for  all  those  high  and  heroic  virtues  which  enter  into  the  character  of 
the  successful  warrior,  and  the  terror  of  Clark's  name  had  spread  far  and  wide. 
To  these  advantages  he  added  that  of  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  Indian  char- 


GEORGE  ROGERS  CLARK.  241 

acter,  in  all  its  peculiarities,  its  strength,  and  its  weakness.  He  knew  when  to 
be  mild  and  conciliating — when  to  be  stern  and  uncompromising.  The  tact  and 
promptitude  with  which  he  adapted  his  conduct  to  the  exigency  of  the  occasion 
has  become  proverbial.  His  address  was  wonderful — the  fertility  of  his  resources 
inexhaustible,  and  his  influence  among  those  wild  and  unsophisticated  children 
of  the  woods  grew  so  predominant,  that  they  gave  whate'er  lie  asked. 

Colonel  Clark  now  began  to  entertain  great  fears  for  the  safety  of  Vincennes. 
No  intelligence  had  been  received  from  that  post  for  a  long  time ;  but  on  the  29th 
of  January  1779,  Colonel  Vigo  brought  intelligence  that  Governor  Hamilton  of 
Detroit  had  marched  an  expedition  against  the  place  in  December,  and  again 
reduced  the  inhabitants  and  the  fort,  and  re-established  the  British  power.  The 
expedition  had  been  fitted  out  on  a  large  scale,  with  the  view  of  recapturing 
Kaskaskia,  and  making  an  assault  along  the  whole  line  of  the  Kentucky  frontier. 
But  owing  to  the  advanced  period  of  the  season,  Governor  Hamilton  had  post- 
poned the  further  execution  of  this  grand  scheme  of  conquest  until  spring,  when 
he  contemplated  reassembling  his  forces. 

Having  received  this  timely  intelligence  of  the  British  governor's  designs.  Col- 
onel Clark  with  characteristic  promptitude  and  decision,  determined  to  anticipate 
him,  and  strike  the  first  blow.  He  accordingly  made  immediate  preparation  for 
an  expedition  against  Vincennes.  He  commenced  his  march  through  the  wilder- 
ness with  a  force  of  one  hundred  and  seventy  five  men,  on  the  7th  of  February, 
having  previously  dispatched  Captain  Rogers  with  a  company  of  forty-six  men 
and  two  four-pounders,  in  a  boat,  with  orders  to  force  their  way  up  the  Wabash, 
station  themselves  a  few  miles  below  the  mouth  of  White  river,  suifer  nothing  to 
pass,  and  wait  for  further  orders.  For  seven  days  the  land  expedition  pursued 
its  toilsome  course  over  the  drowned  lands  of  Illinois,  exposed  to  every  privation 
that  could  exhaust  the  spirits  of  men,  when  it  arrived  at  the  Little  Wabash.  But 
now  the  worst  part  of  the  expedition  was  still  before  them.  At  this  point  the 
forks  of  the  stream  are  three  miles  apart,  and  the  opposite  heights  of  land  five  miles 
distant  even  in  the  ordinary  state  of  the  water.  W'hen  the  expedition  arrived,  the 
intervening  valley  was  covered  with  water  three  feet  in  depth.  Through  this 
dreadful  country  the  expedition  was  compelled  to  make  its  way  until  the  18th, 
when  they  arrived  so  near  Vincennes  that  they  could  hear  the  morning  and  eve- 
ning guns  at  the  fort.  On  the  evening  of  the  same  day  they  encamped  within 
nine  miles  of  the  town,  below  the  mouth  of  the  Embarrass  river.  Here  they  were 
detained  until  the  20th,  having  no  means  of  crossing  the  river ;  but  on  the  20th  the 
guard  brought  to  and  captured  a  boat,  in  which  the  men  and  arms  were  safely 
transported  to  the  other  shore.  There  was  still,  however,  an  extensive  sheet  of 
water  to  be  passed,  which  on  sounding  proved  to  be  up  to  the  arm-pits.  When 
this  discovery  was  made,  the  whole  detachment  began  to  manifest  signs  of  alarm 
and  despair,  which  Colonel  Clark  observing,  took  a  little  powder  in  his  hand, 
mixed  some  water  with  it,  and  having  blackened  his  face,  raised  an  Indian  war 
whoop  and  marched  into  the  water.  The  effect  of  the  example  was  electrical, 
and  the  men  followed  without  a  murmur.  In  this  manner,  and  singing  in  chorus, 
the  troops  made  their  way  through  the  water,  almost  constantly  waist  deep,  until 
they  arrived  within  sight  of  the  town.  The  immense  exertion  required  to  effect 
this  march  may  not  be  described.  The  difficulty  was  greatly  heightened  by  there 
being  no  timber  to  aff"ord  support  to  the  wearied  soldiers,  who  were  compelled  to 
force  their  way  through  the  stagnant  waters,  with  no  aid  but  their  own  strength. 
When  they  reached  the  dry  land  the  men  were  so  exhausted,  that  many  of  them 
fell,  leaving  their  bodies  half  immersed  in  the  water.  Having  captured  a  man 
who  was  shooting  ducks  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  town,  by  him  Clark  sent  a 
letter  to  the  inhabitants,  informing  them  that  he  should  take  possession  of  the  town 
that  night.  So  much  did  this  letter  take  the  town  by  surprise,  that  the  expedition 
was  thought  to  be  from  Kentucky  ;  in  the  condition  of  the  waters  they  did  not 
dream  that  it  could  be  from  Illinois.  The  inhabitants  could  not  have  been  more 
astonished  if  the  invaders  had  arisen  out  of  the  earth. 

On  the  evening  of  the  23d  the  detachment  set  off"  to  take  possession  of  the  town. 
After  marching  and  countermarching  around  the  elevations  on  the  plain,  and  dis- 
playing several  sets  of  colors,  to  convey  to  the  garrison  as  exaggerated  an  idea  as 
possible  of  their  numbers,  they  took  position  on  the  heights  back  of  the  village. 
The  fire  upon  the  fort  immediately  commenced,  and  was  kept  up  with  spirit.  Our 
16 


242  CLARK  COUNTY. 

men  would  lie  within  thirty  yards  of  the  fort,  untouched  by  its  guns,  from  the 
awkward  elevation  of  its  platforms;  while  no  sooner  was  a  port-hole  opened  than 
a  dozen  rifles  would  be  directed  at  it,  cutting  down  every  thing  in  the  way.  The 
garrison  became  discouraged,  and  could  not  stand  to  their  guns,  and  in  the  eve- 
ning of  the  next  day  the  British  commandant  finding  his  cannon  useless,  and 
apprehensive  of  the  result  of  being  taken  at  discretion,  sent  a  flag  asking  a  truce 
of  three  days.  This  was  refused,  and  on  the  24th  of  February,  1779,  the  fort  was 
surrendered  and  the  garrison  became  prisoners  of  war.  On  the  25th  it  was  taken 
possession  of  by  the  Americans,  the  stars  and  stripes  were  again  hoisted,  and 
thirteen  guns  fired  to  celebrate  the  victory. 

In  a  few  days  Colonel  Clark  returned  to  Kaskaskia.  Soon  after  this  Louisville 
was  founded,  and  he  made  it  his  head-quarters.  In  1780  he  built  Fort  Jefferson, 
on  the  Mississippi.  In  the  course  of  this  year  he  led  an  expedition  against  the 
Indians  of  Ohio,  the  occasion  of  which  was  as  follows:  on  the  1st  of  June,  1780, 
the  British  commander  at  Detroit,  assembled  six  hundred  Canadians  and  Indians, 
for  a  secret  expedition  under  Colonel  Byrd,  against  the  settlements  in  Kentucky. 
This  force,  accompanied  by  two  field  pieces,  presented  itself  on  the  22d,  before 
Ruddell's  station,  which  was  obliged  to  capitulate.  Soon  after  Martin's  station 
shared  the  same  fate,  and  the  inhabitants,  loaded  with  the  spoil  of  their  own  dwell- 
ings, were  hurried  oflf  towards  Canada. 

A  prompt  retaliation  was  required,  and  when  Col.  Clark  called  on  the  militia 
of  Kentucky  for  volunteers  to  accompany  his  regiment  against  the  Indians,  they 
flocked  to  his  standard  without  delay.  The  point  of  rendezvous  was  the  mouth 
of  Licking  river,  where  the  forces  assembled.  They  were  supplied  with  artillery, 
conveyed  up  the  river  from  the  Falls.  When  all  assembled,  the  force  amounted 
to  near  a  thousand  men.  The  secrecy  and  dispatch  which  had  ever  attended  the 
movements  of  this  efficient  commander,  continued  to  mark  his  progress  on  this 
occasion.  The  Indian  town  was  reached  before  the  enemy  had  received  any 
intimation  of  their  approach.  A  sharp  conflict  ensued,  in  which  seventeen  of  the 
savages  were  slain,  with  an  equal  loss  on  the  part  of  the  whites.  The  Indians 
then  fled,  the  town  was  reduced  to  ashes,  and  the  gardens  and  fields  laid  waste. 
Col.  Clark  returned  to  the  Ohio  and  discharged  the  militia,  and  the  Indians, 
reduced  to  the  necessity  of  hunting  for  the  support  of  their  families,  gave  the 
whites  no  farther  trouble  that  season. 

For  a  long  time  the  ever  active  mind  of  Clark  had  been  revolving  a  scheme  for 
the  reduction  of  the  British  post  at  Detroit,  and  in  December  of  the  year  1780,  he 
repaired  to  Richmond,  to  urge  the  government  to  furnish  him  with  means  to  exe- 
cute this  long  cherished  design.  His  views  were  approved;  but  before  the  neces- 
sary arrangements  could  be  completed,  a  British  force  from  New  York,  under 
Arnold,  carried  hostilities  into  the  heart  of  the  State.  Clark  took  a  temporary 
command  under  Baron  Steuben,  and  participated  in  the  active  operations  of  that 
officer  against  the  marauding  traitor. 

After  several  months  had  been  spent  in  indefatigable  efforts  to  raise  a  force  of 
two  thousand  men,  for  the  enterprise  against  Detroit,  the  several  corps  destined 
for  the  service  were  designated,  and  ordered  to  rendezvous  on  the  15th  of  March, 
1781,  at  the  falls  of  the  Ohio,  and  Clark  was  raised  to  the  rank  of  a  brigadier 
general ;  but  unexpected  and  insuperable  difficulties  arose,  and  the  ardent  genius 
of  the  commander  was  confined  to  defensive  operations.  This  appears  to  have 
been  the  turning  point  in  the  fortunes  of  the  hardy  warrior.  He  had  set  his  heart 
on  destroying  the  British  influence  throughout  the  whole  North-Western  Terri- 
tory. Could  he  have  had  the  means  which  he  required,  his  advancement  in  rank 
would  no  doubt  have  been  gratifying;  but  without  a  general's  command,  a  gen- 
eral's commission  was  of  no  value.  Dangers  and  hardships  would  have  been 
disregarded ;  but  with  his  small  force  to  be  stationed  on  the  frontier  to  repel  the 
inroads  of  a  few  predatory  bands  of  Indians,  when  he  was  eager  to  carry  the  war 
to  the  lakes,  was  more  than  he  could  bear,  and  it  preyed  upon  his  spirit.  From 
this  time  forth  his  influence  sensibly  decreased,  and  the  innate  force  and  energy 
of  his  character  languished  and  degenerated. 

He  was  a  lion  chained,  but  he  was  still  a  lion,  and  so  the  enemy  found  him  in 
17R2.  When  the  news  of  the  disastrous  battle  of  the  Blue  Licks  reached  him,  he 
took  immediate  measures  to  rouse  the  country  from  that  benumbed  torpor  of  an- 
guish and  despondency  in  which  this  great  calamity  had  plunged  it,  and  to  carry 


CLAY    COUNTY.  243 

the  war  once  more  into  the  enemy's  country.  In  September,  a  thousand  moun« 
ted  riflemen  assembled  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  at  the  mouth  of  Licking,  and 
moved  against  the  Indian  towns  on  the  Miami  and  Scioto.  The  Indians  fled 
before  them,  and  not  more  than  twelve  were  killed  or  taken.  Five  of  their  towns 
were  reduced  to  ashes,  and  all  of  their  provisions  destroyed.  The  effect  of  this 
expedition  was  such  that  no  formidable  party  of  Indians  ever  after  invaded  Ken- 
tucky. 

In  1786,  a  new  army  was  raised  to  march  against  the  Indians  on  the  Wabash, 
and  Clark,  at  the  head  of  a  thousand  men,  again  entered  the  Indian  territory. 
This  expedition  proved  unfortunate,  and  was  abandoned. 

Several  years  elapsed  before  the  name  of  General  Clark  again  appeared  in  con- 
nection with  public  affairs.  When  Genet,  the  French  minister,  undertook  to 
raise  and  organize  a  force  in  Kentucky  for  a  secret  expedition  against  the  Spanish 
possessions  on  the  Mississippi,  George  Rogers  Clark  accepted  a  commission  as 
major  general  in  the  armies  of  France,  to  conduct  the  enterprise.  But,  before  the 
project  was  put  in  execution,  a  counter  revolution  occurred  in  France,  Genet  was 
recalled,  and  Clark's  commission  annulled.     Thus  terminated  his  public  career. 

General  Clark  was  never  married.  He  was  long  in  infirm  health,  and  severely 
aflflicted  with  a  rheumatic  affection,  which  terminated  in  paralysis,  and  deprived 
him  of  the  use  of  one  limb.  After  suffering  under  this  disease  for  several  years, 
it  finally  caused  his  death  in  February,  1818.  He  died  and  was  buried  at  Locust 
Grove,  near  Louisville. 


CLAY    COUNTY. 

Clay  county  was  formed  in  1806,  and  named  in  honor  of  Gen- 
eral Green  Clay.  It  lies  on  the  south  fork  of  the  Kentucky  river — 
and  is  bounded  north  by  Owsley ;  east  by  Breathitt  and  Perry ; 
south  by  Knox  ;  and  west  by  Laurel.  The  face  of  the  country  is 
generally  hilly  and  mountainous — the  principal  products,  corn, 
wheat  and  grass ;  the  latter  groAving  spontaneously,  in  great 
abundance,  on  the  mountains  and  in  the  valleys.  Coal  is  abun- 
dant, and  is  used  generally  by  the  inhabitants  for  fuel.  Salt  is 
manufactured  at  fifteen  furnaces  in  the  county,  producing  it  is 
supposed,  from  150,000  to  200,000  bushels  per  annum,  and  of 
the  very  best  quality.  About  nine  miles  from  Manchester,  there 
is  a  spring  which  produces  an  abundant  supply  of  gas. 

The  taxable  property  in  Clay  county  in  1846,  was  assessed  at 
$513,303;  number  of  acres  in  the  county,  154,370;  average 
value  per  acre,  $1,55;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty -one 
years  of  age,  738 ;  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  of 
age,  1,180.     Population  in  1830,  3,549— in  1840,  4,607. 

Manchester  is  the  seat  of  justice,  and  only  town  in  the  county — 
about  eighty  miles  from  Frankfort.  It  is  situated  near  Goose 
creek,  and  contains  the  usual  public  buildings,  one  seminary,  one 
Methodist  church,  one  Reformed  church,  two  taverns,  two  stores, 
two  groceries,  two  lawyers,  two  physicians,  and  seven  or  eight 
mechanics'  shops.  Population  100.  Named  for  the  great  manu- 
facturing town  of  England. 

General  Green  Clay,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  was  named,  was  bom  in 

Powhattan  county,  Virginia,  on  the  14th  August,   1757.     He  was  the  son  of 
Charles  Clay,  and  descended  from  John  Clay,  a\British  grenadier,  who  came  to 


.•^ 


244  CLAY    COUNTY. 

Virginia  during  Bacon's  rebellion,  and  declined  returning  when  the  king's  troops 
were  sent  back.  Whether  this  ancestor  was  from  England  or  Wales,  is  not  cer- 
tainly known,  but  from  the  thin  skin  and  ruddy  complexion  of  his  descendants, 
the  presumption  is  that  Wales  was  his  birth  place.'  Green  Clay  came  to  Ken- 
tucky when  but  a  youth.  His  education  was  exceedingly  limited.  To  read,  write, 
and  cypher,  a  slight  knowledge  of  the  principles  of  grammar,  together  with  the 
rudiments  of  surveying,  constituted  his  entire  stock  of  scholastic  learning. 
With  some  men,  richly  endowed  by  nature,  these  are  advantages  sufficient  to  in- 
sure distinction,  or  to  command  a  fortune,  both  of  which  the  subject  of  this  notice 
effected.  The  first  few  years  after  his  arrival  in  Kentucky,  were  spent  in  exam- 
ining the  country,  and  aiding  to  expel  the  savages.  He  then  entered  the  office  of 
James  Thompson,  a  commissioned  surveyor,  where  he  more  thoroughly  studied  the 
principles  and  acquired  the  art  of  surveying.  In  executing  the  work  assigned 
him  by  his  principal,  who  soon  made  him  a  deputy,  he  became  minutely  acquainted 
with  the  lands  in  the  upper  portion  of  the  (then)  county  of  Kentucky.  The 
power  (at  that  time  unrestrained),  to  enter  and  survey  lands,  wherever  ignorance 
of  a  prior  location,  or  a  wish  to  lay  a  warrant  might  incline,  rendered  the  titles 
to  land  exceedingly  doubtful  and  insecure.  Many  entries  were  made  on  the  same 
land  by  different  individuals,  producing  expensive  litigation,  and  often  occasion- 
ing the  ruin  of  one  of  the  parties.  Entering  and  surveying  lands  at  an  early  day 
was  attended  with  great  danger.  The  country  one  vast  wilderness,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  few  forts  which  at  rare  intervals  dotted  its  surface,  was  infested  by 
innumerable  hordes  of  savage  warriors,  wiley  and  full  of  stratagem,  breathing 
vengeance  against  the  invaders — rendered  the  location  of  lands  a  perilous  employ- 
ment. Surveying  parties  consisted  generally  of  not  more  than  four — the  sur- 
veyor, two  chain  carriers  and  a  marker — hence  more  reliance  was  placed  in  cau- 
tion and  vigilance  than  in  defence  by  arms. 

Clay  soon  established  a  character  for  judgment,  industry  and  enterprise, 
which  drew  to  him  a  heavy  business.  His  memory  of  localities  was  remarka- 
ble, and  enabled  him  to  revisit  any  spot  he  had  ever  seen,  without  difficulty.  His 
position  in  the  office — his  access  to  books — his  retentive  memory — his  topogra- 
phical knowledge— enabled  him  to  know  when  lands  were  unappropriated. 
Hence  his  services  were  much  sought,  by  all  who  wished  to  locate  lands  in  the  re- 
gion of  country  where  he  resided.  Whilst  the  great  body  of  land  in  Kentucky 
was  being  appropriated,  it  was  the  custom  for  the  holders  of  warrants  to  give 
one  half  to  some  competent  individual  to  enter  and  survey  the  quantity  called 
for  by  the  warrant.  Much  of  this  business  was  thrown  into  Clay's  hands ;  and 
he  thus  acquired  large  quantities  of  land.  He  also  applied  all  his  slender  re- 
sources to  increase  this  estate.  An  anecdote  is  related  which  evinces  the  high 
estimation  in  which  he  held  this  species  of  estate,  and  the  sagacity  and  foresight 
of  the  young  surveyor.  Having  gone  to  Virginia,  soon  after  the  surrender  of 
Cornwallis,  at  a  time  when  the  continental  paper  money  was  so  depreciated  that 
five  hundred  dollars  were  asked  for  a  bowl  of  rum-toddy,  he  sold  his  riding  horse 
to  a  French  officer  for  twenty-seven  thousand  dollars  of  the  depreciated  currency, 
and  invested  it  in  lands.  The  lands  thus  purchased,  are  at  this  day  worth  half  a 
million  of  dollars. 

After  the  land  in  the  middle  and  upper  parts  of  the  State  had  been  generally 
entered  and  appropriated.  Clay  went  below,  and  on  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers 
entered  and  surveyed  large  tracts  of  land  for  some  gentlemen  of  Virginia.  These 
surveys  were  made  at  a  time  when  the  Indians  were  in  the  exclusive  occupancy  of 
those  regions,  and  so  perilous  was  the  business  that  his  chain  carriers  and  marker 
deserted  him,  without  notice,  before  his  work  was  entirely  completed.  Some  of 
his  field  notes  had  become  defaced,  and  after  being  thus  abandoned  by  his  com- 
panions, he  was  detained  some  weeks,  revisiting  the  corners  and  other  objects  to 
renew  and  finish  his  notes.  His  danger  in  this  lone  undertaking  was  great;  but 
notwithstanding  all  difficulties,  so  accurately  did  he  accomplish  his  work,  that 
subsequent  surveyors  have  readily  traced  the  lines,  and  found  the  corner  trees  and 
other  objects  called  for.  During  this  period  he  traveled  mostly  in  the  night,  and 
slept  during  the  day  in  thick  cane  brakes,  hollow  logs,  and  the  tops  of  trees. 
Notwithstanding  his  heavy  engagements  in  the  land  business,  he  devoted  several 
years  of  his  life  to  politics.  Before  the  erection  of  Kentucky  into  a  State,  he 
was  elected  a  delegate  to  the  general  assembly  of  Virginia.     He  was  a  member 


CLINTON   COUNTY.  245 

of  the  convention  which  formed  the  present  constitution  of  Kentucky.  After  the 
admission  of  Kentucky  into  the  union,  he  represented  Madison  county  many 
years  in  each  branch  of  the  legislature.  He  took  a  prominent  and  leading  part 
in  all  the  important  legislative  measures  of  his  day.  The  records  of  the  country 
bear  abundant  evidence  of  his  great  industry,  strict  attention,  capacious  intellect, 
and  uniform  patriotism.  He  was  particularly  observant  of  the  local  and  personal 
interests  of  his  immediate  constituents,  without  permitting  them  to  interfere  with 
his  general  duties  as  a  law  maker  and  statesman.  When  the  last  war  between 
Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  was  declared,  he  was  a  major  general 
in  the  militia  of  Kentucky,  Determined  to  lend  his  service  to  his  country,  in 
this,  her  second  struggle  for  independence,  he  adjusted  his  private  affairs  pre- 
paratory to  an  absence  from  home.  After  the  defeat  of  General  Winchester, 
and  the  wanton  butchery  of  our  troops,  who  had  surrendered  under  promise 
of  safety  and  good  treatment,  the  first  call  for  volunteers  was  responded  to 
from  Kentucky,  who  had  been  a  principal  sufferer  in  that  bloody  catastrophe,  by 
a  general  rush  to  the  scene  of  hostilities.  It  was  necessary  to  succor  fort  Meigs, 
and  reinforce  General  Harrison,  to  enable  him  to  retake  Detroit  and  invade  Can- 
ada. For  this  emergency  Kentucky  furnished  three  thousand  troops,  and  placed 
them  under  the  command  of  General  Green  Clay,  with  the  rank  of  brigadier 
general.  General  Clay  made  all  haste  to  the  scene  of  action,  and  arrived  at 
fort  Meigs  on  the  4th  of  May,  1813,  cutting  his  way  through  the  enemy's  lines 
into  the  fort.  It  does  not  consist  with  the  character  of  this  work  to  narrate  the 
incidents  attending  this  celebrated  siege.  They  belong  to  the  public  history  of 
the  country,  where  they  may  be  found  related  at  large.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that 
General  Clay  inspired  General  Harrison  with  such  confidence  in  his  eminent  mil- 
itary abilities,  that  when  that  great  warrior  left  fort  Meigs,  he  placed  that  post 
under  the  command  of  General  Clay.  In  the  autumn  of  1813,  the  garrison  was 
besieged  by  a  force  of  fifteen  hundred  British  and  Canadians,  and  five  thousand 
Indians  under  Tecumseh  ;  but  fearing  to  attempt  its  capture  by  storm,  and  failing 
in  all  their  stratagems  to  draw  the  garrison  from  their  entrenchments,  the  enemy 
soon  raised  the  siege.  After  this,  nothing  of  special  interest  occurred  until  the 
troops  of  the  garrison  were  called  out  to  join  the  army  prepared  for  the  invasion 
of  Canada.  The  terra  of  service  of  the  Kentuckians  expiring  about  this  time, 
they  were  discharged;  but  General  Clay  accompanied  the  army  as  far  as  Detroit, 
when  he  returned  to  his  residence  in  Madison  county.  He  devoted  the  remaining 
years  of  his  life  to  agricultural  pursuits,  and  the  regulation  of  his  estate. 

General  Clay  was  more  robust  than  elegant  in  person — five  feet  eleven  inches 
in  height — strong  and  active — of  remarkable  constitution — rarely  sick,  and  capa- 
ble of  great  toil — submitting  to  privations  without  a  murmur.  No  country  ever 
contained,  according  to  its  population,  a  greater  number  of  distinguished  men 
than  Kentucky.  At  an  early  day,  and  among  the  most  distinguished.  General 
Clay  was  a  man  of  mark.  He  was  a  devoted  husband — a  kind  and  affectionate 
father — a  pleasant  neighbor — and  a  good  master.  He  died  at  his  residence  on  the 
31st  of  October,  1826,  in  the  seventy-second  year  of  his  age. 


CLINTON    COUNTY. 

Clinton  county  was  formed  in  1835,  from  Wayne  and  Cumber- 
land, and  called  for  Governor  De  Witt  Clinton,  of  New  York.  It 
is  situated  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State,  and  bounded  on  the 
north  by  Russell,  east  by  Wayne,  south  by  the  Tennessee  line, 
and  west  by  Cumberland.  Albany  is  the  seat  of  justice,  about 
126  miles  from  Frankfort. 

The  taxable  property  in  Clinton,  as  given  in  the  auditor's  re- 
port for  1846jis  $445,909  ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county 


246  CLINTON  COUNTY. 

86,610;  average  value  per  acre,  $2,68;  number  of  white  males 
in  the  county  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  739 ;  number  of 
children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  old,  1,235.  Population 
in  1840,  3,863. 

Albany,  the  county  seat,  contains  a  court-house  and  other  pub- 
lic buildings,  a  United  Baptist  church,  one  school,  three  stores, 
two  taverns,  three  lawyers,  two  doctors,  fifteen  mechanics'  shops, 
and  one  hundred  and  thirty  inhabitants.  Seventy- Six  is  a  small 
village,  containing  a  lawyer,  post  office,  tannery,  saw  and  grist 
mill,  and  twenty-five  inhabitants. 

A  spur  of  the  Cumberland  mountain,  called  Poplar  mountain,  penetrates  this 
county,  and  terminates  about  two  miles  west  of  its  centre.  In  its  windings,  this 
mountain  makes  a  beautiful  curve,  and  the  valley  on  the  eastern  side  and  within 
the  curve,  called  Stockton's  valley,  is  fertile  limestone  land.  The  elevation  of 
Poplar  mountain  above  the  valley  is  from  one  thousand  to  fifteen  hundred  feet. 
Coal  in  abundance,  and  of  the  best  quality,  is  found  in  the  mountain,  in  strata 
of  about  four  feet.  On  the  top  of  this  mountain,  about  four  miles  from  Albany, 
there  are  three  chalybeate  springs,  which  have  been  visited  more  or  less  for  eight 
or  ten  years.  These  waters,  combined  with  the  purity  of  the  atmosphere,  have 
proved  of  immense  benefit  to  invalids  who  have  resorted  there  for  their  health. 
From  these  mountain  springs,  a  most  extensive  and  magnificent  view  of  the  sur- 
rounding country  is  presented.  On  a  clear  morning  the  fog  seems  to  rise  on  the 
water  courses  in  the  distance,  and  stand  just  above  the  trees,  when  the  eye  can 
trace  the  beautiful  Cumberland  river  in  its  windings  for  at  least  one  hundred 
miles,  and  may  distinctly  mark  the  junction  of  its  tributaries,  in  a  direct  line,  for 
thirty  miles.  The  springs  are  about  ten  or  twelve  miles  from  the  Cumberland, 
and  it  is  believed  that,  in  the  hands  of  an  enterprising  proprietor,  they  would 
soon  become  a  place  of  great  resort.  The  elevation  of  the  mountain,  and  the 
consequent  purity  of  the  atmosphere — the  beauty  and  magnificence  of  the  scenery 
and  prospect  daily  presented  to  the  eye  of  the  visitor,  combined  with  the  medici- 
nal virtues  of  the  water,  a  good  host,  and  intelligent  and  refined  association, 
would  make  these  springs  a  most  desirable  point  for  a  summer  excursion. 

On  Indian  creek,  about  three  miles  from  the  mountain  springs,  there  is  a  per- 
pendicular fall  of  ninety  feet.  Above  the  great  falls,  for  the  distance  of  about 
two  hundred  yards,  the  fall  of  the  stream  is  gradual,  and  several  fine  mills  have 
been  erected  on  it.  There  are  three  large  springs  in  the  county :  one  on  the 
south,  and  two  at  Albany,  which  send  forth  volumes  of  water  sufficiently  large  to 
turn  a  grist  mill  or  other  machinery.  Wolf  river  runs  through  a  part  of  the 
county,  and  the  Cumberland  touches  it  on  the  north-west.  The  face  of  the  coun- 
try is  undulating  in  some  portions  of  the  county;  in  others,  hilly  and  broken. 
Besides  coal,  iron  ore  abounds,  and  plaster  of  Paris,  it  is  reported,  has  been  re- 
cently discovered  in  the  hills. 

De  Witt  Clinton,  whose  name  this  county  bears,  was  a  native  of  New 
York,  and  one  of  the  most  distinguished  men  in  the  United  States.  He  was 
born  at  Little  Britain,  in  Orange  county,  on  the  2d  of  March,  1769.  He  was 
educated  at  Columbia  college,  and  studied  law  with  the  Hon.  Samuel  Jones.  He 
early  imbibed  a  predilection  for  political  life,  and  the  first  office  he  held  was  that 
of  private  secretary  to  his  uncle  George  Clinton,  then  governor  of  New  York. 
In  1797,  Mr.  Clinton  was  elected  a  member  of  the  New  York  legislature,  where 
he  espoused  the  political  sentiments  of  the  republican  or  democratic  party.  Two 
years  after,  he  was  elected  to  the  State  senate.  In  1801,  he  received  the  appoint- 
ment of  United  States'  senator,  to  fill  a  vacancy,  where  he  served  for  two  sessions. 
After  that  period,  he  was  chosen  mayor  of  New  York,  and  remained  in  this  po- 
sition, with  an  intermission  of  but  two  years,  until  1815.  In  1817,  he  was 
elected,  almost  unanimously,  governor  of  his  native  State — the  two  great  parties 
having  combined  for  the  purpose  of  raising  him  to  that  dignity.  He  was  re- 
elected in  1820,  but  declined  a  candidacy  in  1822.  In  1824,  he  was  again  nomi- 
nated and  elected  to  the  office  of  governor,  and  in  1826  was  re-elected  by  a  large 


CRITTENDEN  COUNTY.  247 

majority.  He  died  suddenly,  while  sitting  in  his  library,  on  the  11th  of  Febru- 
ary, 1828,  before  completing  his  last  term  of  office.  Mr.  Clinton  was  the  pro- 
jector and  the  active  and  untiring  friend  of  the  canal  system  of  New  York, 
which  has  been  instrumental  in  adding  so  largely  to  the  wealth  and  population 
of  that  great  State.  He  was  a  man  of  very  superior  literary  attainments — exten- 
sively versed  in  the  physical  sciences,  and  a  fine  classical  and  belles-lettres 
scholar.  He  was  a  member  of  most  of  the  literary  and  scientific  institutions  of 
the  United  States,  and  an  honorary  member  of  many  of  the  learned  societies  of 
Great  Britain  and  the  continent  of  Europe.  His  moral  character  was  excellent, 
and  his  personal  appearance  commanding,  being  tall  and  finely  proportioned. 


CRITTENDEN   COUNTY. 

Ckittenden  county  was  formed  in  1842,  and  named  for  the  Hon. 
John  J.  Crittenden.  It  is  situated  in  the  western  part  of  the 
State,  on  the  Ohio  river — ^bounded  on  the  north  by  that  river,  east 
by  Hopkins,  south  by  Caldwell,  and  west  by  Livingston.  Coal 
abounds  in  the  county,  and  lead  and  iron  ores  are  found  in  inex- 
haustible quantities.  In  the  vicinity  of  the  mines  the  surface  is 
hilly,  but  the  greater  portion  of  the  county  is  level  or  gently  un- 
dulating, and  very  productive.  The  principal  articles  of  export 
are  coal,  tobacco,  corn,  wheat,  oats,  and  pork. 

The  taxable  property  in  1846  was  valued  at  $666,014;  num- 
ber of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  162,960  ;  average  value,  $2,09; 
number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  948  ;  num- 
ber of  children  between  the  ages  of  five  and  sixteen  years,  1,316. 

Marion,  the  seat  of  justice  for  Crittenden,  contains  a  new 
brick  court-house  and  other  public  buildings,  six  stores  and  gro- 
ceries, one  tavern,  two  houses  of  entertainment,  four  lawyers, 
three  doctors,  and  four  mechanics'  shops — population  120.  Or- 
ganized in  1842,  and  named  in  honor  of  General  Francis  Marion. 
Clementsburg  is  a  very  small  village,  situated  on  the  Ohio  river. 

John  Jordan  Crittkndkk,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  was  named,  was 
born  in  the  county  of  Woodford,  within  a  few  miles  of  the  town  of  Versailles,  on 
the  10th  of  September,  1786.  He  is  the  son  of  John  Crittenden,  a  revolutionary 
officer,  who  emigrated  to  Kentucky  soon  after  the  conclusion  of  the  war.  The 
character  of  the  father  may  be  judged  of  from  the  virtues  of  the  children ;  and 
applying  this  rule  to  the  present  instance,  no  man  could  wish  a  prouder  eulogium 
than  is  due  to  the  elder  Mr.  Crittenden.  His  four  sons,  John,  Thomas,  Robert, 
and  Henry,  were  all  distinguished  men — the  three  first  were  eminent  at  the  bar, 
and  in  public  life;  and  the  last,  who  devoted  himself  to  agricultural  pursuits,  was 
nevertheless  so  conspicuous  for  talent  that  his  countrymen  insisted  on  their  right 
occasionally  to  withdraw  him  from  the  labors  of  the  farm  to  those  of  the  public 
councils.  They  were  all  remarkable  for  those  personal  qualities  that  constitute  the 
perfect  gentleman.  Brave  and  gallant  as  the  sire  from  whom  they  descended, 
accomplished  in  mind  and  manners,  men  without  fear  and  without  reproach,  they 
have  made  their  name  a  part  and  parcel  of  the  glory  of  this  commonwealth. 

Of  the  early  boyhood  of  Mr.  Crittenden,  there  is  but  little  that  needs  to  be  re- 
corded in  as  hurried  a  sketch  as  this  must  necessarily  be.  He  received  as  good 
an  education  as  could  be  obtained  in  the  Kentucky  schools  of  that  day,  and  com- 
pleted his  scholastic  studies  at  Washington  academy,  in  Virginia,  and  at  the 
college  of  William  and  Mary,  in  the  same  State.     On  his  return  to  Kentucky, 


248  CRITTENDEN    COUNTY. 

he  became  a  student  of  law  in  the  office  of  the  honorable  George  M.  Bibb,  and 
under  the  care  of  that  renowned  jurist,  he  became  thoroughly  prepared  for  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  At  that  period  the  Green  River  country  was  the  at- 
tractive field  for  the  enterprize  of  the  State,  affording  to  the  youth  of  Kentucky 
similar  inducements  to  those  that  the  west  still  continues  to  offer  to  the  citizens 
of  the  older  States.  Mr.  Crittenden  commenced  the  practice  of  the  law  in  Rus- 
sellville,  in  the  midst  of  a  host  of  brilliant  competitors.  He  went  there  unknown 
to  fame — he  left  it  with  a  fame  as  extended  as  the  limits  of  this  great  nation. 
All  the  honors  of  his  profession  were  soon  his,  and  while  his  accurate  and  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  law  gained  for  him  hosts  of  clients,  his  brilliant  oratory  filled 
the  land  with  his  praise,  and  the  pride  of  that  section  of  the  State  demanded  that 
he  should  serve  in  the  legislative  assembly.  He  was  accordingly  elected  to  the 
legislature  from  the  county  of  Logan,  in  1811 ;  and  that  noble  county  conferred 
the  same  honor  upon  him,  in  six  consecutive  elections.  In  1817,  and  while  a  re- 
presentative from  Logan,  he  was  elected  speaker  of  the  house  of  representatives, 
having  thus  attained  the  highest  distinction  in  the  popular  branch  of  the  legisla- 
ture of  his  native  State.  That  same  honest  pride  which  had  impelled  the 
Green  River  people  to  press  him  into  public  life,  had  spread  throughout  the  State, 
and  the  people  nf  Kentucky  resolved  to  place  him  where  the  eyes  of  the  nation 
might  be  upon  him — confident  that  he  would  win  honor  for  himself  and  advance 
the  fame  of  those  he  represented.  He  was  accordingly,  in  1817,  elected  a  sena- 
tor in  the  congress  of  the  United  States,  and  although  the  youngest  member  of 
that  body,  no  sooner  had  occasion  presented,  when  it  was  meet  for  him  to  speak, 
than  by  the  universal  acclaim  of  the  American  people,  he  was  hailed  as  among  the 
foremost  of  our  orators — as  a  fit  colleague  for  Henry  Clay  himself — and  as  one 
who  must  take  rank  with  our  ablest  statesmen.  His  private  affairs  requiring 
his  unremitted  attention,  he  withdrew  from  this  theatre  where  he  was  winning 
golden  opinions  from  all,  to  enter  more  vigorously  upon  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession. In  order  that  he  might  be  enabled  to  do  this  in  the  most  favorable  man- 
ner, he  removed  to  Frankfort,  in  1819,  at  which  place  the  federal  court  and  supreme 
court  of  the  State  are  held.  But  here,  again,  the  same  popular  love  and  enthu- 
siasm followed  him,  and  he  was  compelled  to  yield  a  reluctant  assent  to  the 
■wishes  of  his  friends,  who  desired  him  to  serve  them  in  the  legislature.  He  was 
elected  from  Franklin,  in  1825 — a  period  memorable  in  the  history  of  Kentucky. 
In  the  Old  and  New  Court  controversy,  no  man  occupied  a  more  conspicuous 
point  than  Mr.  Crittenden,  and  as  the  advocate  of  the  laws  and  constitution  of 
Kentucky,  and  in  the  maintenance  of  a  sound  private  and  public  faith,  no  man 
was  more  distinguished.  He  was  three  times  elected  to  the  legislature  from 
Franklin,  and  during  one  of  the  periods,  he  was  again  chosen  speaker  of  the 
house  of  representatives. 

The  troubles  of  that  period  having  subsided,  and  the  public  service  not  requiring 
the  sacrifice  of  his  time  and  business,  he  again  returned  to  private  life,  but  was 
permitted  a  very  short  respite  from  the  political  arena  ;  for,  in  1835,  he  was  once 
more  sent  to  the  senate  of  the  United  States,  and  held  the  office  by  re-election  until 
the  coming  in  of  the  administration  of  President  Harrison.  By  that  patriot  presi- 
dent he  was  appointed  attorney  general  of  the  United  States,  and  the  appoint- 
ment was  hailed  by  men  of  all  parties  as  the  most  appropriate  that  could  have 
been  made.  The  melancholy  death  of  the  president  brought  into  power  an  admin- 
istration that  forfeited  the  respect  of  honorable  minds.  Mr.  Crittenden  left  it, 
and  resigned  his  office  in  a  note  which  he  sent  to  the  President,  that  has  been 
considered  an  admirable  specimen  of  the  manner  in  which  a  lofty  mind  can  retire 
from  place,  when  its  possession  cannot  be  held  with  self  respect.  But  only  a 
few  months  had  elapsed  before  we  find  him  again  in  the  Senate  of  the  United 
States,  by  another  election  from  Kentucky,  where  he  now  stands,  unrivalled  in 
debate — the  acknowledged  leader  of  the  great  whig  party,  in  an  assemblage 
where  the  talent  of  a  nation  is  concentrated.  He  has  been  five  times  elected  to 
the  senate  of  the  United  States  from  Kentucky — an  honor  of  which  no  other  cit- 
izen can  boast.  The  history  of  congress,  while  he  has  been  a  member,  cannot 
be  written  without  his  name  standing  forth  in  conspicuous  prominence,  for  he  has 
been  truly  great  upon  every  question  that  has  been  of  sufficient  importance  to 
interest  the  public  mind.  It  may  be  said  of  him,  that  he  never  shrank  from  public 
duty,  but  was  always  ready  to  defend  his  principles  and  opinions  as  became  a  man. 


CUMBERLAND  COUNTY.  249 

He  was  an  advocate  for  the  last  war,  and  was  willing  to  show  his  faith  by  his 
works,  and  to  volunteer  in  the  service  of  his  country.  He  served  in  two  cam- 
paigns— was  aid  to  Gen.  Ramsey  in  the  expedition  commanded  by  Gen.  Hopkins, 
and  was  aid  to  Governor  Shelby,  and  served  in  that  capacity  with  distinguished 
gallantry  at  the  battle  of  the  Thames.  There  are  not  a  few  of  his  countrymen 
who  entertain  the  hope  that  the  highest  office  in  the  gift  of  the  American  people 
will  at  no  distant  day  be  conferred  upon  him.  Should  it  be  so,  the  destinies  of 
the  republic  will  be  confided  to  one  whose  head  and  heart  qualify  him  for  the 
great  office. 


CUMBERLAND    COUNTY. 

CuxMBERLAND  couiity  was  formcd  in  the  year  1798,  and  called 
after  Cumberland  river,  which  runs  through  the  county  from  one 
extremity  to  the  other.  It  is  situated  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
state,  adjoining  the  state  of  Tennessee — bounded  on  the  north 
by  Adair  and  Russell ;  east  by  Clinton ;  south  by  the  Tennessee 
line,  and  west  by  Monroe  county.  The  Cumberland  river  passes 
through  the  county  from  north-east  to  south-west,  and  the  hills 
which  bound  it,  with  occasional  exceptions,  are  quite  lofty,  afford- 
ing as  beautiful  scenery  as  any  river  in  the  west.  The  surface  of 
the  county  and  its  staple  products,  are  similar  to  those  of  the  sur- 
rounding counties. 

The  taxable  property  in  Cumberland  in  1846,  was  assessed  at 
$998,886;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  120,996;  average 
value  $3.58  ;  number  of  white  males  in  the  county  over  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  the  same  year,  949  ;  number  of  children  between 
five  and  sixteen  years  of  age,  1,205.     Population  in  1840,  6,090. 

BuRKsviLLE,  the  seat  of  justice  of  Cumberland,  (so  called  in 
honor  of  one  of  the  original  proprietors,)  is  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty  miles  from  Frankfort,  and  situated  on  the  north  bank  of 
the  Cumberland  river.  Besides  the  usual  public  buildings,  it  con- 
tains a  flourishing  academy,  six  stores  and  groceries,  two  taverns, 
four  lawyers,  five  physicians,  twelve  mechanics'  shops,  and  a  Re- 
formed church.     Population  350. 

The  American  Oil  well  is  situated  three  miles  above  Burksville,  on  the  bank  of 
the  Cumberland  river.  About  the  year  1830,  while  some  men  were  engaged  in 
boring  for  salt-water,  and  after  penetrating  about  one  hundred  and  seventy-five 
feet  through  a  solid  rock,  they  struck  a  vein  of  oil,  which  suddenly  spouted  up  to 
the  height  of  fifty  feet  above  the  surface.  The  stream  was  so  abundant  and  of 
such  force,  as  to  continue  to  throw  up  the  oil  to  the  same  height  for  several  days. 
The  oil  thus  thrown  out,  ran  into  the  Cumberland  river,  covering  the  surface  of 
the  water  for  several  miles.  It  was  readily  supposed  to  be  inflammable,  and  upon 
its  being  ignited,  it  presented  the  novel  and  magnificent  spectacle  of  a  ^*  river  on 
fire,''^  the  flames  literally  covering  the  whole  surface  for  miles,  reaching  to  the  top 
of  the  tallest  trees  on  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  continued  burning  until  the  sup- 
ply of  oil  was  exhausted.  The  salt  borers  were  greatly  disappointed,  and  the 
well  was  neglected  for  several  years,  until  it  was  discovered  that  the  oil  pos- 
sessed valuable  medicinal  qualities.  It  has  since  been  bottled  up  in  large  quan- 
tities, and  is  extensively  sold  in  nearly  all  the  states  of  the  Union. 

About  fourteen  miles  from  Burksville,  on  the  Cumberland  river,  and  not  far 
from  Creelsburg  in  Russell  county,  is  situated  what  is  termed  the  '■'^  Rock  Houses* 


250  DAVEISS  COUNTY. 

a  lofty  arch  of  solid  rock,  forty  feet  in  height,  fifty  or  sixty  feet  in  breadth,  about 
the  same  in  length,  and  a  tall  cliff  overhanging  it.  In  high  stages  of  the  water, 
a  portion  of  the  river  rushes  through  the  aperture  with  great  violence  down  a 
channel  worn  into  the  rock,  and  pours  into  the  river  again  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
below.  In  ordinary  stages  of  the  water,  the  arch,  or  as  generally  termed,  the 
"Rock  House,"  is  perfectly  dry. 

Not  far  from  the  oil  well,  at  the  junction  of  Big  and  Little  Renick's  creeks,  there 
is  a  beautiful  cataract  or  fall  in  the  latter  of  about  fifteen  or  twenty  feet.  At  the 
point  where  these  streams  empty  into  the  Cumberland,  there  was,  in  the  first  set« 
tlement  of  the  county,  a  severe  battle  between  the  whites  and  Indians,  in  which 
the  former  were  the  victors.  The  rock-bound  graves  of  the  latter  can  yet  be  seen 
on  the  ground,  a  lasting  monument  of  the  valor  they  exhibited  in  defence  of 
their  wigwams,  their  fires  and  their  hunting  grounds.  Other  battles  also  took 
place  in  the  county,  but  the  particulars  cannot  be  gathered. 


DAVEISS    COUNTY. 

Daveiss  county  was  formed  in  1815,  and  was  so  called  after  the 
gallant  Joseph  H.  Daveiss,  who  fell  at  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe. 
It  lies  upon  the  Ohio  and  Green  rivers  :  Bounded  north  by  the 
Ohio  river;  east  by  Hancock  and  Ohio;  south  by  Muhlenburg 
and  Hopkins,  and  west  by  Henderson,  The  lands  are  generally 
level,  fertile  and  well  adapted  to  the  production  of  corn  and  to- 
bacco, its  principal  exports.  Hemp  has  been  cultivated  for  a  few 
years  past  as  an  experiment,  and  the  crops  produced  compare 
well  in  quantity  and  quality  with  those  in  the  best  hemp  region. 
Grasses  also  succeed  well,  and  there  is  an  increased  attention  to 
stock  raising  in  the  county.  The  lands  are  heavily  timbered,  con- 
sisting of  sugar  tree,  locust,  hackberry,  walnut,  dogwood,  beech 
and  poplar. 

The  taxable  property  of  Daveiss  in  1846,  was  valued  at 
$2,558,592;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  306,651; 
average  value  of  lands  per  acre,  $4,20 ;  number  of  white  males 
over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  1,674;  number  of  children  be- 
tween five  and  sixteen  years  old,  1,928.  Population  in  1830, 
5,218 — in  1840,  8,331 — increase  in  ten  years,  3,113. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are  Owenborough,  Bon  Harbor, 
Nottsville  and  Yelvington.  Owenborough,  the  seat  of  justice,  is 
situated  on  the  Ohio  river  at  the  Yellow  Banks,  about  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  miles  from  Frankfort.  Contains  a  handsome 
court-house.  Baptist,  Cumberland  Presbyterian  and  Catholic 
churches,  an  academy  and  common  school,  ten  dry  good  stores, 
three  groceries,  four  taverns,  six  lawyers  and  four  physicians, 
with  a  population  of  about  1,000.  A  considerable  trade  is  car- 
ried on  by  this  town  with  the  interior  of  the  country,  especially 
during  a  suspension  of  navigation  on  Green  river ;  and  the  to- 
bacco stemming  business  is  extensively  carried  on  here.  Bon 
Harbor  is  a  small  village,  three  miles  below  Owenborough,  on  the 
Ohio  river,  where  there  is  an  eddy  formed  by  a  bar,  which  serves 
as  an  excellent  harbor  for  steam  boats  and  other  craft.     This 


JOSEPH  HAMILTON  DAVEISS.  251 

place  bids  fair  to  become  quite  a  manufacturing  town.  Nottsville 
is  a  small  village,  thirteen  miles  from  Owenborough,  on  the  Heir- 
dinsburg  road.  Yelvington  is  a  small  village,  eleven  miles  from 
Owenborough,  on  the  Hawesville  road. 

Daveiss  county  abounds  in  mineral  resources,  especially  coal, 
which  is  found  in  vast  quantities.  The  only  mine  which  is  in 
successful  operation,  is  that  known  as  the  "  Bon  Harbor  coal 
mine,"  lying  about  three  miles  below  the  county  seat,  and  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile  from  the  Ohio  river.  There  is  a  railroad  from 
the  mine  to  the  river,  at  the  terminus  of  which,  the  owners  of 
the  mine  have  erected  one  of  the  largest  cotton  and  woollen  manu- 
factories in  the  west.  At  this  point  there  has  been  a  town  laid 
off,  and  several  very  handsome  houses  built.  The  population, 
composed  principally  of  operatives,  already  numbers  two  or 
three  hundred. 

There  are  several  medicinal  springs  in  the  county,  which  are 
frequented  by  those  in  the  immediate  \icinity.  The  tar  and  sul- 
phur springs  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  "  Old  Vernon  settle- 
ments "  on  Green  river,  are  deservedly  the  most  popular. 

Colonel  Joseph  Hamilton  Daveiss,  (for  whom  this  county  was  named,)  was 
the  son  of  Joseph  and  Jean  Daveiss,  and  was  born  in  Bedford  county,  Virginia, 
on  the  4th  of  March,  1774.  The  parents  of  Mr.  Daveiss,  were  both  natives  of 
Virginia ;  but  his  father  was  of  Irish,  his  mother  of  Scotch  descent ;  and  the 
marked  peculiarities  of  each  of  those  races  were  strongly  developed  in  the 
character  of  their  son.  The  hardy  self-reliance,  the  indomitable  energy,  and  im- 
perturbable coolness,  which  have  from  earliest  time  distinguished  the  Scotch,  were 
his ;  while  the  warm  heart,  free  and  open  hand,  and  ready  springing  tear  of  sen- 
sibility, told  in  language  plainer  than  words,  that  the  blood  of  Erin  flowed  fresh 
in  his  veins.  When  young  Daveiss  was  five  years  old,  his  parents  removed  to 
Kentucky,  then  an  almost  unbroken  wilderness,  and  settled  in  the  then  county  of 
Lincoln,  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  present  town  of  Danville.  An  incident 
which  attended  their  journey  to  Kentucky,  although  trifling  in  itself,  may  be  re- 
lated, as  exhibiting  in  a  very  striking  light  the  character  of  the  mother,  to  whose 
forming  influence  was  committed  tiie  subject  of  this  notice.  In  crossing  the 
Cumberland  river,  Mrs.  Daveiss  was  thrown  from  her  horse,  and  had  her  arm 
broken.  The  party  only  halted  long  enough  to  have  the  limb  bound  up,  with 
what  rude  skill  the  men  of  the  company  possessed ;  and  pursued  their  route,  she 
riding  a  spirited  horse  and  carrying  her  child,  and  never  ceasing  her  exertions  to 
promote  the  comforts  of  her  companions  when  they  stopped  for  rest  and  refresh- 
ment. The  parents  of  young  Daveiss,  in  common  with  the  very  early  settlers  of 
Kentucky,  had  many  difficulties  to  encounter  in  raising  their  youthful  family,  es- 
pecially in  the  want  of  schools  to  which  children  could  be  sent  to  obtain  the  ru- 
diments of  an  English  education.  It  was  several  years  after  their  settlement  in 
Kentucky,  before  the  subject  of  this  sketch  enjoyed  even  the  advantages  of  a 
common  country  school.  Previous  to  this  time,  however,  his  mother  had  bes- 
towed considerable  attention  in  the  education  of  her  sons,  by  communicating 
such  information  as  she  herself  possessed.  At  the  age  of  eleven  or  twelve,  he 
was  sent  to  a  grammar  school  taught  by  a  Mr.  Worley,  where  he  continued  for 
about  two  years,  learned  the  Latin  language,  and  made  considerable  progress  in 
his  English  education.  He  subsequently  attended  a  grammar  school  taught  by  a 
Dr.  Brooks,  at  which  he  remained  a  year,  making  considerable  advances  in  a 
knowledge  of  the  Greek  language.  At  school  he  evinced  unusual  capacity,  being 
always  at  the  head  of  his  class.  He  was  particularly  remarkable  for  his  talent 
for  declamation  and  public  speaking,  and  his  parents  felt  a  natural  anxiety  to 
give  him  as  many  advantages  as  their  limited  resources  would  permit.  There 
being  at  that  time  no  college  in  the  country,  he  was  placed  under  the  charge  of  a 
Dr.  Culbertson,  where  he  completed  his  knowledge  of  the  Greek   tongue.     At 


252  DAVEISS  COUNTY. 

this  time,  the  sudden  death  of  a  brother  and  sister  occasioned  his  being  recalled 
from  school,  and  he  returned  home  to  assist  his  father  in  the  labors  of  the  farm. 
There  is  a  tradition  that  young  Daveiss  was  not  particularly  distinguished  by  his 
devotion  to  agricultural  pursuits,  frequently  permitting  the  horses  of  his  plough 
to  graze  at  leisure,  in  a  most  unfarmerlike  way,  while  he,  stretched  supinely  on 
his  back  on  some  luxurious  log,  indulged  in  those  delicious  dreams  and  reveries 
so  sweet  to  young  and  aspiring  ambition. 

In  the  autumn  of  1792,  Major  Adair,  under  government  orders,  raised  some 
companies  of  mounted  men,  to  guard  the  transportation  of  provisions  to  the  forts 
north  of  the  Ohio  river,  and  Daveiss,  then  in  his  18th  year,  volunteered  in  the 
service,  which  it  was  understood  would  be  from  three  to  six  months  duration. 
Nothing  of  particular  interest  occurred  in  the  course  of  this  service,  except  on 
one  occasion,  when  Major  Adair  had  encamped  near  fort  St.  Clair,  Here  he  was 
surprised,  early  in  the  morning,  by  a  large  body  of  Indians,  who,  rushing  into 
the  camp  just  after  the  sentinels  had  been  withdrawn  from  their  posts,  killed  and 
wounded  fourteen  or  fifteen  of  the  men,  and  captured  and  carried  away  about  two 
hundred  head  of  horses.  These  were  taken  within  the  Indian  lines  and  tied. 
After  the  whites  had  sought  shelter  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  fort,  young  Da- 
veiss, discovering  his  own  horse  at  some  distance  hitched  to  a  tree,  resolved  to 
have  him  at  all  hazards.  He  accordingly  ran  and  cut  him  loose,  and  led  him 
back  to  his  companions  amid  a  shower  of  balls.  This  exploit  nearly  cost  him  his 
life ;  a  ball  passing  through  his  coat,  waistcoat,  and  cutting  off  a  small  piece  of 
his  shirt.  He,  however,  saved  his  horse,  which  was  the  only  one  retaken  out  of 
the  two  hundred. 

When  his  term  of  service  expired,  he  returned  home,  and  spent  some  time  in 
reviewing  his  classical  studies.  He  ultimately  concluded  to  study  law,  and  ac- 
cordingly entered  the  office  of  the  celebrated  George  Nicholas,  then  the  first  law- 
yer in  Kentucky.  Daveiss  entered  a  class  of  students  consisting  of  Isham  Talbott, 
Jesse  Bledsoe,  William  Garrard,  Felix  Grundy,  William  Blackbourne,  John 
Pope,  William  Stuart,  and  Thomas  Dye  Owings,  all  of  whom  were  subsequently 
distinguished  at  the  bar  and  in  the  public  history  of  the  country.  Nicholas  was 
very  profoundly  impressed  with  the  striking  indications  of  genius  of  a  high  order, 
manifested  by  Daveiss  while  under  his  roof;  and  so  high  an  opinion  did  he  form 
of  the  power  of  his  character  and  the  firmness  of  his  principles,  that  at  his  death, 
which  occurred  but  a  few  years  after,  he  appointed  him  one  of  his  executors.  He 
was  a  most  laborious  and  indefatigable  student;  he  accustomed  himself  to  take 
his  repose  upon  a  hard  bed  ;  was  fond  of  exercise  in  the  open  air,  habituating 
himself  to  walking  several  hours  in  each  day  ;  he  was  accustomed  in  the  days 
when  he  was  a  student,  to  retire  to  the  woods  with  his  books,  and  pursue  his 
studies  in  some  remote  secluded  spot,  secure  from  the  annoyance  and  interruption 
of  society.  In  connection  with  his  legal  studies,  he  read  history  and  miscella- 
neous literature,  so  that  when  he  came  to  the  bar,  his  mind  was  richly  stored 
with  various  and  profound  knowledge,  imparting  a  fertility  and  affluence  to  his 
resources,  from  which  his  powerful  and  well  trained  intellect  drew  inexhaustible 
supplies.  He  commenced  the  practice  of  the  law  in  June,  1795 ;  in  August  he 
was  qualified  as  an  attorney  in  the  court  of  appeals ;  and  in  his  first  cause  had 
for  an  antagonist  his  old  preceptor,  over  whom  he  enjoyed  the  singular  gratifica- 
tion of  obtaining  a  signal  triumph. 

At  the  session  of  1795-6,  the  legislature  passed  a  law  establishing  district 
courts.  One  of  these  courts  was  located  at  Danville,  one  at  Lexington,  and  one 
at  Bardstown.  Daveiss  settled  at  Danville,  and  soon  commanded  a  splendid  busi- 
ness, not  only  in  that,  but  in  all  the  courts  in  which  he  practiced.  He  continued 
to  reside  in  Danville  until  the  abolition  of  the  district  courts,  and  the  substitution 
of  circuit  courts  in  their  place.  He  then  removed  to  Frankfort,  to  be  enabled 
more  conveniently  to  attend  the  court  of  appeals  and  the  federal  court,  having 
been  appointed  United  States'  attorney  for  the  State  of  Kentucky.  In  the  year 
1801  or  '2,  he  went  to  Washington  city,  being  the  first  western  lawyer  who  ever 
appeared  in  the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States.  He  here  argued  the  cele- 
brated cause  of  Wilson  vs.  Mason.  His  speech  is  said  to  have  excited  the  high- 
est admiration  of  the  bench  and  bar,  and  placed  him  at  once  in  the  foremost  rank 
of  the  profession.  During  this  trip  he  visited  the  principal  cities  of  the  north 
and  east,  and  formed  an  acquaintance  with  many  of  the  most  distinguished  men 


EDMONSON   COUNTY.  253 

of  America,  with  several  of  whom  he  continued  to  correspond  until  the  period  of 
his  death.  In  1803,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Anne  Marshall,  the  sister  of 
the  chief  justice  of  the  United  States.  After  he  had  resided  in  Frankfort  a  few 
years,  he  removed  to  Owensburg,  Daveiss  county,  to  be  able  to  attend  more  closely 
to  the  interests  of  a  large  property  he  had  acquired  in  that  region.  In  1809,  he 
removed  to  Lexington,  and  resumed  the  practice  of  the  law.     During  the  short 

rieriod  of  two  years  previous  to  his  death,  there  was  hardly  a  cause  of  importance 
itigated  in  the  courts  where  he  practiced,  that  he  was  not  engaged  on  one  side  or 
the  other.  We  should  have  noticed  before,  his  prosecution  of  Aaron  Burr  for 
{ treason,  whilst  acting  as  attorney  for  the  United  States.  He  had  noticed  the 
movements  of  this  person  for  some  time  before  he  commenced  a  prosecution,  and 
became  satisfied  from  his  observations  that  he  had  some  unlawful  design  in  view; 
and,  considering  it  to  be  his  duty  to  arrest  his  movements,  he  caused  him  to  be 
apprehended  and  brought  before  the  court;  but,  from  a  failure  of  evidence,  the 
prosecution  was  ultimately  abandoned. 

In  the  fall  of  1811,  Colonel  Daveiss  joined  the  army  of  General  Harrison,  in 
the  campaign  against  the  Indians  on  the  Wabash.  He  received  the  command  of 
major,  the  duties  of  which  station  he  discharged  promptly,  and  to  the  entire  satis- 
faction of  his  superior  officer.  On  the  7th  of  November,  1811,  in  the  celebrated 
battle  of  Tippecanoe,  he  fell  in  a  charge  against  the  Indians,  made  at  his  own  so- 
licitation. He  survived  from  5  o'clock  in  the  morning  until  midnight,  retaining 
to  the  last  the  full  command  of  all  his  faculties. 

Colonel  Daveiss  was  near  six  feet  high,  with  an  athletic  and  vigorous  form, 
combining  with  his  high  intellectual  endowments,  a  remarkably  command- 
ing and  impressive  personal  appearance.  His  bearing  was  grave  and 
dignified.  His  manner  bland  and  courteous  to  those  he  loved,  but  haughty  and 
repulsive  in  the  extreme  to  those  he  disliked.  As  an  orator,  he  had  few  equals 
and  no  superiors.  The  late  Judge  Boyle,  the  Hon.  John  Pope,  and  the  Hon. 
Samuel  M'Kee,  all  competent  judges,  and  associates  of  Daveiss  at  the  bar,  fre- 
quently declared  that  he  was  the  most  impressive  speaker  they  ever  heard.  Asa 
colloquialist,  he  was  unequalled,  and  the  life  of  every  circle  in  which  he  was 
thrown.     His  death  occasioned  a  shock  in  the  public  mind  throughout  the  State. 


EDMONSON    COUNTY. 

Edmonson  county  was  formed  in  1825,  and  named  for  Captain 
John  Edmonson.  It  is  situated  in  the  south-west  middle  section 
of  the  State,  and  lies  on  both  sides  of  Green  river — bounded  on 
the  north  and  north-west  by  Grayson,  east  by  Hart  and  Barren, 
and  south  and  .south-west  by  Warren.  The  face  of  the  county 
is  generally  undulating,  and  in  some  places  quite  hilly.  There 
are  several  sulphur  springs  in  the  county,  with  ores  of  various 
kinds,  and  an  inexhaustible  supply  of  stone  coal.  The  staple 
products  are  corn  and  oats. 

The  taxable  property  of  the  county  in  1846,  was  valued  at 
$401,127 ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  124,038 ;  average 
value  of  land  per  acre,  $1,97 ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty- 
one  years  old,  604 ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen 
years  of  age,  955.     Population  in  1830,  2,642— in  1840,  2,914. 

Brownsville,  the  seat  of  justice  and  only  town  in  Edmonson,  is 
one  hundred  and  thirty  miles  from  Frankfort — contains  a  Baptist 
and  a  Methodist  church,  an  academy,  two  stores,  two  taverns, 
two  lawyers,  two  doctors,  (and  three  in  the  vicinity),  and  eight 


I 


254  EDMONSON  COUNTY. 

mechanics'  shops.     Population  150.     Established    in  1828,  and 
named  in  honor  of  General  Jacob  Brown. 

There  are  three  natural  curiosities  in  this  county :  the  "  Dismal  Rock,"  the 
"Indian  Hill,"  and  the  "  Mammoth  Cave."  Dismal  Rock  is  a  perpendicular 
rock  on  Dismal  creek,  one  hundred  and  sixty-three  feet  high.  The  Indian  Hill 
lies  one  mile  from  Brownsville — is  circular  at  its  base,  and  one  mile  in  circum- 
ference— its  altitude  eighty-four  feet,  and,  except  on  one  side,  which  is  easy  of 
ascent  on  foot,  perpendicular.  The  remains  of  a  fortification  are  seen  around  the 
brow,  and  a  number  of  mounds  and  burial  places  are  scattered  over  the  area. 
A  spring  of  fine  water  issues  from  the  rock  near  the  surface. 

The  Mammoth  Cave. — In  Edmonson  county  is  situated,  perhaps  the  greatest 
natural  wonder  of  the  world,  the  celebrated  Mammoth  Cave.  In  no  other  place  has 
nature  exhibited  her  varied  powers  on  a  more  imposing  scale  of  grandeur  and  mag- 
nificence. The  materials  of  the  following  sketch  of  this  cave,  are  derived,  prin- 
cipally, from  a  small  publication  issued  by  Morton  &  Griswold,  of  Louisville, 
entitled  "Rambles  in  the  Mammoth  Cave,  during  the  year  1844,  by  a  Visitor." 
This  publication  contains,  we  believe,  the  most  complete  and  accurate  description 
of  this  subterranean  palace  that  has  yet  appeared,  and  gives  the  reader  a  very 
vivid  conception  of  that  amazing  profusion  of  grand,  solemn,  picturesque  and 
romantic  scenery,  which  impresses  every  beholder  with  astonishment  and  awe, 
and  attracts  to  this  cave  crowds  of  visitors  from  every  quarter  of  the  world. 

The  cave  is  situated  equi-distant  from  the  cities  of  Louisville  and  Nashville, 
(about  ninety  miles  from  each,)  and  immediately  on  the  nearest  road  between 
those  two  places.  Green  river  is  distant  from  the  cave  only  half  a  mile,  and  since 
the  improvements  effected  in  the  navigation  of  that  stream,  by  the  construction  of 
locks  and  dams,  steam  boats  can  at  all  seasons  ascend  to  Bowling-green,  twenty 
miles  below  the  cave,  and  during  a  great  part  of  the  year  to  the  cave  itself.  For 
a  distance  of  two  miles  from  the  cave,  by  the  approach  from  the  south-east,  the 
country  is  level.  It  was,  until  recently,  a  prairie,  on  which  however  the  oak, 
chestnut,  and  hickory  are  now  growing ;  and  there  being  no  underbrush,  its 
smooth  verdant  openings  present  here  and  there,  a  close  resemblance  to  the  parks 
of  the  English  nobility.  Emerging  from  these  beautiful  woodlands,  the  visitor  is 
presented  with  a  view  of  the  hotel  and  adjacent  grounds.  The  hotel  is  a  large 
edifice,  two  hundred  feet  long,  by  forty-five  wide,  with  piazzas  sixteen  feet  wide, 
extending  the  whole  length  of  the  building  above  and  below.  The  accommo- 
dations at  this  hotel  are  kept  up  in  superior  style. 

The  cave  is  about  two  hundred  yards  from  the  hotel,  and  is  approached  through 
a  romantic  and  beautiful  dell,  shaded  by  a  forest  of  trees  and  grape-vines.  Pass- 
ing by  the  ruins  of  some  old  salt-petre  furnaces,  and  large  mounds  of  ashes,  and 
turning  abruptly  to  the  right,  the  visitor  is  suddenly  startled  by  a  rush  of  cold  air, 
and  beholds  before  him  the  yawning  mouth  of  the  great  cavern,  dismal,  dark  and 
dreary.  Descend  some  thirty  feet,  by  rude  steps  of  stone,  and  you  are  fairly  un- 
der the  arch  of  this  "  nether  world."  Before  you,  in  looking  towards  the  entrance, 
is  seen  a  small  stream  of  water,  falling  from  the  face  of  the  rock,  upon  the  ruins 
below,  and  disappearing  in  a  deep  pit;  behind  you,  all  is  gloom  and  darkness. 
Proceeding  onward  about  one  hundred  feet,  the  progress  of  the  explorer  is  arrested 
by  a  door,  set  in  a  rough  stone  wall,  which  stretches  across  and  completely  blocks 
up  the  entrance  to  the  cave.  Passing  through  this  door,  you  soon  enter  a  narrow 
passage,  faced  on  the  left  by  a  wall,  built  by  the  miners  to  confine  the  loose  stones 
thrown  up  in  the  course  of  their  labors,  and  descending  gradually  a  short  distance 
along  this  passage,  you  arrive  at  the  great  vestibule  or  ante-chamber  of  the  cave. 
This  is  a  hall  of  an  oval  shape,  two  hundred  feet  in  length  by  one  hundred  and 
fifty  wide,  with  a  roof  as  flat  and  level  as  if  finished  by  the  trowel,  and  from 
fifty  to  sixty  feet  high.  Two  passages,  each  a  hundred  feet  in  width,  open  into 
it  at  its  opposite  extremities,  but  at  right  angles  to  each  other ;  and  as  they  run  in 
a  straight  course  for  five  or  six  hundred  feet,  with  the  same  flat  roof  common  to 
each,  the  appearance  presented  to  the  eye  is  that  of  a  vast  hall  in  the  shape  of  the 
letter  L,  expanded  at  the  angle,  both  branches  being  five  hundred  feet  long  by  one 
hundred  wide.  The  passage  to  the  right  hand  is  "Audubon  Avenue."  That  in 
the  front,  the  beginning  of  the  grand  gallery  or  the  main  cavern  itself.  The  entire 
extent  of  this  prodigious  space  is  covered  by  a  single  rock,  in  which  the  eye  can 


THE  MAMMOTH   CAVE.  255 

detect  no  break  or  interruption,  save  at  its  borders,  which  are  surrounded  by  a 
broad  sweeping  cornice,  traced  in  horizontal  panel  work,  exceedingly  noble  and 
regular.  Not  a  single  pier  or  pillar  of  any  kind  contributes  to  support  it.  It 
needs  no  support ;  but  is 

"  By  its  own  weight  made  steadfast  and  immoveable." 

At  a  very  remote  period,  this  chamber  seems  to  have  been  used  as  a  cemetery; 
and  there  have  been  disinterred  many  skeletons  of  gigantic  dimensions,  belonging 
to  a  race  of  people  long  since  vanished  from  the  earth.  Such  is  the  vestibule  of 
the  Mammoth  cave.  The  walls  of  this  chamber  are  so  dark  that  they  reflect  not 
one  single  ray  of  light  from  the  dim  torches.  Around  you  is  an  impenetrable  wall 
of  darkness,  which  the  eye  vainly  seeks  to  pierce,  and  a  canopy  of  darkness,  black 
and  rayless,  spreads  above  you.  By  the  aid,  however,  of  a  fire  or  two  which  the 
guides  kindle  from  the  remains  of  some  old  wooden  ruins,  you  begin  to  acquire  a 
better  conception  of  the  scene  around  you.  Far  up,  a  hundred  feet  above  your 
head,  you  catch  a  fitful  glimpse  of  a  dark  gray  ceiling,  rolling  dimly  away  like  a 
cloud,  and  heavy  buttresses,  apparently  bending  under  the  superincumbent  weight, 
project  their  enormous  masses  from  the  shadowy  wall.  The  scene  is  vast,  and 
solemn  and  awful.  A  profound  silence,  gloomy,  still  and  breathless,  reigns 
unbroken  by  even  a  sigh  of  air,  or  the  echo  of  a  drop  of  water  falling  from  the 
roof.  You  can  hear  the  throbbings  of  your  heart,  and  the  mind  is  oppressed  with 
a  sense  of  vastness,  and  solitude,  and  grandeur  indescribable. 

Leaving  this  ante-chamber  by  an  opening  on  the  right,  the  visitor  enters  Au- 
dubon avenue,  which  is  a  chamber  more  than  a  mile  long,  fifty  or  sixty  feet  wide, 
and  as  many  high.  The  roof  or  ceiling  of  this  apartment,  exhibits  the  appearance 
of  floating  clouds.  Near  the  termination  of  this  avenue,  a  natural  well  twenty- 
five  feet  deep,  and  containing  the  purest  water,  has  been  within  the  last  few  years 
discovered.  It  is  surrounded  by  stalagmite  columns,  extending  from  the  floor  to 
the  roof,  upon  the  incrustation  of  which,  when  lights  are  suspended,  the  reflection 
from  the  water  below  and  the  various  objects  above  and  around,  gives  to  the 
whole  scene  an  appearance  most  romantic  and  picturesque.  This  spot,  however, 
being  difficult  of  access,  is  but  seldom  visited.  The  Little  Bat  room  cave — a 
branch  of  Audubon  avenue,  is  on  the  left  as  j'ou  advance,  and  not  more  than  three 
hundred  yards  from  the  great  vestibule.  It  is  a  little  over  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in 
length,  and  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  its  pit  of  two  hundred  and  eighty  feet  in 
depth  ;  and  as  being  the  resort,  in  winter,  of  immense  numbers  of  bats.  During 
this  season  of  the  year,  tens  of  thousands  of  these  are  seen  hanging  from  the 
walls,  in  apparently  a  torpid  state,  but  no  sooner  does  spring  open  than  they 
disappear. 

From  the  Little  Bat  Room,  and  Audubon  Avenue,  the  visitor  returns  into  the 
vestibule,  from  whence,  by  another  passage,  at  right  angles  to  that  just  mentioned, 
he  enters  the  grand  gallery  or  main  cavern.  This  is  a  vast  tunnel,  extending  for 
many  miles,  averaging  throughout  fifty  feet  in  width  by  as  many  in  height.  This 
noble  subterranean  avenue,  the  largest  of  which  we  have  any  knowledge,  is  re- 
plete with  interest  from  its  varied  characteristics  and  majestic  grandeur.  Pro- 
ceeding down  this  main  cave  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  the  visitor  comes  to  the  Ken- 
tucky cliffs,  so  called  from  a  fancied  resemblance  to  the  cliffs  on  the  Kentucky 
river,  and  descending  gradually  about  twenty  feet,  enters  the  Church.  The  ceil- 
ing here  is  sixty-three  feet  high,  and  the  church  itself,  including  the  recess,  is 
about  one  hundred  feet  in  diameter.  Eight  or  ten  feet  above  the  pulpit,  and 
immediately  behind  it,  is  the  organ  loft,  which  is  sufficiently  capacious  for  an  or- 
gan and  choir  of  the  largest  size.  This  church  is  large  enough  to  contain  thou- 
sands, a  solid  projection  of  the  wall  seems  to  have  been  designed  as  a  pulpit,  and 
a  few  feet  back  is  a  place  well  calculated  for  an  organ  and  choir.  In  this  great 
temple  of  nature,  religious  service  has  been  frequently  performed,  and  it  requires 
but  a  slight  effort  on  the  part  of  the  speaker  to  make  himself  heard  by  the  largest 
congregation. 

Leaving  the  church,  the  visitor  is  brought  to  the  ruins  of  the  old  nitre  works, 
leaching  vats,  pump  frames,  &c.,  &c.,  and  looking  from  thence  some  thirty  feet 
above,  will  see  a  large  cave,  connected  with  which  is  a  narrow  gallery,  sweeping 
across  the  main  cave,  and  losing  itself  in  a  cave  which  is  seen  above,  upon  the 
right.     This  latter  cave  is  the  Gothic  Avenue,  which  no  doubt  was  at  one  time 


256  EDMONSON   COUNTY. 

connected  with  the  cave  opposite,  and  on  the  same  level,  forming  a  complete 
bridge  over  the  main  cave,  but  has  been  broken  down  and  separated  by  some 
great  convulsion.  The  cave  on  the  left,  which  is  filled  with  sand,  has  been  pen- 
etrated but  a  short  distance.  The  Gothic  Avenue,  to  which  the  visitor  ascends 
from  the  main  cave  by  a  flight  of  stairs,  is  about  forty  feet  wide,  fifteen  feet 
high,  and  two  miles  long.  The  ceiling  in  many  places  is  as  smooth  and  white 
as  if  formed  by  the  trowel  of  the  most  skillful  plasterer.  In  a  recess  on  the  left 
hand,  elevated  a  few  feet  above  the  floor,  two  mummies,  long  since  taken  away, 
were  to  be  seen  in  1813.  They  were  in  good  preservation — one  was  a  female, 
with  her  extensive  wardrobe  placed  before  her.  Two  of  the  miners  found  a  mum- 
my in  Audubon  avenue  in  1814  ;  but  having  concealed  it,  it  was  not  found  until 
1840,  when  it  was  so  much  injured  and  broken  to  pieces  by  the  weights  which 
had  been  placed  upon  it,  as  to  be  of  no  value.  There  is  no  doubt  that  by  proper 
efforts  discoveries  might  be  made  which  would  throw  light  on  the  history  of  the 
early  inhabitants  of  this  continent.  A  highly  scientific  gentleman  of  New  York, 
one  of  the  early  visitors  to  the  cave,  says  in  his  published  narrative : 

"  On  my  first  visit  to  the  Mammoth  Cave  in  1813, 1  saw  a  relic  of  ancient  times  which 
requires  a  minute  description.  This  description  is  from  a  memorandum  made  in  the  cave 
at  the  time. 

"  In  the  digging  of  saltpetre  earth  in  the  short  cave,  a  flat  rock  was  met  with  by  the  work- 
men, a  little  below  the  surface  of  the  earth,  in  the  cave :  this  stone  was  raised,  and  was 
about  four  feet  wide,  and  as  many  long ;  beneath  it  was  a  square  excavation  about  three  feet 
deep,  and  as  many  in  length  and  width.  In  this  small  nether  subterranean  chamber  sat  in 
solemn  silence  one  of  the  human  species,  a  female,  with  her  wardrobe  and  ornaments 
placed  at  her  side.  I'he  body  was  in  a  state  of  perfect  preservation,  and  sitting  erect.  The 
arms  were  folded  up,  and  the  hands  were  laid  across  the  bosom ;  around  the  two  wrists  was 
wound  a  small  cord,  designed,  probably,  to  keep  them  in  the  posture  in  which  they  were 
fu-st  placed  ;  around  the  body  and  next  thereto  were  wrapped  two  deer  skins.  These  skins 
appeared  to  have  been  dressed  in  some  mode  different  from  what  is  now  practiced  by  any 
people  of  whom  I  have  any  knowledge.  The  hair  of  the  skins  was  cut  off  very  near 
the  surface.  The  skins  were  ornamented  with  the  imprints  of  vines  and  leaves,  which  were 
sketched  with  a  substance  perfectly  white.  Outside  of  these  two  skins  was  a  large  square 
sheet,  which  was  either  wove  or  knit.  The  fabric  was  the  inner  bark  of  a  tree,  which  I 
judge  from  appearances  to  be  that  of  the  linn  tree.  In  its  texture  and  appearance,  it  re- 
sembled the  south  sea  island  cloth  or  matting ;  tlais  sheet  enveloped  the  whole  body  or  head. 
The  hair  on  the  head  was  cut  off  within  an  eighth  of  an  inch  of  the  skin,  except  near  the 
neck,  where  it  was  an  inch  long.  The  color  of  the  hair  was  a  dark  red  ;  the  teeth  were 
white  and  perfect.  I  discovered  no  blemish  upon  the  body,  except  a  wound  between  two 
ribs,  near  the  back  bone  ;  and  one  of  the  eyes  had  also  been  injured.  The  finger  and  toe 
nails  were  perfect  and  quite  long.  The  features  were  regular.  I  measured  the  length  of  one 
of  the  bones  of  the  arm  with  a  string,  from  the  elbow  to  the  wrist  joint,  and  they  equalled 
my  own  in  length,  viz : — ten  and  a  half  inches.  From  the  examination  of  the  whole 
frame  I  judged  the  figure  to  be  that  of  a  very  tall  female,  say  five  feet  ten  inches  in  height. 
The  body,  at  the  time  it  was  discovered,  weighed  but  fourteen  pounds,  and  was  perfectly 
dry ;  on  exposure  to  the  atmosphere,  it  gained  in  weight,  by  absorbing  dampness,  four 
pounds.  Many  persons  have  expressed  surprise  that  a  human  body  of  great  size  should 
weigh  so  little,  as  many  human  skeletons,  of  nothing  but  bone,  exceed  this  weight. 

"  Recently  some  experiments  have  been  made  in  Paris,  which  have  demonstrated  the  fact 
of  the  human  body  being  reduced  to  ten  pounds,  by  being  exposed  to  a  heated  atmosphere 
for  a  long  period  of  time.  The  color  of  the  skin  was  dark,  not  black ;  the  flesh  was  hard 
and  dry  upon  the  bones.  At  the  side  of  the  body  lay  a  pair  of  moccasins,  a  knapsack,  and 
an  indispensable,  or  reticule.  I  will  describe  these  in  the  order  in  which  I  have  named  them. 
The  moccasins  were  made  of  wove  or  knit  bark,  like  the  wrapper  I  have  described.  Around 
the  top  was  a  border  to  add  strength,  and  perhaps  as  an  ornament.  These  were  of  middling 
size,  denoting  feet  of  a  small  size.  The  shape  of  the  moccasins  differs  but  little  from  the  deer 
skin  moccasins  worn  by  the  northern  Indians.  The  knapsack  was  of  wove  or  knit  bark, 
with  a  deep  strong  border  around  the  top,  and  was  about  the  size  of  knapsacks  used  by 
soldiers.  The  workmanship  of  it  was  neat,  and  such  as  would  do  credit  as  a  fabric,  to  a  man- 
ufacturer of  the  present  day.  The  reticule  was  also  made  of  knit  or  wove  bark.  The  shape 
was  much  like  a  horseman's  valise,  opening  its  whole  length  on  the  top.  On  the  side  of  the 
opening,  and  a  few  inches  from  it,  were  two  rows  of  loops,  one  row  on  each  side.  Two 
cords  were  fastened  to  one  end  of  the  reticule  at  the  top,  which  passed  through  the  loop  on 
one  side,  and  then  on  the  other  side,  the  whole  length,  by  which  it  was  laced  up  and  secured. 
The  edges  of  the  top  of  the  reticule  were  strengthened  with  deep  fancy  borders.    The  arti- 


t. 


THE   MAMMOTH    CAVE.  257 

cles  contained  in  the  knapsack  and  reticule  were  quite  numerous,  and  were  as  follows ;  one 
head  cap,  made  of  wove  or  knit  bark,  without  any  border,  and  of  the  shape  of  the  plainest 
night  cap ;  seven  head  dresses,  made  of  the  quills  of  large  birds,  and  put  together  somewhat 
in  the  way  that  feather  fans  are  made,  except  that  the  pipes  of  the  quills  are  not  drawn  to  a 
point,  but  are  spread  out  in  straight  lines  with  the  top.  This  was  done  by  perforating  the 
pipe  of  the  quill  in  two  places,  and  running  two  cords  through  the  holes,  and  then  winding 
round  the  quills  and  the  cord  fine  thread,  to  fasten  each  quill  in  the  place  designed  for  it. 
These  cords  extended  some  length  beyond  the  quills  on  each  side,  so  that  on  placing  the 
feathers  erect,  the  cords  could  be  tied  together  at  the  back  of  the  head.  This  would  enable 
the  wearer  to  present  a  beautiful  display  of  feathers  standing  erect,  and  extending  a  distance 
above  the  head,  and  entirely  surrounding  it.  These  were  most  splendid  head  dresses,  and 
would  be  a  magnificent  ornament  to  the  head  of  a  female  at  the  present  day.  Several  hun- 
dred strings  of  beads;  these  consisted  of  very  hard,  brown  seed,  smaller  than  hemp  seed,  in 
each  of  which  a  small  hole  had  been  made,  and  through  the  whole  a  small  three  corded 
thread,  similar  in  appearance  and  texture  to  seine  twine ;  these  were  tied  up  in  bunches,  as  a 
merchant  ties  up  coral  beads  when  he  exposes  them  for  sale.  The  red  hoofs  of  fawns,  on  a 
string  supposed  to  be  worn  around  the  neck  as  a  necklace.  These  hoofs  were  about  twenty 
in  number,  and  may  have  been  emblematic  of  innocence.  The  claw  of  an  eagle,  with  a 
hole  made  in  it  through  which  a  cord  was  passed,  so  that  it  could  be  worn  pendant  fi-omthe 
neck.  The  jaw  of  a  bear,  designed  to  be  worn  in  the  same  manner  as  the  eagle's  claw,  and 
supplied  with  a  cord  to  suspend  it  around  the  neck.  Two  rattlesnake  skins ;  one  of  these 
had  fourteen  rattles;  these  skins  were  neatly  folded  up.  Some  vegetable  colors  done  up  in 
leaves.  A  small  bunch  of  deer  sinews,  resembling  cat-gut  in  appearance.  Several  bunches  of 
thread  and  twine,  two  and  three  threaded,  some  of  which  were  nearly  white.  Seven  needles, 
some  of  which  were  of  horn  and  some  of  bone;  they  were  smooth,  and  appeared  to  have 
been  much  used.  These  needles  had  each  a  knob  or  whorl  on  the  top,  and  at  the  other  end 
were  brought  to  a  point  like  a  large  sail  needle.  They  had  no  eyelets  to  receive  a  thread. 
The  top  of  one  of  these  needles  was  handsomely  scolloped.  A  hand  piece  made  of  deer-skin, 
with  a  hole  through  it  for  the  thumb,  and  designed  probably  to  protect  the  hand  in  the  use 
of  the  needle,  the  same  as  thimbles  are  now  used.  Two  whistles,  about  eight  inches  long, 
made  of  cane,  with  a  joint  about  one  third  the  length  ;  over  the  joint  is  an  opening  extend- 
ing to  each  side  of  the  tube  of  the  whistle ;  these  openings  were  about  three  quarters  of  an 
inch  long,  and  an  inch  wide,  and  had  each  a  flat  reed  placed  in  the  opening.  These  whistles 
were  tied  together  with  a  cord  wound  round  them. 

"  I  have  been  thus  minute  in  describing  this  mute  witness  from  the  days  of  other  limes,  and 
the  articles  which  were  deposited  within  her  earthen  house.  Of  the  race  of  people  to  whom  she 
belonged  when  living  we  know  nothing;  and  as  to  conjecture,  the  reader  who  gathers  from 
these  pages  this  account,  can  judge  of  the  matter  as  well  as  those  who  saw  the  remnant  of 
mortahty  in  the  subterranean  chambers  in  which  she  was  entombed.  The  cause  of  the  pres- 
ervation of  her  body,  dress,  and  ornaments,  is  no  mystery.  The  dry  atmosphere  of  the  cave, 
with  the  nitrate  of  lime,  with  which  the  earth  that  covers  the  bottom  of  these  nether  palaces 
is  so  highly  impregnated,  preserves  animal  flesh,  and  it  will  neither  putrify  nor  decompose 
when  confined  to  its  unchanging  action.  Heat  and  moisture  are  both  absent  from  the  cave, 
and  it  is  these  two  agents  acting  together  which  produce  both  animal  and  vegetable  decom- 
position and  putrefaction. 

"  In  the  ornaments,  &c.,  of  this  mute  witness  of  ages  gone,  we  have  a  record  of  olden- 
time,  from  which,  in  the  absence  of  a  written  record,  we  may  draw  some  conclusions.  In 
the  various  articles  which  constituted  her  ornaments,  there  were  no  metallic  substances. 
In  the  make  of  her  dress,  there  is  no  evidence  of  the  use  of  any  other  machinery  than 
the  bone  and  horn  needles,  'i'he  beads  are  of  a  substance,  of  the  use  of  which  for  such 
purposes  we  have  no  account  among  people  of  whom  we  have  any  written  record.  She 
had  no  warlike  arms.  By  what  process  the  hair  on  her  head  was  cut  short,  or  by  what 
process  the  deer  skins  were  shorn,  we  have  no  means  of  conjecture.  These  articles  afford  us 
the  same  means  of  judging  of  the  nation  to  which  she  belonged,  and  of  their  advances  in 
the  arts,  that  future  generations  will  have  in  the  exhumation  of  a  tenant  of  one  of  our 
modern  tombs,  with  the  funeral  shroud  &c.  in  a  state  of  like  preservation ;  with  this  differ- 
ence, that  with  the  present  inhabitants  of  this  section  of  the  globe,  but  few  articles  of  orna- 
ment are  deposited  with  the  body.  The  features  of  this  ancient  member  of  the  human 
family  much  resembled  those  of  a  tall,  handsome,  American  woman.  The  forehead  was 
high,  and  the  head  well  formed." 

In  this  chamber  (the  Gothic  Avenue),  there  are  to  be  seen  a  number  of  stalag- 
mite pillars  reaching  from  the  floor  to  the  ceiling,  once  white  and  translucent,  but 
now  black  ami  begrimed  with  smoke.  In  this  chamber,  too,  there  are  a  num- 
ber of  sialactites,  one  of  which,  called  the  Bell,  on  being  struck,  gave  forth  a 
sound  like  the  deep  bell  of  a  cathedral ;  but  was  broken  several  years  ago  by  a 
17 


..««l 


258  EDMONSON   COUNTY. 

visitor,  and  now  tolls  no  longer.  In  this  chamber,  also,  are  Louisa's  Bower  and 
Vulcan's  Furnace.  In  the  latter,  there  is  a  heap  not  unlike  cinders  in  appearance, 
and  some  dark  colored  water.  Here,  too,  are  the  Register  Rooms,  where  on  a 
ceiling  as  smooth  and  white  as  if  finished  by  art,  thousands  of  names  have  been 
traced  by  the  smoke  of  a  candle.  In  this  neigliborhood  the  visitor  reaches  the 
Stalagmite  Hall  or  Gothic  Chapel,  an  elliptical  chamber,  eighty  feet  long  by  fifty 
feet  wide.  Stalagmite  columns,  of  enormous  size,  nearly  block  up  the  two  ends  ; 
and  two  rows  of  pillars  of  smaller  dimensions,  reaching  from  the  floor  to  the  ceilino-, 
and  equi-distant  from  the  wall  on  either  side,  extend  the  entire  length  of  the  hall. 
This  apartment  is  one  of  surprising  grandeur  and  magnificence,  and  when  brilli- 
antly lighted  up  by  the  lamps,  presents  a  scene  inspiring  the  beholder  with  feel- 
ings of  solemnity  and  awe.  The  Devil's  Arm  Chair  is  a  large  stalagmite  column, 
in  the  centre  of  which  is  formed  a  capacious  and  comfortable  seat.  Near  the  foot 
of  the  Chair  is  a  small  basin  of  sulphur  water.  In  this  Avenue  are  situated 
Napoleon's  Breast  Work,  the  Elephant's  Head,  and  the  Lover's  Leap.  The  latter 
is  a  large  pointed  rock,  projecting  over  a  dark  and  gloomy  hollow,  thirty  feet 
deep.  Descending  into  the  hollow,  immediately  below  the  Lover's  Leap,  the 
visitor  enters,  to  the  left,  a  passage  or  chasm  in  the  rock,  three  feet  wide  and  fifty 
feet  high,  which  leads  to  the  lower  branch  of  the  Gothic  Avenue.  At  the  en- 
trance of  this  lower  branch,  is  a  large  flat  rock  called  Gatewood's  Dining  Table, 
to  the  right  of  which  is  a  cave,  in  which  is  situated  the  Cooling  Tub, — a  beauti- 
ful basin  of  six  feet  wide  and  three  deep — into  which  a  small  stream  of  the  pur- 
est water  pours  from  the  ceiling  and  afterwards  flows  into  the  Flint  Pit.  Cir- 
cling round  Gatewood's  Dining  Table,  which  almost  blocks  up  the  way,  the 
visitor  passes  Napoleon's  Dome,  the  Cinder  Banks,  the  Crystal  Pool,  the  Salts 
Cave,  etc.,  and  descending  a  few  feet,  and  leaving  the  direct  course  of  the  cave, 
enters  on  the  right  Annett's  Dome, — a  place  of  great  seclusion  and  grandeur. 
Through  a  crevice  in  the  wall  of  this  Dome  is  a  beautiful  waterfall — issuing  in  a 
stream  of  a  foot  in  diameter  from  a  high  cave  in  the  side  of  the  dome,  and  pass- 
ing off  by  a  small  channel  into  the  Cistern,  a  large  pit  directly  in  the  pathway 
of  the  cave,  which  is  usually  full  of  water.  Near  the  end  of  this  lower  branch 
of  the  Gothic  Avenue,  there  is  a  crevice  in  the  ceiling  over  the  last  spring, 
through  which  the  sound  of  water  may  be  heard  falling  in  a  cave  or  open  space 
above. 

Returning  from  the  Gothic  Avenue,  again  into  the  main  cave,  which  continues 
to  increase  in  interest  as  he  advances,  the  visitor  is  met  at  every  step  by  some- 
thing to  elicit  his  admiration  and  wonder.  At  a  small  distance  from  the  stairs 
which  descend  from  the  Gothic  Avenue  into  the  main  cave,  is  situated  the  Ball 
Room,  so  called  from  its  singular  adaptation  to  such  assemblages.  Here  is  an 
orchestra  fifteen  feet  high,  large  enough  to  accommodate  a  hundred  musicians, 
with  a  gallery  extending  back  to  the  level  of  the  high  embankment  near  the 
Gothic  Avenue ;  and  the  cave  is  here  wide,  straight,  and  perfectly  level  for  several 
hundred  feet.  By  the  addition  of  a  plank  floor,  seats  and  lamps,  a  ball  room 
might  be  furnished,  more  grand  and  magnificent  than  any  other  on  earth.  Next 
in  order  is  Willie's  Spring,  a  beautiful  fluted  niche  in  the  left  hand  wall,  caused 
by  the  continual  attrition  of  water  trickling  down  into  the  basin  below.  Pro- 
ceeding onwards  the  visitor  passes  the  Well  Cave,  Rocky  Cave,  etc.  etc.,  and  ar- 
rives at  the  Giant's  Coflin,  a  huge  rock  on  the  right,  thus  named  from  its  singu- 
lar resemblance  to  a  coflin.  At  this  point  commence  those  incrustations  which, 
assuming  every  imaginable  shape  on  the  ceiling,  afford  full  scope  to  the  fancy, 
to  picture  what  it  will,  whether  of  "  birds,  or  beasts  or  creeping  things."  About  a 
hundred  yards  beyond  the  CoflSn,  the  cave  makes  a  majestic  curve,  and  sweeping 
round  the  Great  Bend,  resumes  its  general  course.  Here,  by  means  of  a  Bengal 
'■  light,  this  vast  amphitheatre  may  be  illuminated  and  a  scene  of  enchantment  ex- 
'  posed  to  the  view.  No  language  can  describe  the  splendor  and  sublimity  of  the 
•scene.  Opposite  to  this  point  is  the  entrance  to  the  Sick  Room  Cave,  so  called 
from  the  sudden  sickness  of  a  visitor,  brought  on  by  smoking  cigars  in  one  of  its 
1  remote  nooks.  Immediately  beyond  this  there  is  situated  a  row  of  cabins  for 
■consumptive  patients.  These  are  well  furnished,  and  would,  with  good  and  com- 
fortable accommodations,  pure  air  and  uniform  temperature,  cure  the  pulmonary 
•  consumption.     The  atmosjihere  of  the  cave  is  always  temperate  and  pure. 

Next  in  the  order  of  succession,  is  the  Star  Chamber.     This  is  a  very  remark- 


THE  MAMMOTH  CAVE.  259 

able  avenue,  and  presents  the  most  perfect  optical  illusion ;  in  looking  up  to  the 
ceiling,  which  is  very  high,  the  spectator  seems  to  see  the  very  firmament  itself, 
studded  with  stars, — and  afar  off,  a  comet,  with  its  long,  bright  tail.  Not  far 
from  this  Star  Chamber,  may  be  seen  in  a  cavity  in  the  wall  on  the  right,  and 
about  twenty  feet  above  the  floor,  an  oak  pole,  about  ten  feet  long  and  six  inches 
in  diameter,  with  two  round  sticks  of  half  the  thickness,  and  three  feet  long,  tied 
on  to  it  transversely,  at  about  four  feet  apart.  One  end  of  this  pole  rests  on  the 
bottom  of  the  cavity,  and  the  other  reaching  across  and  forced  firmly  into  a  cre- 
vice about  three  feet  above.  It  has  been  supposed  that  on  this  pole  was  once 
placed  a  dead  body, — similar  contrivances  being  used  by  some  Indian  tribes,  on 
which  to  place  their  dead.  This  pole  was  first  discovered  in  1841.  Ages  have 
rolled  away  since  it  was  placed  here,  and  yet  it  is  perfectly  sound.  In  this  neigh- 
borhood there  are  Side  Cuts,  as  they  are  called ;  caves  opening  on  the  sides  of 
the  avenues,  and  after  proceeding  some  distance,  entering  them  again.  Some  of 
these  side  cuts  exceed  half  a  mile  in  length,  but  they  are  generally  short. 

The  visitor  next  enters  the  Salts  room,  the  walls  and  ceiling  of  which  are  cov- 
ered with  salts  hanging  in  crystals.  In  this  room  are  the  Indian  houses  under 
the  rocks, — small  spaces  or  rooms  completely  covered — some  of  which  contain 
ashes  and  cane  partly  burnt.  The  Cross  rooms  is  a  grand  section  of  this  avenue ; 
the  ceiling  presenting  an  unbroken  span  of  one  hundred  and  seventy  feet,  with- 
out a  column  to  support  it.  In  this  neighborhood  are  the  Black  Chambers,  in 
which  are  to  be  seen  many  curious  and  remarkable  objects.  The  Humble  Chute 
is  the  entrance  to  the  Solitary  chambers,  in  going  into  which  you  must  crawl  on 
your  hands  and  knees  some  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  under  a  low  arch.  In  the  Sol- 
itary cave  is  situated  the  Fairy  Grotto ;  here  an  immense  number  of  stalactites 
are  seen  at  irregular  distances,  extending  from  the  roof  to  the  floor,  of  various 
sizes  and  of  the  most  fantastic  shapes — some  straight,  some  crooked,  some  large 
and  hollow,  forming  irregularly  fluted  columns;  and  some  solid  near  the  ceiling, 
and  divided  lower  down,  into  a  great  number  of  small  branches  like  the  roots  of 
trees,  exhibiting  the  appearance  of  a  coral  grove.  Lighted  up  by  lamps,  this 
grove  of  stalactites  exhibits  a  scene  of  extraordinary  beauty.  Returning  from 
the  Fairy  Grotto,  you  re-enter  the  main  cave  at  the  Cataract,  and  come  next  to 
the  chief  city  or  Temple,  which  is  thus  described  by  Lee  in  his  notes  on  the  Mam- 
moth Cave  : 

"The  Temple  is  an  immense  vault,  covering  an  area  of  two  acres,  and  covered  by  a  single 
dome  of  solid  rock,  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  high.  It  excels  in  size  the  cave  of  Staffa ; 
and  rivals  the  celebrated  vault  in  the  Grotto  of  Antiparos,  which  is  said  to  be  the  largest  in 
the  world.  In  passing  through  from  one  end  to  the  other,  the  dome  appears  to  follow  like 
the  sky  in  passing  from  place  to  place  on  the  earth.  In  the  middle  of  the  dome  there  is  a 
large  mound  of  rocks  rising  on  one  side  nearly  to  the  top,  very  steep,  and  forming  what  is 
called  the  mountain.  When  first  I  ascended  this  mound  from  the  cave  below,  I  was  struck 
with  a  feeling  of  awe,  more  deep  and  intense  than  any  thing  I  had  ever  before  experienced. 
I  could  only  observe  the  narrow  circle  which  was  illuminated  immediately  around  me,  above 
and  beyond  was  apparently  an  unlimited  space,  in  which  the  ear  could  catch  not  the  slightest 
sound,  nor  the  eye  find  an  object  to  rest  upon.  It  was  filled  with  silence  and  darkness ;  and 
yet  I  knew  that  I  was  beneath  the  earth,  and  that  this  space,  however  large  it  might  l)e,  was 
actually  bounded  by  solid  walls.  My  curiosity  was  rather  excited  than  gratified.  In  order 
that  I  might  see  the  whole  in  one  connected  view,  I  built  fires  in  many  places  with  the 
pieces  of  cane  which  I  found  scattered  among  the  rocks.  Then  taking  my  stand  on  the 
mountain,  a  scene  was  presented  of  surprising  magnificence.  On  the  opposite  side,  the  strata 
of  gray  limestone  breaking  up  by  steps  from  the  bottom,  could  scarcely  be  discerned  in  the 
distance  by  the  glimmering.  Above  was  the  lofty  dome,  closed  at  the  top  by  a  smooth  oval 
slab  beautifully  defined  in  the  outline,  from  which  the  walls  sloped  away  on  the  right  and 
left,  into  thick  darkness.  Every  one  has  heard  of  the  dome  of  the  mosque  of  St.  Sophia,  of 
St.  Peter's  and  St.  Paul's ;  they  are  never  spoken  of  but  in  terms  of  admiration,  as  the  chief 
works  of  architecture,  and  among  the  noblest  and  most  stupendous  examples  of  what  man 
can  do  when  aided  by  science ;  and  yet,  when  compared  with  the  dome  of  this  temple,  they 
sink  into  comparative  insignificance.     Such  is  the  surpassing  grandeur  of  nature's  works." 

A  narrow  passage  behind  the  Giant's  coffin  leads  to  a  circular  room  one  hundred  feet  in 
diameter,  with  a  low  roof  called  the  Wooden  Bowl,  in  allusion  to  its  figure,  or  as  some  say, 
from  a  wooden  bowl  having  been  found  here  by  some  old  miner.  This  Bowl  is  the  vestibule 
of  the  Deserted  Chambers.  On  the  right  are  the  Steeps  of  Time,  down  which  descending 
about  twenty  feet,  and  almost  perpendicularly  for  the  first  ten,  the  visitor  enters  the  Deserted 


260  EDMONSON   COUNTY. 

Chambers,  which  present  features  extremely  wild  and  terrific.  For  two  hundred  yards  the 
ceiling  is  rough  and  broken,  but  further  on  it  is  white,  smooth  and  waving,  as  if  worn  by 
water.  At  Richardson's  Spring  the  imprint  of  moccasins  and  of  children's  feet  of  some  by- 
gone age,  are  to  be  seen.  There  are  more  pits  in  the  Deserted  Chambers  than  in  any  other 
part  of  the  cave ;  among  the  most  remarkable  of  these,  are  the  Covered  Pit,  the  Side-saddle 
Pit  and  the  Bottomless  Pit.  One  of  the  chief  glories  of  the  cave  is  Gorin's  Dome.  This 
dome  is  of  solid  rock,  with  sides  apparently  fluted  and  polished,  and  two  hundred  feet  high. 
The  range  of  the  Deserted  Chambers  is  terminated  by  the  Bottomless  Pit.  This  pit  is  some- 
what in  the  shape  of  a  horse-shoe,  having  a  tongue  of  land  twenty-seven  feet  long,  running 
out  into  the  middle  of  it.  Beyond  the  Bottomless  Pit  is  the  Winding  Way,  and  Persico 
Avenue. 

Persico  Avenue  averages  about  fifty  feet  in  width,  with  a  height  of  about  thirty  feet;  and 
is  said  to  be  two  miles  long.  It  unites  in  an  eminent  degree  the  beautiful  and  the  sublime, 
and  is  highly  interesting  throughout  its  entire  extent.  For  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the 
entrance  the  roof  is  beautifully  arched,  about  twelve  feet  high  and  sixty  wide.  The  walk- 
ing here  is  excellent,  a  dozen  persons  might  run  abreast  for  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  Bunyan's 
Way,  a  branch  of  the  avenue  leading  to  the  river.  At  this  point  the  avenue  changes  its 
features  of  beauty  and  regularity  for  those  of  wild  grandeur  and  sublimity,  which  it  preserves 
to  the  end.  The  roof  becomes  lofty  and  imposingly  magnificent,  its  long  pointed  or  lancet 
arches,  reminding  the  spectator  of  the  rich  and  gorgeous  ceilings  of  the  old  Gothic  cathe- 
drals. Not  far  from  this  point  the  visitor  descending  gradually  a  few  feet,  enters  a  tunnel  of 
fifteen  wide,  the  ceiling  twelve  or  fourteen  feet  high,  perfectly  arched  and  beautifully  covered 
with  white  incrustations,  and  soon  reaches  the  Great  Crossings.  The  name  is  not  unapt, 
because  two  great  caves  cross  here.  Not  far  from  here  is  the  Pine-apple  Bush,  a  large 
column  composed  of  a  white  soft  crumbling  material,  with  bifurcations  extending  from  the 
ceiling.  The  Winding  Way  is  one  hundred  and  five  feet  long,  eighteen  inches  wide,  and 
from  three  to  seven  feet  deep,  widening  out  above  sufficiently  to  admit  the  free  use  of  one's 
arms.     It  is  throughout  tortuous,  forming  a  perfect  zig-zag. 

Relief  llall,  at  the  termination  of  the  Winding  Way,  is  very  wide  and  lofty,  but  not 
long;  it  terminates  at  River  Hall,  a  distance  of  one  hundred  yards  from  its  entrance.  Here 
two  routes  present  themselves.  The  one  to  the  left  conducts  to  the  Dead  Sea  and  the  Rivers, 
and  that  to  the  right  to  the  Bacon  Chamber,  the  Bandit's  Hall,  the  Mammoth  Dome,  &c., 
&c.,  &c.  The  Bacon  Chamber  is  a  pretty  fair  representation  of  a  low  ceiling,  thickly  hung 
with  canvassed  hams  and  shoulders.  The  Bandit's  Hall  is  a  vast  and  lofty  chamber,  the 
floor  covered  with  a  mountainous  heap  of  rocks,  rising  amphitheatrically  almost  to  the  ceil- 
ing. From  the  Bandit's  Hall  diverge  two  caves,  one  of  which,  the  left,  leads  you  to  a  mul- 
titude of  domes ;  and  the  right  to  one  which,  par  excellence,  is  called  the  Mammoth  Dome. 
This  dome  is  near  four  hundred  feet  high,  and  is  justly  considered  one  of  the  most  sublime 
and  wonderful  spectacles  of  this  most  wonderful  of  caverns.  From  the  summit  of  this 
dome  there  is  a  waterfall.  Foreigners  have  been  known  to  declare,  on  witnessing  an  illu- 
mination of  the  great  dome  and  hall,  that  it  alone  would  compensate  for  a  voyage  across  the 
Atlantic. 

The  River  Hall  is  a  chamber  situated  at  the  termination  of  Relief  Hall,  which  has  been 
already  mentioned,  and  through  which  the  visitor  must  pass  in  approaching  the  greatest  won? 
dersof  the  cave,  the  Dead  Sea  and  the  Rivers.  We  despair  of  giving  any  adequate  descrip- 
tion of  this  subterranean  lake  and  rivers.  "  The  River  Hall  descends  like  the  slope  of  a 
mountain ;  the  ceiling  stretches  away — away  before  you,  vast  and  grand  as  the  firmament 
at  midnight."  Proceeding  a  short  distance,  there  is  on  the  left  "  a  steep  precipice,  over 
which  you  can  look  down,  by  the  aid  of  blazing  missiles,  upon  a  broad  black  sheet  of  water, 
eighty  feet  below,  called  the  Dead  Sea.  This  is  an  awfully  impressive  place,  the  sights  and 
sounds  of  which  do  not  easily  pass  from  memory.  He  who  has  seen  it,  will  have  it  vividly 
brought  before  him  by  Aifieri's  description  of  Filippo.  'Only  a  transient  word  or  act  gives 
us  a  short  and  dubious  glimmer  that  reveals  to  us  the  abysses  of  his  being — daring,  lurid,  and 
terrific  as  the  throat  of  the  infernal  pool.'  Descending  from  the  eminence  by  a  ladder  of 
about  twenty  feet,  we  find  ourselves  among  piles  of  gigantic  rocks,  and  one  of  the  most  pic- 
turesque sights  in  the  world  is  to  see  a  file  of  men  and  women  passing  along  those  wild  and 
scraggy  paths,  moving  slowly — slowly  that  their  lamps  may  have  time  to  illuminate  their 
sky-like  ceiling  and  gigantic  walls, — disappearing  behind  high  cliffs — sinking  into  ravines — 
their  lights  shining  upwards  through  fissures  in  the  rocks — then  suddenly  emerging  from 
some  abrupt  angle,  standing  in  the  bright  gleam  of  their  lights,  relieved  by  the  towering 
black  masses  around  them.  As  you  pass  along,  you  hear  the  roar  of  invisible  water  falls  ; 
and  at  the  foot  of  the  slope  the  river  Styx  lies  before  you,  deep  and  black,  overarched  with 
rocks.  Across  (or  rather  down)  these  unearthly  waters,  the  guide  can  convey  but  four  pas- 
sengers at  once.  The  lamps  are  fastened  to  the  prow,  the  images  of  which  are  reflected  in 
the  dismal  pool.  If  you  are  impatient  of  delay,  or  eager  for  new  adventure,  you  can  leave 
your  companions  lingering  about  the  shore  and  cross  the  Styx  by  a  dangerous  bridge  of 


ESTILL  COUNTY.  201 

precipices  over  head.  In  order  to  do  this  you  must  ascend  a  steep  cliff,  and  enter  a  cave 
above,  three  hundred  yards  long,  from  an  egress  of  which  you  lind  yourself  on  the  bank  of 
the  river,  eighty  feet  above  its  surface,  commanding  a  view  of  those  in  the  boat,  and  those 
waiting  on  the  shore.  Seen  from  this  height,  the  lamps  in  the  canoe  glare  like  fiery  eye- 
balls; and  the  passengers  sitting  there  so  hushed  and  motionless  look  like  shadows.  The 
scene  is  so  strangely  funereal  and  spectral,  that  it  seems  as  if  the  Greeks  must  have  witnessed 
it,  before  they  imagined  Charon  conveying  ghosts  to  the  dim  regions  of  Pluto.  If  you  turn 
your  eye  from  the  parties  of  men  and  women  whom  you  left  waiting  on  the  shore,  you  will 
see  them  by  the  gleam  of  their  lamps,  scattered  in  picturesque  groups,  looming  out  in  bold 
relief  from  the  dense  darkness  around  them." 

Having  passed  the  Styx,  the  explorer  reaches  the  banks  of  the  river  Lethe. 
Descending  this  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  he  lands,  and  enters  a  level  and  lofty 
hall  called  the  Great  Walk,  which  stretches  to  the  banks  of  the  Echo,  a  distance 
of  three  or  four  hundred  yards.  The  Echo  is  wide  and  deep  enough,  at  all  times, 
to  float  a  steamer  of  the  largest  class.  At  the  point  of  embarkation  the  arch  is 
very  low  ;  but  in  two  boats'  lengths,  the  vault  of  the  cave  becomes  lofty  and 
wide.  The  novelty,  the  grandeur,  the  magnificence  of  the  surrounding  scenery 
here,  elicits  unbounded  admiration  and  wonder.  The  Echo  is  three  quarters  of  a 
mile  long.  It  is  in  these  rivers  that  the  extraordinary  white  eyeless  fish  are 
caught.  There  is  not  the  slightest  indication  of  an  organ  similar  to  an  eye  to  be 
discovered. 

Beyond  the  Echo  there  is  a  walk  of  four  miles  to  Cleveland's  Avenue,  in  reach- 
ing which  the  visitor  passes  through  El  Ghor,  Silliman's  Avenue,  and  Welling- 
ton's Gallery,  to  the  foot  of  the  ladder  which  leads  up  to  Mary's  Vineyard,  the 
commencement  of  Cleveland's  Avenue.  Proceeding  about  a  hundred  feet  from 
this  spot,  you  reach  the  base  of  the  hill  on  which  stands  the  Holy  Sepulchre. 
Cleveland's  avenue  is  about  three  miles  long,  seventy  feet  wide,  and  twelve  or 
fifteen  feet  high — more  rich  and  gorgeous  than  any  ever  revealed  to  man,  abound- 
ing in  formations  which  are  no  where  else  to  be  seen,  and  which  the  most  stupid 
cannot  behold  without  feelings  of  admiration.  But  a  detailed  description  of  these 
wonders  would  not  consist  with  the  plan  of  this  work.  In  this  Avenue  are  situ- 
ated Cleveland's  Cabinet,  the  Rocky  Mountains,  Croghan's  Hall,  Serena's  Arbor, 
&c.  &;c.  There  is  in  this  vast  cave  another  avenue,  more  than  three  miles  long, 
lofty  and  wide,  and  at  its  termination  there  is  a  hall  which  the  guide  thinks 
larger  than  any  other  in  the  cave.     It  is  as  yet  without  a  name. 

Captain  John  Edmonson,  from  whom  this  county  derived  its  name,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Washington  county,  Virginia.  He  settled  in  Fayette  county,  Kentucky, 
in  the  year  1790.  He  raised  a  company  of  volunteer  riflemen,  and  joined  CoL 
John  Allen's  regiment  in  the  year  1812,  and  fell  in  the  disastrous  battle  of  the 
river  Raisin,  the  22d  of  January,  1813. 


ESTILL    COUNTY. 

Estill  county  was  formed  in  1808,  and  named  in  honor  of  Cap- 
tain James  Estill.  It  is  situated  in  the  eastern  middle  part  of 
the  State,  and  lies  on  both  sides  of  the  Kentucky  river.  Bounded 
on  the  north  by  Montgomery,  east  by  Breathitt,  south  by  Clay, 
and  west  by  Madison.  The  face  of  the  country  is  generally  bro- 
ken and  mountainous — the  settlements  being  mosth'  confined 
to  the  valleys  on  the  watercourses.  The  growth  of  the  bottom 
land  is  oak,  walnut,  hickory,  cherry,  and  sugar  tree  ;  that  of  the 
upland,  oak  and  poplar,  and  along  the  river  banks,  some  pine 
and  cedar.  Iron  ore  and  coal  are  found  in  great  abundance  in 
the  mountains. 


262  ESTILL    COUNTY. 

The  taxable  property  of  the  county  in  1846  was  valued  at  $633,- 
834;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  189,765;  average 
value  of  lands  per  acre,  $2.15;  number  of  white  males  over 
twenty-one  years  old,  903 ;  number  of  children  between  five  and 
sixteen  years  of  age,  1,361.  Population  in  1830,4,618 — in  1840, 
5,535. 

The  Red  River  Iron  Works  is  located  in  this  county.  It  is  an 
extensive  establishment,  wielding  a  heavy  capital,  and  employing 
a  large  number  of  hands.  A  large  quantity  of  bar  iron  and  nails 
are  manufactured  at  the  works.  The  proprietors  and  all  the  op- 
eratives in  this  establishment  are  tempe?-ance  men,  ardent  spirits 
having  been  altogether  banished  from  its  precincts.  The  Estill 
steam  furnace  is  situated  ten  miles  east,  and  Miller's  creek  salt 
works  eight  miles  above  Irvine.  Three  or  four  miles  from  the 
county  seat,  hydraulic  lime  has  been  found  in  great  quantities. 

Irvine,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  seventy  miles  south-east  of  Frank- 
fort. It  is  located  on  a  beautiful  site  on  the  northern  bank  of  the 
Kentucky  river — contains  a  brick  court-house  and  jail,  and  sem- 
inary ;  (the  court-house  and  seminary  being  used  for  religious 
worship,)  four  lawyers,  four  physicians,  four  stores  and  seven 
mechanics' shops.  Population  two  hundred.  Established  in  1812, 
and  named  in  honor  of  Colonel  William  Irvine,  who  is  noticed 
under  the  head  of  Madison  county. 

Capt.  James  Estill,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its  name,  was  a 
native  of  Augusta  county,  Virginia.  He  removed  to  Kentucky  at  an  early  period, 
and  settled  on  Muddy  creek,  in  the  present  county  of  Madison,  where  he  built  a 
station  which  received  the  name  of  Estill's  station.  In  1781  in  a  skirmish  with 
the  Indians,  he  received  a  rifle-shot  in  one  of  his  arms,  by  which  it  was  broken. 
In  March,  1782,  with  a  small  body  of  men,  believed  to  be  about  twenty-five,  he 
pursued  a  similar  number  of  Wyandotts  across  the  Kentucky  river,  and  into  Mont- 
gomery county,  v\  here  he  fought  one  of  the  severest  and  most  bloody  battles  on 
record,  when  the  number  of  men  on  both  sides  is  taken  into  the  account.*  Cap- 
tain Estill  and  his  gallant  Lieutenant,  South,  were  both  killed  in  the  retreat  which 
succeeded.  Thus  fell  (says  Mr.  Morehead  in  his  Boonsborough  address),  in  the 
ripeness  of  his  manhood,  Captain  James  Estill,  one  of  Kentucky's  bravest  and 
most  beloved  defenders.  It  may  be  said  of  him  with  truth,  that  if  he  did  not 
achieve  the  victory,  he  did  more — he  deserved  it.  Disappointed  of  success — van- 
quished— slain,  in  a  desperate  conflict  with  an  enemy  of  superior  strength  and 
equal  valor,  he  has  nevertheless  left  behind  him  a  name  of  which  his  descendants 
may  well  be  proud — a  name  which  will  live  in  the  annals  of  Kentucky,  so  long 
as  there  shall  be  found  men  to  appreciate  the  patriotism  and  self-devotion  of  a 
martyr  to  the  cause  of  humanity  and  civilization. 

The  Rev.  Joseph  Proctor,  of  this  county,  was  one  of  the  intrepid  band  of  Cap- 
tain Estill,  in  the  bloody  battle  noticed  under  the  Montgomery  head.  His  cool- 
ness and  bravery  throughout  the  battle,  were  unsurpassed.  A  savage  warrior 
having  buried  his  knife  in  Captain  Estill's  breast,  Proctor  instantly  sent  a  ball 
from  his  rifle  through  the  Wyandott's  heart.  Ilis  conduct  after  the  battle,  elicited 
the  warmest  approbation.  He  brought  off  the  field  of  battle  his  wounded  friend, 
the  late  Colonel  William  Irvine,  of  Madison,  who  is  noticed  under  the  head  of 
that  county. 

In  an  engagement  with  the  Indians  at  Pickaway  towns,  on  the  Great  Miami, 
Proctor  killed  an  Indian  chief.  He  was  a  brave  soldier,  a  stranger  to  fear,  and 
an  ardent  friend  to  the  institutions  of  his  country.  He  made  three  campaigns  into 
Ohio,  with  the  view  of  suppressing  Indian  hostilities;  and  fought  side  by  side 

•See  a  full  account  of  this  battle  under  the  head  of  Montgomery  county. 


FAYETTE    COUNTY.  263 

with  Boone,  Calloway  and  Logan.  He  joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
in  a  fort  in  Madison  county,  under  the  preaching  of  the  Rev.  James  Hawkes ; 
and  was  ordained  in  1809,  by  Bishop  Asbury.  He  was  an  exemplary  member  of 
the  church  for  sixty-five  years,  and  a  local  preacher  upwards  of  half  a  century. 
He  died  at  his  residence  on  the  2d  of  December,  1844,  and  was  buried  with  mil- 
itary honors. 


FAYETTE    COUNT  Y. 

Fayette  county  was  formed  in  1780  by  the  State  of  Virginia, 
and  is  one  of  the  three  original  counties  that  at  one  time  com- 
prised the  whole  district  of  Kentucky — and  included  all  that  ter- 
ritory beginning  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kentucky  river,  and  extend- 
ing lip  its  middle  fork  to  the  head,  and  embracing  the  northern 
and  eastern  portion  of  the  present  State.  It  received  its  name  as 
a  testimonial  of  gratitude  to  Gen.  Gilbert  Mortier  de  La  Fayette 
• — the  gallant  and  generous  Frenchman  who  volunteered  as  the 
CHAMPION  of  LIBERTY  Oil  this  sidc  of  the  Atlantic,  and  proved  to  the 
world,  that  although  a  nobleman  b}-  descent,  he  was  a  republican 
in  principle,  and  was  more  ennobled  by  nature  than  by  all  the 
titles  of  hereditary  rank. 

Fayette  county  is  situated  in  the  middle  portion  of  the  State, 
and  lies  on  the  waters  of  the  Kentucky  and  Elkhorn.  It  is  boun- 
ded on  the  north  by  Scott,  east  by  Bourbon  and  Clark,  south  by 
Madison  and  Jessamine,  and  west  by  Woodford  ;  being  twenty- 
five  miles  from  north  to  south,  mean  breadth  eleven  miles,  and 
containing  275  square  miles.  It  is  fair  table  land — all  the  streams 
rise  and  flow  from  the  centre  of  the  county,  and  empt}'  into  their 
common  receptacle,  the  Kentucky  river.  The  centre  of  the  gar- 
den of  Kentucky,  the  surface  of  this  county  is  very  gently  undu- 
lating, and  the  soil  is  probably  as  rich  and  productive  as  any  upon 
which  the  sun  ever  shone.  It  is  properly  a  stock  raising  county 
• — horses,  mules,  cattle,  and  hogs,  in  large  numbers,  being  annu- 
ally exported  ;  but  corn  and  hemp  are  produced  in  great  abun- 
dance— the  latter  being  generally  manufactured  in  the  county. 

The  taxable  property  of  the  county  in  1846,  was  valued  at 
$16,007,020  (second  in  amount  only  to  Jefferson,  including  the 
city  of  Louisville);  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  193,- 
061  ;  average  value  of  land  per  acre,  $33.95  ;  number  of  white 
males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  2,883  ;  children  between  five 
and  sixteen  years  old,  2,233.  Population  in  1830,  25,174;  in 
1840,  22,194. 

Lexington,  the  county  seat  of  Fayette,  is  a  remarkably  neat  and 
beautiful  city,  situated  on  the  Town  fork  of  Elkhorn  river,  25  miles 
south-east  from  Frankfort,  64  miles  south-wet?t  from  Maysville, 
77  miles  south-east  from  Louisville,  85  miles  from  Cincinnati,  and 
517  from  Washington  city.  Latitude  38°  02' north ;  longitude 
84°  26'  west.  It  was  founded  in  the  year  1776.  About  the  first 
of  April,  1779,  a  block  house  was  built  on  the  site  now  occupied 
by  Mr.  Leavy's  store,  and  the  settlement  commenced  under  the 


FAYETTE   COUNTY. 


influence  of  Col.  Robert  Patterson,  joined  by  Messrs.  McConnels, 
Lindseys,  and  James  Masterson.  Major  John  Morrison  removed 
his  family  soon  after  from  Harrodsburg,  and  the  lady  of  that  gen- 
tleman was  the  first  white  female  that  graced  the  infant  settlement. 
Being  settled  during  the  revolution,*  it  received  its  name  in  com- 
memoration of  the  battle  of  Lexington,  where  the  first  blood  was 
shed  in  the  great  cause  of  human  liberty.  Lexington  was  incor- 
porated by  Virginia  in  1782,  and  was  for  several  years  the  seat 
of  government  of  the  State.  The  first  improvements  consisted 
of  three  rows  of  cabins,  the  two  outer  serving  as  a  part  of  the 
walls  of  the  fortification,  which  extended  from  the  corner  now 
known  as  Leavy's  corner,  to  James  Masterson's  house  on  Main 
street.  The  block  house  commanded  the  public  spring,  and  a 
common  field  included  the  site  of  the  present  court  house. 

The  streets  of  Lexington  are  laid  out  at  right  angles,  and  are 
well  paved.  Main  street  is  one  mile  and  a  quarter  long.  Few 
towns  are  more  delightfully  situated.  Its  vicinity  has  a  softness 
and  beauty  about  it,  and  the  city  itself  presents  an  appearance 
of  neatness,  that  rarely  fails  to  strike  a  stranger's  eye  with  ad- 
miration. Many  of  the  private  residences,  and  several  of  the 
public  edifices,  are  fine  specimens  of  architectural  taste ;  while 
the  surrounding  country,  rich  and  highly  cultivated,  is  dotted  over 
with  elegant  mansions.     (See  note  on  p.  265.) 


TRANSYLVANIA    UNIVERSITY,    LEXINGTON,    KY. 


4  j! 


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MMM 


W  "?i«'  ■  ■"•■^ 


CITY  OF   LEXINGTON.  265 

The  public  buildings  are — a  court  house;  a  masonic  hall  erected  by  the  grand 
lodge  of  Kentucky;  Morrison  College,  and  Medical  Hall,  both  imposing  and 
costly  edifices  belonging  to  Transylvania  University ;  eleven  churches,  embracing 
one  Episcopal,  two  Presbyterian,  one  Methodist,  one  Catholic,  one  Reformed  or 
Christian,  one  Baptist,  one  Independent  Methodist,  one  Seceder,  and  two  African ; 
a  city  free  school,  established  in  1834,  and  amply  endowed,  containing  from  three 
to  five  hundred  scholars  ;  the  city  hospital  and  work  house  is  a  plain  brick  build- 
ing, erected  in  1836  ;  the  Lunatic  Asylum,  first  erected  by  the  city,  but  afterwards 
taken  under  the  care  of  the  State,  and  greatly  enlarged,  containing  upwards  of 
two  hundred  rooms,  and  capable  of  accommodating  from  three  to  four  hundred 
patients  ;  the  Northern  Bank  of  Kentucky,  a  beautiful  and  finely  finished  edifice  ; 
and  the  Orphan  Asylum,  erected  in  the  year  1833,  for  the  benefit  of  the  destitute 
orphans  who  were  deprived  of  their  parents  by  cholera,  which  raged  so  fearfully 
in  that  year. 

There  are  two  newspapers  published  in  the  city,  which  are  ably  edited  and 
widely  circulated,  viz: — The '■^  Kentucky  Gazette,''''  established  in  1787,  by  the 
brothers,  John  and  Fielding  Bradford,  the  first  number  having  been  issued  on  the 
18th  of  August,  with  the  title  of  "Kentucke  Gazette. f  This  is  the  oldest  news- 
paper west  of  the  Alleghany  mountains,  with  the  exception  of  the  Pittsburgh  Ga- 
zette, The  "  Lexington  Observer  and  Reporter"  originally  called  the  "  Lexington 
Reporter,"  was  established  by  William  W.  Worsley,  nearly  forty  years  since, 
and  is  now  published  semi-weekly  and  weekly.  ^ 

There  are  in  Lexington  between  thirty-five  and  forty  of  each  of  the  two  pro- 
fessions— law  and  medicine,  sixty  or  seventy  stores  and  groceries- — many  of 
them  wholesale,  four  book  stores,  six  drug  stores,  ten  taverns,  and  about  seventy 
mechanical  and  manufacturing  establishments,  embracing  blacksmiths,  saddle 
and  harness  makers,  painters,  tailors,  carriage  makers,  silver  smiths,  gun  smiths, 
platers,  copper  and  tin  manufacturers,  boot  and  shoe  makers,  iron  and  brass  foun- 
ders, carpenters,  cabinet  makers,  hatters,  and  morocco,  looking  glass  and  brush 
manufacturers.  Capital  invested  in  dry  goods,  $1,500,000 — groceries,  $700,000 
— manufactures  and  banks,  $12,000,000.  Taxable  property  in  the  city,  $3,039,- 
608,  in  1845.  Annual  importations  same  year,  $897,445;  stock  in  trade,  $470,- 
568.  The  manufacture  of  hemp  is  carried  on  very  extensively  in  Lexington  and 
the  county  of  Fayette.  In  the  city  there  are  fifteen  hemp  establishments,  work- 
ing six  hundred  hands,  running  ninety  looms,  and  making  annually  2,500,000 
yards  of  bagging,  and  2,000,000  pounds  of  rope.  In  the  suburbs  of  the  city  there 
are  four  factories,  manufacturing  680,000  yards  of  bagging  and  400,000  pounds  of 
rope.  In  the  remainder  of  the  county  there  are  fourteen  factories,  working  three 
hundred  hands,  running  fifty  looms,  and  turning  out  1,250,000  yards  bagging 
and  1,000,000  pounds  of  rope.  Thus,  in  the  city  and  county,  there  are  thirty-three 
bagging  and  rope  establishments,  working  one  thousand  and  fifty  hands,  running 
one  hundred  and  sixty-five  looms,  and  making  4,430,000  yards  of  bagging  and 
3,400,000  pounds  of  rope.  Population  of  Lexington  in  1845 — whites,  4,999 ; 
blacks,  3,179 ;  total,  8,178.  The  population  in  1847  is  supposed  to  be  about 
9,000. 

Transylvania  University  was  established  by  the  legislature  of  Kentucky  in 
1798,  by  the  amalgamation  of  the  two  institutions  known  by  the  name  of  the 
Transylvania  Seminary  and  Kentucky  Academy.  Until  within  a  few  years,  it 
was  properly  a  State  institution.  In  the  year  1843  it  passed  under  the  supervi- 
sion of  the  Kentucky  conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  is  now, 
like  all  the  other  colleges  of  the  State,  a  denominational  institution.  It  has 
passed  through  many  vicissitudes,  but  is  at  present  in  a  flourishing  condition, 
and  bids  fair,  under  the  patronage  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  south,  to 
rival  its  palmiest  days. 

Morrison  College  (the  literary  department  of  Transylvania  University)  has 
six  professors  and  teachers,  with  about  three  hundred  students,  including  the  pre- 

*In  the  year  1775.  iiitellifrence  was  received  by  a  parly  of  himiers,  who  were  accidentally  en- 
camped on  one  of  the  branches  of  KIkhorn.  that  the  first  battle  of  the  revolmion  had  been  fought  in 
the  vicinity  of  Boston,  between  the  British  and  provincial  forces,  and  in  commemoration  of  iho 
event,  they  called  the  spot  of  their  encampment  Lexington.  No  settlement  was  then  made.  The  spoj 
is  now  covered  by  one  of  the  most  beantiful  cities  on  the  continent. — Governor  Morekead''s  Address. 

t  The  first  and  aliout  half  of  the  second  volume  of  the  Gazette  was  printed  with  the  name  of  th» 
"  Kentucke  Gazelle."     Afterwards  the  y  was  substituted  for  the  e  in  Kentucky . 


MASONIC    HALL,    LEXINGTON,  KY. 


MEDICAL    HALL,     LEXINGTON,    KY. 


TRANSYLVANIA  UNIVERSITY.  267 

paratory  department.  The  Rev.  Henry  B.  Bascom,  D.  D.,  is  president.  The 
alumni  numbers  about  650.     The  number  of  volumes  in  the  library  4,500. 

The  Medical  School  is  under  the  supervision  of  eight  trustees,  and  was  founded 
in  1818.  It  has  eight  professors,  and  an  average,  for  several  years,  of  about  one 
hundred  and  seventy-five  students.  The  number  of  graduates,  up  to  January, 
1847,  exceeded  fifteen  hundred.  Connected  with  the  institution  is  a  fine  museum, 
a  very  valuable  library,  and  an  extensive  chemical  apparatus  for  experimenting. 
The  professors  are  able  and  generally  distinguished  men,  and  the  institution, 
until  recently,  has  had  no  rival  in  the  west. 

The  Law  School,  like  the  Medical  college,  is  connected  with  the  Transylvania 
University.  This  department  has  three  professors,  (Judges  Robertson,  Woolley 
and  ^Marshall),  who  are  distinguished  for  their  learning  and  legal  acquirements. 

The  Lunatic  Asylum  is  one  of  the  noblest  institutions  of  Kentucky,  and  re- 
flects immortal  honor  upon  the  city  which  founded  and  the  commonwealth  which 
sustains  it.  The  buildings  are  very  extensive  and  commodious,  the  rooms  large 
and  well  ventilated,  warmed  by  flues  which  conduct  the  heated  air  through  the 
house.  The  grounds  connected  with  the  asylum  embrace  an  area  of  thirty  acres, 
and  are  handsomely  improved  and  ornamented  with  a  variety  of  beautiful  shrub- 
bery. The  garden  is  cultivated  entirely  by  the  patients  themselves,  and  aflTords 
sufficient  vegetables  for  the  supply  of  the  institution.  Dr.  Allen,  who  has  been 
for  many  years  the  superintendent,  is  eminently  qualified  for  the  important  and 
very  responsible  position  he  occupies ;  and  the  cures  effected  under  his  supervi- 
sion and  treatment,  bear  as  large  a  proportion  to  the  number  admitted  as  appear 
in  the  reports  of  any  other  insane  institution  in  the  United  States.  The  admirable 
adaptation  of  the  architectural  arrangements — the  complete  classification  of  the 
patients — the  moral  and  well-educated  attendants,  and  the  judicious  system  of 
treatment  pursued  by  the  superintendent,  happily  adapted  to  every  form  of  the  dis- 
ease, ensure  the  attainment  of  as  complete  success  as  is  possible  in  this  branch 
of  the  medical  art,  and  must  be  felt  and  acknowledged  by  all  who  have  had  an 
opportunity  to  observe  the  excellent  plan  upon  which  the  institution  is  conducted. 

Athens  is  a  small  but  handsome  village,  situated  ten  miles  from 
Lexington,  on  the  Boonsborough  road,  and  in  sight  of  Boone's 
station — surrounded  by  a  rich  and  fertile  country,  with  an  intel- 
ligent, industrious  and  moral  community.  It  has  two  churches, 
two  physicians,  one  lawyer,  three  stores,  one  school  and  twenty 
mechanics'  shops — population  350. 

Bryant's  station,  about  five  miles  north-east  of  Lexington,  was  settled  by  the 
Bryants  in  1779.  In  1781,  Bryant's  station  was  much  harassed  by  small  par- 
ties of  Indians.  This  was  a  frontier  post,  and  greatly  exposed  to  the  hostilities 
of  the  savages.*  It  had  been  settled  in  1779  by  four  brothers  from  North  Caro- 
lina, one  of  whom,  William,  had  married  a  sister  of  Colonel  Daniel  Boone.  The 
Indians  were  constantly  lurking  in  the  neighborhood,  waylaying  the  paths,  steal- 
ing their  horses,  and  butchering  their  cattle.  It  at  length  became  necessary  to 
hunt  in  parties  of  twenty  or  thirty  men,  so  as  to  be  able  to  meet  and  repel  those 
attacks,  which  were  every  day  becoming  more  bold  and  frequent. 

One  afternoon,  about  the  20th  of  May,  William  Bryant,  accompanied  by 
twenty  men,  left  the  fort  on  a  hunting  expedition  down  the  Elkhorn  creek.  They 
moved  with  caution,  until  they  had  passed  all  the  points  where  ambuscades  had 
generally  been  formed,  when,  seeing  no  enemy,  they  became  more  bold,  and  de- 
termined, in  order  to  sweep  a  large  extent  of  country,  to  divide  their  company 
into  two  parties.  One  of  them,  conducted  by  Bryant  in  person,  was  to  descend 
the  Elkhorn  on  its  southern  bank,  flanking  out  largely,  and  occupy  as  much 
ground  as  possible.  The  other,  under  the  orders  of  James  Hogan,  a  young 
farmer  in  good  circumstances,  was  to  move  down  in  a  parallel  line  upon  the  north 
bank.  The  two  parties  were  to  meet  at  night,  and  encamp  together  at  the  mouth 
of  Cane  run. 

Each  punctually  performed  the  first  part  of  their  plans.  Hogan,  however,  had 
traveled    but  a  few  hundred  yards,  when  he  heard  a  loud   voice   behind    him  ex- 

*  McCluiig's  Sketches. 


268  FAYETTE   COUNTY. 

claim  in  very  good  English,  "stop,  boys!"  Hastily  looking  back,  they  saw 
several  Indians,  on  foot,  pursuing  them  as  rapidly  as  possible.  Without  halting 
to  count  numbers,  the  party  put  spurs  to  their  horses,  and  dashed  through  the 
woods  at  full  speed,  the  Indians  keeping  close  behind  them,  and  at  times  gaining 
upon  them.  There  was  a  led  horse  in  company,  which  had  been  brought  with 
them  for  the  purpose  of  packing  game.  This  was  instantly  abandoned,  and  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  Indians.  Several  of  them  lost  their  hats  in  the  eagerness 
of  fliaht;  but  quickly  getting  into  the  open  woods,  they  left  their  pursuers  so  far 
behind,  that  they  had  leisure  to  breathe  and  inquire  of  each  other,  whether  it  was 
worth  while  to  kill  their  horses  before  they  had  ascertained  the  number  of  the 
enemy. 

They  quickly  determined  to  cross  the  creek,  and  await  the  approach  of  the  In- 
dians. If  they  found  them  superior  to  their  own  and  Bryant's  party  united,  they 
would  immediately  return  to  the  fort;  as,  by  continuing  their  march  to  the  mouth 
of  Cane  run,  they  would  bring  a  superior  enemy  upon  their  friends,  and  endan- 
ger the  lives  of  the  whole  party.  They  accordingly  crossed  the  creek,  dis- 
mounted, and  awaited  the  approach  of  the  enemy.  By  this  time  it  had  become 
dark.  The  Indians  were  distinctly  heard  approaching  the  creek  upon  the  opposite 
side,  and  after  a  short  halt,  a  solitary  warrior  descended  the  bank  and  began  to 
wade  through  the  stream. 

Hogan  waited  until  he  had  emerged  from  the  gloom  of  the  trees  which 
grew  upon  the  bank,  and  as  soon  as  he  had  reached  the  middle  of  the  stream, 
where  the  light  was  more  distinct,  he  took  deliberate  aim  and  fired.  A  great 
splashing  in  the  water  was  heard,  but  presently  all  became  quiet.  The  pursuit 
was  discontinued,  and  the  party  remounting  their  horses,  returned  home.  Anx- 
ious, however,  to  apprize  Bryant's  party  of  their  danger,  they  left  the  fort  before 
daylight  on  the  ensuing  morning,  and  rode  rapidly  down  the  creek,  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  mouth  of  Cane.  Wlien  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  spot 
where  they  supposed  the  encampment  to  be,  they  heard  the  report  of  many  guns 
in  quick  succession.  Supposing  that  Bryant  had  fallen  in  with  a  herd  of  buffalo, 
they  quickened  their  march  in  order  to  take  part  in  the  sport. 

The  morning  was  foggy,  and  the  smoke  of  the  guns  lay  so  heavily  upon  the 
ground  that  they  could  see  nothing  until  they  had  approached  within  twenty 
yards  of  the  creek,  when  they  suddenly  found  themselves  within  pistol  shot  of  a 
party  of  Indians,  very  composedly  seated  upon  their  packs,  and  preparing  their 
pipes.  Both  parties  were  much  startled,  but  quickly  recovering,  they  sheltered 
themselves,  as  usual,  and  the  action  opened  with  great  vivacity.  The  Indians 
maintained  their  ground  for  half  an  hour  with  some  firmness,  but  being  hard 
pressed  in  front,  and  turned  in  flank,  they  at  length  gave  way,  and  being  closely 
pursued,  were  ultimately  routed,  with  considerable  loss,  which,  however,  could 
not  be  distinctly  ascertained.  Of  Hogan's  party,  one  man  was  killed  on  the 
spot,  and  three  others  wounded,  none  mortally. 

It  happened  that  Bryant's  company  had  encamped  at  the  mouth  of  Cane,  as 
had  been  agreed  upon,  and  were  unable  to  account  for  Hogan's  absence.  That, 
about  daylight,  they  had  heard  a  bell  at  a  distance,  which  they  immediately  recog- 
nized as  ihe  one  belonging  to  the  led  horse  which  had  accompanied  Hogan's 
party,  and  which,  as  we  have  seen,  had  been  abandoned  to  the  enemy  the  even- 
ing before.  Supposing  their  friends  to  be  bewildered  in  the  fog,  and  unable  to 
find  their  camp,  Bryanf,  accompanied  by  Grant,  one  of  his  men,  mounted  a  horse, 
and  rode  to  the  spot  where  the  bell  was  still  ringing.  They  quickly  fell  into  an 
ambuscade,  and  were  fired  upon.  Bryant  was  mortally,  and  Grant  severely 
wounded,  the  first  being  shot  through  the  hip  and  both  knees,  the  latter  through 
the  back. 

Being  both  able  to  keep  the  saddle,  however,  they  set  spurs  to  their  horses, 
and  arrived  at  the  station  shortly  after  breakfast.  The  Indians,  in  the  mean 
time,  had  fallen  upon  the  encampment,  and  instantly  dispersed  it,  and  while  pre- 
paring to  regale  themselves  after  their  victory,  were  suddenly  attacked,  as  we 
have  seen,  by  Hogan.  The  timidity  of  Hogan's  party,  at  the  first  appearance  of 
the  Indians,  was  the  cause  of  the  death  of  Bryant.  The  same  mm  who  fled  so 
hastily  in  the  evening,  were  able  the  next  morning,  by  a  little  firmness,  to  van- 
quish the  same  party  of  Indians.    Had  they  stood  at  first,  an  equal  success  would 


ATTACK  ON  BRYANT'S  STATION.  269 

probably  have  attended  them,  and  the  life  of  their  leader  would  have  been  pre- 
served. 

On  the  night  of  the  14th  of  Aug-ust,  1782,  this  station  was  surrounded  by  a 
body  of  Indians  from  various  tribes,  composed  of  about  six  hundred  warriors, 
headed  by  the  notorious  renegade,  Simon  Girty.  The  fort  was  situated  on  the 
right  of  the  present  road  from  Maysville  to  Lexington,  immediately  on  the  south- 
ern bank  of  Eikhorn,  and  contained  about  forty  cabins,  placed  in  parallel  lines, 
connected  by  strong  palisades,  and  garrisoned  by  about  forty  or  fifty  men.  On 
the  succeeding  morning  the  enemy  showed  themselves,  but  so  secret  and  stealthy 
had  been  their  approach,  that  not  the  slightest  suspicion  existed  that  the  savages 
were  in  the  neighborhood.  Had  the  Indians  showed  themselves  only  a  few 
hours  later,  they  would  have  found  the  fort  occupied  only  by  old  men,  women 
and  children,  as  the  etfective  force  of  the  garrison  had  determined  to  march  on 
that  morning  to  the  assistance  of  Hoy's  station,  from  which  a  messenger  had  ar- 
rived the  evening  before,  with  the  intelligence  of  Holder's  defeat.  As  it  was, 
most  of  the  garrison  was  under  arms,  and  those  out  of  the  fort,  generally,  suc- 
ceeded in  regaining  the  station. 

The  garrison  was  supplied  with  water  from  a  spring  at  some  distance  from  the 
fort,  on  its  north-west  side — an  error  common  to  most  of  the  stations, — and  in  a 
long  continued  siege,  necessarily  resulting  in  dreadful  suffering  for  want  of  wa- 
ter. Near  this  spring  a  considerable  body  of  the  Indians  were  placed  in  ambush — 
Girty  and  the  Indian  chiefs  n)aking  their  arrangements  for  the  assault  under  the 
erroneous  opinion,  superinduced  from  the  military  preparations  within,  that  their 
approach  had  been  discovered  by  the  garrison. 

Another  party  was  ordered  to  take  position  in  full  view  of  the  garrison — to 
display  itself  at  a  given  time  and  open  a  fire  upon  them,  with  the  hope  of  enticing 
them  to  an  engagement  outside  of  the  walls.  If  this  stratagem  proved  success- 
ful, tiie  remainder  of  the  forces  were  so  disposed  as  to  sieze  the  opportunity 
which  the  withdrawal  of  the  garrison  afforded,  to  storm  one  of  the  gates  and  take 
forcible  possession  of  the  fort.  Unapprised  of  the  danger  without,  the  garrison 
having  completed  their  preparations  for  the  intended  excursion,  threw  open  the 
gates,  when  a  sudden  firing  announced  the  presence  of  an  enemy,  and  the  gates 
were  instantly  closed.  The  yells  and  screams  of  the  Indians  which  accompanied 
the  discharge  of  rifles,  struck  terror  to  the  hearts  of  the  women  and  children,  and 
startled  even  the  men  ;  but  with  the  latter  it  was  momentary  only.  Among  the 
inhabitants  of  the  station  there  were  men  of  experience,  of  tried  bravery,  and 
intimately  acquainted  with  the  wiles  of  their  Indian  foemen.  Such  men  might 
be  startled,  but  never  intimidated — and  their  resources  and  courage  rose  with  the 
occasion  which  called  them  into  requisition.  Every  effort  was  made  to  protect 
the  station.*  The  gates,  the  bastions,  the  loopholes  were  manned — the  breaches 
in  the  palisades  were  repaired,  and  messengers  were  forthwith  dispatched  to  the 
adjoining  stations  to  communicate  intelligence  of  the  siege,  and  to  procure  assist- 
ance. 

*  Mr.  McClung  has  preserved  a  singular  anecdote  of  female  intrepidity  connected  with 
this  siege,  which  we  append  : 

"  The  more  experienced  of  the  garrison  felt  satisfied  that  a  powerful  party  was  in  ambus- 
cade near  the  spring,  but  at  the  same  time  they  supposed  that  the  Indians  would  not  unmask 
themselves,  until  the  firing  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  fort  was  returned  with  such  warmth, 
as  to  induce  the  belief  that  the  feint  had  succeeded. 

"Acting  upon  this  impression,  and  yielding  to  the  urgent  necessity  of  the  case,  they  sum- 
moned all  the  women,  without  exception,  and  explaining  to  them  the  circumstances  in  which 
they  were  placed,  and  the  improbability  that  any  injury  would  be  offered  them,  until  the 
firing  had  been  returned  from  the  op[)osite  side  of  the  fort,  they  urged  them  to  go  in  a  body 
to  the  spring,  and  each  of  them  bring  up  a  bucket  full  of  water.  Some  of  the  ladies,  as  was 
natural,  had  no  relish  for  the  undertaking,  and  asked  why  the  men  could  not  bring  water  as 
well  as  themselves  ?  observing  that  they  were  not  bullet  proof,  and  that  the  Indians  made  no 
distinction  between  male  and  female  scalps ! 

"To  this  it  was  answered,  that  women  were  in  the  habit  of  bringing  water  every  morning 
to  the  fort,  and  that  if  the  Indians  saw  them  engaged  as  usual,  it  would  induce  them  to  think 
that  their  ambuscade  was  undiscovered,  and  that  they  would  not  unmask  themselves  for  the 
sake  of  firing  at  a  few  women,  when  they  hoped,  by  remaining  concealed  a  few  moments 
longer,  to  obtain  complete  possession  of  the  fort.    That  if  men  should  go  down  to  the  spring, 


270  FAYETTE    COUNTY. 

The  arrangements  to  meet  the  enemy  being  complete,  thirteen  young  men 
were  sent  out  of  the  fort  to  attack  the  decoy  party,  with  orders  to  fire  with  great 
rapidity,  and  maiie  as  much  noise  as  possible,  but  not  to  pursue  the  enemy  too 
far,  while  the  rest  of  the  garrison  took  post  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  fort, 
cocked  their  guns,  and  stood  in  readiness  to  receive  the  ambuscade  as  soon  as  it 
was  unmasked.  The  firing  of  the  light  parties  on  the  Lexington  road  was  soon 
heard,  and  quickly  became  sharp  and  serious,  gradually  becoming  more  distant 
from  the  fort.  Instantly  Girty  sprang  up  at  the  head  of  his  five  hundred  warriors, 
and  rushed  rapidly  upon  the  western  gate,  ready  to  force  his  way  over  the  unde- 
fended palisades.  Into  this  mass  of  dusky  bodies,  the  garrison  poured  several 
rapid  volleys  of  rifle  balls  with  destructive  effect.  Their  consternation  may  be 
imagined.  With  wild  cries  they  dispersed  on  the  right  and  left,  and  in  two  min- 
utes not  an  Indian  was  to  be  seen.  At  the  same  time,  the  party  who  had  sallied 
out  on  the  Lexington  road,  came  running  into  the  fort  at  the  opposite  gate,  in 
high  spirits,  and  laughing  heartily  at  the  success  of  their  manoeuvre. 

A  regular  attack,  in  the  usual  manner,  then  commenced,  without  much  effect  on 
either  side,  until  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  a  new  scene  presented  itself. 
Two  men  of  the  garrison,  Tomlinson  and  Bell,  who  had  been  mounted  upon  fleet 
horses,  and  sent  at  full  speed  to  Lexington,  announcing  the  arrival  of  the  Indians 
and  demanding  reinforcements,  found  the  town  occupied  only  by  women  and 
children,  and  a  few  old  men,  the  rest  having  marched  at  the  intelligence  of  Hol- 
der's defeat,  to  the  general  rendezvous  at  Hoy's  station.  The  couriers  instantly 
followed  at  a  gallop,  and  overtaking  them  on  the  road,  informed  them  of  the  dan- 
ger to  which  Lexington  was  exposed  during  their  absence.  The  whole  party, 
amounting  to  sixteen  horsemen,  and  more  than  double  that  number  on  foot,  with 
some  additional  volunteers  from  Boone's  station,  instantly  countermarched,  and 
repaired  with  all  possible  expedition  to  Bryant's  station.  They  were  entirely 
ignorant  of  the  overwhelming  numbers  opposed  to  them,  or  they  would  have  pro- 
ceeded with  more  caution.  By  great  exertions,  horse  and  foot  appeared  before 
Bryant's  at  two  in  the  afternoon,  and  pressed  forward  with  precipitate  gallantry 
to  throw  themselves  into  the  fort.  The  Indians,  however,  had  been  aware  of  the 
departure  of  the  two  couriers,  who  had,  in  fact,  broken  through  their  line  in  order 
to  give  the  alarm,  and  expecting  the  arrival  of  reinforcements,  had  taken  meas- 
ures to  meet  them. 

To  the  left  of  the  long  and  narrow  lane,  where  the  Maysville  and  Lexington 
road  now  runs,  there  were  more  than  one  hundred  acres  of  green  standing  corn. 
The  usual  road  from  Lexington  to  Bryant's,  ran  parallel  to  the  fence  of  this  field, 
and  only  a  few  feet  distant  from  it.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  road  was  a  thick 
wood.  Here  more  than  three  hundred  Indians  lay  in  ambush,  within  pistol  shot 
of  the  road,  awaiting  the  approach  of  the  party.  The  horsemen  came  in  view  at 
a  time  when  the  firing  had  ceased,  and  every  thing  was  quiet.  Seeing  no  enemy 
and  hearing  no  noise,  they  entered  the  lane  at  a  gallop,  and  were  instantly  salu- 
ted with  a  shower  of  rifle  balls  from  each  side,  at  the  distance  of  ten  paces. 

At  the  first  shot,  the  whole  party  set  spurs  to  their  horses,  and  rode  at  full  speed 
through  a  rolling  fire  from  either  side,  which  continued  for  several  hundred  yards, 
but  owing  partly  to  the  furious  rate  at  which  they  rode,  partly  to  the  clouds  of 
dust  raised  by  the  horses'  feet,  they  all  entered  the  fort  unhurt.  The  men  on  foot 
were  less  fortunate.     They  were   advancing  through   the  corn-field,  and   mitrht 

the  Indians  would  immediately  suspect  that  something  was  wroncf,  would  despair  of  suc- 
ceeding by  amiiuscaile.  and  would  instantly  rush  upon  them,  follow  them  into  the  fort,  or 
shoot  them  down  at  the  spring.     The  decision  was  soon  over. 

"  A  few  of  the  boldest  declared  their  readiness  to  brave  the  danger,  and  the  younger  and 
more  timid  rallying  in  the  rear  of  these  veterans,  they  all  marched  down  in  a  body  to  the 
spring,  within  point  blank  shot  of  more  than  five  hundred  Indian  warriors!  Some  of  the 
girls  could  not  help  betraying  symptoms  of  terror,  but  the  married  women,  in  general,  moved 
with  a  steadiness  and  composure  that  completely  deceived  the  Indians.  Not  a  shot  was  fired. 
The  party  were  permitted  to  fill  their  buckets,  one  after  another,  without  interruption,  and 
although  their  steps  became  quicker  and  quicker,  on  their  return,  and  when  near  the  gate  of 
the  fort,  degenerated  into  a  rather  unmilitary  celerity,  attended  with  some  little  crowding  in 
passing  the  gate,  yet  not  more  than  one-fifth  of  the  water  was  spilled,  and  the  eyes  of  the 
youngest  had  not  dilated  to  more  than  double  their  ordinary  size." — See  M^ dung's  Sk-efches, 
page  62. 


ATTACK  ON  BRYANT'S  STATION.  271 

have  reached  the  fort  in  safety,  but  for  their  eagerness  to  succor  their  fiiends. 
Without  reflecting,  that  from  the  weight  and  extent  of  the  fire,  the  enemy  must 
have  been  ten  times  their  number,  they  ran  up  with  inconsiderate  courage,  to  the 
spot  where  the  firing  was  heard,  and  there  found  themselves  cut  off  from  the  fort, 
and  within  pistol  shot  of  more  than  three  hundred  savages. 

Fortunately  the  Indian  guns  had  just  been  discharged,  and  they  had  not  yet 
leisure  to  re-load.  At  the  sight  of  this  brave  body  of  footmen,  however,  they 
raised  a  hideous  yell,  and  rushed  upon  them,  tomahawk  in  hand.  Nothing  but 
the  high  corn  and  their  loaded  rifles,  could  have  saved  them  from  destruction. 
The  Indians  were  cautious  in  rushing  upon  a  loaded  rifle,  with  only  a  tomahawk, 
and  when  they  halted  to  load  their  pieces,  the  Kentuckians  ran  with  great  rapidity, 
turning  and  dodging  through  the  corn  in  every  direction.  Some  entered  the  wood 
and  escaped  through  the  thickets  of  cane,  some  were  shot  down  in  the  corn-field, 
others  maintained  a  running  fight,  halting  occasionally  behind  trees  and  keeping 
the  enemy  at  bay  with  their  rifles;  for,  of  all  men,  the  Indians  are  generally  the 
most  cautious  in  exposing  themselves  to  danger.  A  stout,  active  young  fellow, 
was  so  hard  pressed  by  Girty  and  several  savages,  that  he  was  compelled  to  dis- 
charge his  rifle,  (however  unwilling,  having  no  time  to  re-load  it,)  and  Girty  fell. 
It  happened,  however,  that  a  piece  of  thick  sole-leather  was  in  his  shot-pouch  at 
the  time,  which  received  the  ball,  and  preserved  his  life,  although  the  force  of  the 
blow  felled  him  to  the  ground.  The  savages  halted  upon  his  fall,  and  the  young 
man  escaped. 

Although  the  skirmish  and  the  race  lasted  for  more  than  an  hour,  during  which 
the  corn-field  presented  a  scene  of  turmoil  and  bustle  which  can  scarcely  be  con- 
ceived, yet  very  few  lives  were  lost.  Only  six  of  the  white  men  were  killed  and 
wounded,  and  probably  still  fewer  of  the  enemy,  as  the  whites  never  fired  until 
absolutely  necessary,  but  reserved  their  loads  as  a  check  upon  the  enemy.  Had 
the  Indians  pursued  them  to  Lexington,  they  might  have  possessed  themselves  of 
it  without  resistance,  as  there  was  no  force  there  to  oppose  them ;  but  after  fol- 
lowing the  fugitives  for  a  few  hundred  yards,  they  returned  to  the  hopeless  siege 
of  the  fort. 

It  was  now  near  sunset,  and  the  fire  on  both  sides  had  slackened.  The  Indians 
had  become  discouraged.  Their  loss  in  the  morning  had  been  heavy,  and  the 
country  was  evidently  arming,  and  would  soon  be  upon  them.  They  had  made 
no  impression  upon  the  fort,  and  without  artillery  could  hope  to  make  none.  The 
chiefs  spoke  of  raising  the  siege  and  decamping;  but  Girty  determined,  since  his 
arms  had  been  unavailing,  to  try  the  efficacy  of  negotiation.  Near  one  of  the 
bastions  there  was  a  large  stump,  to  which  he  crept  on  his  hands  and  knees,  and 
from  which  he  hailed  the  garrison. 

He  highly  commended  their  courage,  but  assured  them,  that  further  resistance 
would  be  madness,  as  he  had  six  hundred  warriors  with  him,  and  was  in  hourly 
expectation  of  reinforcements,  with  artillery,  which  would  instantly  blow  their 
cabins  into  the  air;  that  if  the  fort  was  taken  by  storm,  as  it  certainly  would  be, 
when  their  cannon  arrived,  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  save  their  lives  ;  but 
if  they  surrendered  at  once,  he  gave  them  his  honor,  that  not  a  hair  of  their  heads 
should  be  injured.  He  told  them  his  name,  inquired  whether  they  knew  him,  and 
assured  them  that  they  might  safely  trust  to  bis  honor. 

The  garrison  listened  in  silence  to  his  speech,  and  many  of  them  looked  very 
blank  at  the  mention  of  the  artillery,  as  the  Indians  had,  on  one  occasion,  brought 
cannon  with  them,  and  destroyed  two  stations.  But  a  young  man  by  the  name 
of  Reynolds,  highly  distinguished  for  courage,  energy,  and  a  frolicsome  gaiety  of 
temper,  perceiving  the  effect  of  Girty's  speech,  took  upon  himself  to  reply  to  it. 

To  Girty's  inquiry,  "whether  the  garrison  knew  him?"  Reynolds  replied, 
"That  he  was  very  well  known;  that  he  himself  had  a  worthless  dog,  to  which 
he  bad  given  the  name  of  'Simon  Girty,'  in  consequence  of  his  striking  resem- 
blance to  the  man  of  that  name;  that  if  he  had  either  artillery  or  reinforcements, 
he  miffht  bring  them  up  and  be  d — d;  that  if  either  himself,  or  any  of  the  naked 
rascals  with  him,  found  their  way  into  the  fort,  they  would  disdain  to  use  their 
guns  against  them,  but  would  drive  them  out  again  with  switches,  of  which  they 
had  collected  a  great  number  for  that  purpose  alone;  and  finally,  he  declared  that 
iherj  also  expected  reinforcements  ;  that  the  whole  country  was  marching  to  their 
assistance;  and  that  if  Girty  and  his  gang  of  murderers  remained  twenty-four 


272  FAYETTE    COUNTY. 

hours  longer  before  the  fort,  their  scalps  would  be  found  drying  in  the  sun  upon 
the  roofs  of  their  cabins." 

Girty  look  great  offence  at  the  tone  and  language  of  the  young  Kentuckian,  and 
retired  with  an  expression  of  sorrow  for  the  inevitable  destruction  which  awaited 
them  on  the  following  morning.  He  quickly  rejoined  the  chiefs;  and  instant 
preparations  were  made  for  raising  the  siege.  The  night  passed  away  in  unin- 
terrupted tranquility,  and  at  daylight  in  the  morning,  tiie  Indian  camp  was  found 
deserted.  Fires  were  still  burning  brightly,  and  several  pieces  of  meat  were  left 
upon  their  roasting  sticks,  from  which  it  was  inferred  that  they  had  retreated  a 
short  time  before  daylight. 

In  1780,  Transylvania  Seminary,  the  first  literary  institution  of  the  west,  was 
established  by  the  legislature  of  Virginia.  One-sixth  of  the  surveyor's  fees,  for- 
merly conferred  on  the  college  of  William  and  Mary,  with  eight  thousand  acres 
of  the  first  land  in  the  then  county  of  Kentucky,  which  should  be  confiscated,  were 
granted  for  the  endowment  and  support  of  the  seminary.  This  institution  was 
the  nucleus  of  literature  and  sound  learning  in  Kentucky,  which  can  now  boast 
of  a  greater  number  of  colleges  than  any  other  State  in  the  American  union. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1780,  Mr.  Alexander  McConnell,  of  Lexington,  Ky., 
went  into  the  woods  on  foot,  to  hunt  deer.  He  soon  killed  a  large  buck,  and  re- 
turned home  for  a  horse,  in  order  to  bring  it  in.  During  his  absence,  a  party  of 
five  Indians,  on  one  of  their  usual  skulking  expeditions,  accidentally  stumbled 
on  the  body  of  the  deer,  and  perceiving  that  it  had  been  recently  killed,  they 
naturally  supposed  that  the  hunter  would  speedily  return  to  secure  the  flesh. 
Three  of  them,  therefore,  took  their  station  within  close  rifle  shot  of  the  deer,  while 
the  other  two  followed  the  trail  of  the  hunter,  and  waylaid  the  path  by  which  he  was 
expected  to  return.  McConnell,  expecting  no  danger,  rode  carelessly  along  the 
path,  which  the  two  scouts  were  watching,  until  he  had  come  within  view  of  the 
deer,  when  Ire  was  fired  upon  by  the  whole  party,  and  his  horse  killed.  While 
laboring  to  extricate  himself  from  the  dying  animal,  he  was  seized  by  his  ene- 
mies, instantly  overpowered,  and  borne  off  as  a  prisoner. 

His  captors,  however,  seemed  to  be  a  merry,  good  natured  set  of  fellows,  and 
permitted  him  to  accompany  them  unbound  ;  and,  what  was  rather  extraordinary, 
allowed  him  to  retain  his  gun  and  hunting  accoutrements.  He  accompanied 
them  with  great  apparent  cheerfulness  through  the  day,  and  displayed  his  dex- 
terity in  shooting  deer  for  the  use  of  the  company,  until  they  began  to  regard 
him  with  great  partiality.  Having  traveled  with  them  in  this  manner  for  several 
days,  they  at  length  reached  the  hanks  of  the  Ohio  river.  Heretofore,  the  Indi- 
ans had  taken  the  precaution  to  bind  him  at  night,  although  not  very  securely  ; 
but  on  that  evening  he  remonstrated  with  them  on  the  subject,  and  complained  so 
strongly  of  the  pain  which  the  cords  gave  him,  that  they  merely  wrapped  the 
bufl^alo  tug  loosely  around  his  wrists,  and  having  tied  it  in  an  easy  knot,  and  at- 
tached the  extremities  of  the  rope  to  their  own  bodies,  in  order  to  prevent  his 
moving  without  awakening  them,  they  very  composedly  went  to  sleep,  leaving 
the  prisoner  to  follow  their  exaniple  or  not,  as  he  pleased. 

McConnell  determined  to  effect  his  escape  that  night,  if  possible,  as  on  the 
following  night  they  would  cross  the  river,  which  would  render  it  much  more 
diflicult.  He,  therefore,  lay  quiet  until  near  midnight,  anxiously  ruminating 
upon  the  best  means  of  effecting  his  object.  Accidentally  casting  his  eyes  in  the 
direction  of  his  feet,  they  fell  upon  the  glittering  blade  of  a  knife,  which  had  es- 
caped its  sheath,  and  was  now  lying  near  the  feet  of  one  of  the  Indians.  To 
reach  it  with  his  hands,  without  disturbing  the  two  Indians,  to  whom  he  was 
fastened,  would  be  impossible,  and  it  was  very  hazardous  to  attempt  to  draw  it 
up  with  his  feet.  This,  however,  he  attempted.  With  much  difficulty  he 
grasped  the  blade  between  his  toes,  and  after  repeated  and  long  continued  efforts, 
succeeded  at  length  in  bringing  it  within  reach  of  his  hands. 

To  cut  his  cnrds,  was  then  but  the  work  of  a  moment,  and  gradually  and  si- 
lently extricating  his  person  from  the  arms  of  the  Indians,  he  walked  to  the  fire 
and  sat  down.  He  saw  that  his  work  was  but  half  done.  That  if  he  should  at- 
tempt to  return  home,  without  destroying  his  enemies,  he  would  assuredly  be 


•M'CIunif's  Sketches. 


ESCAPE  FKOM  THE  INDIANS.  273 

pursued  and  probably  overtaken,  when  his  fate  would  be  certain.  On  the  other 
hand,  it  seemed  almost  impossible  for  a  single  man  to  succeed  in  conflict  with 
five  Indians,  even  although  unarmed  and  asleep.  He  could  not  hope  to  deal  a 
blow  with  liis  knife  so  silently  and  fatally,  as  to  destroy  each  one  of  his  enemies 
in  turn,  without  awakening  the  rest.  Their  slumbers  were  proverbially  light  and 
restless ;  and  if  he  failed  with  a  single  one,  he  must  instantly  be  overpowered 
by  the  survivors.     The  knife,  therefore,  was  out  of  the  question. 

After  anxious  reflections  for  a  few  minutes,  he  formed  his  plan.  The  guns  of 
the  Indians  were  stacked  near  the  fire;  their  knives  and  tomahawks  were  in 
sheathes  by  their  sides.  The  latter  he  dared  not  touch  for  fear  of  awakening 
their  owners ;  but  the  former  he  carefully  removed,  with  the  exception  of  two, 
and  hid  them  in  the  woods,  where  he  knew  the  Indians  would  not  readily  find 
them.  He  then  returned  to  the  spot  where  the  Indians  were  still  sleeping,  per- 
fectly ignorant  of  the  fate  preparing  for  them,  and  taking  a  gun  in  each  hand,  he 
rested  the  muzzles  upon  a  log  within  six  feet  of  his  victims,  and  having  taken 
deliberate  aim  at  the  head  of  one,  and  the  heart  of  another,  he  pulled  both  trig- 
gers at  the  same  moment. 

Both  shots  were  fatal.  At  the  report  of  the  guns,  the  others  sprang  to  their 
feet,  and  stared  wildly  around  them.  McConnell,  who  had  run  instantly  to  the 
spot  where  the  other  rifles  were  hid,  hastily  seized  one  of  them  and  fired  at  two 
of  his  enemies,  who  happened  to  be  in  a  line  with  each  other.  The  nearest  fell 
dead,  being  shot  through  the  centre  of  the  body;  the  second  fell  also,  bellowing 
loudly,  but  quickly  recovering,  limped  off  into  the  woods  as  fast  as  possible. 
The  fifth,  and  only  one  who  remained  unhurt,  darted  oflT  like  a  deer,  with  a  yell 
that  announced  equal  terror  and  astonishment.  McConnell,  not  wishing  to  fight 
any  more  such  battles,  selected  his  own  rifle  from  the  stack,  and  made  the  best 
of  his  way  to  Lexington,  where  he  arrived  safely  within  two  days. 

Shortly  afterwards,  Mrs.  Dunlap,  of  Fayette,  who  had  been  several  months  a 
prisoner  amongst  the  Indians  on  Mad  river,  made  her  escape,  and  returned  to 
Lexington.  She  reported  that  the  survivor  returned  to  his  tribe  with  a  lamenta- 
ble tale.  He  related  that  they  had  taken  a  fine  young  hunter  near  Lexington,  and 
had  brought  him  safely  as  far  as  the  Ohio;  that  while  encamped  upon  the  bank 
of  the  river,  a  large  party  of  white  men  had  fallen  upon  them  in  the  night,  and 
killed  all  his  companions,  together  with  the  poor  defenceless  prisoner,  who  lay 
bound  hand  and  feet,  unable  either  to  escape  or  resist !  !* 

Higbee's  grist  mill,  near  Lexington,  was  erected  in  the  fall  of  1785,  and  is  be- 
lieved to  have  been  the  first  of  that  kind  which  went  into  operation  in  the  bounds 
of  Kentucky. 

The  second  dry  goods  store  in  Kentucky,  was  opened  in  Lexington  by  General 
James  Wilkinson,  in  the  spring  of  the  year  1784. 

The  first  Kentucky  Almanac  was  published  by  the  Messrs.  Bradford,  in  1788. 
In  the  same  year,  the  first  grammar  school  was  opened  at  Lexington,  where  the 
Greek  and  Latin  languages,  with  other  branches,  were  taught — price  of  tuitiorv, 
four  pounds  in  cash  or  produce.  The  first  dancing  school  was  opened  in  Lexing- 
ton in  April,  1788.  Mr.  West  was  the  first  watch  maker,  who  settled  in  Lexing- 
ton in  August,  1788.  He  constructed  a  steam  boat  on  a  small  scale,  which,  in 
the  year  1794,  in  the  presence  of  hundreds  of  citizens,  he  tried  on  the  Town  fork 
of  Elkhorn,  previously  dammed  up  for  the  purpose,  and  it  is  said  that  it  moved 
through  the  water  with  great  velocity. f  This  is  believed  by  many  to  have  been 
the  first  successful  application  of  steam  to  navigation.  Mr.  West  also  invented 
the  machine  now  used  for  cutting  nails. 

Levi  Todd,  who  first  located  at  Harrodsburg,  settled  a  station  in  this  county, 
about  ten  miles  south-west  from  Lexington,  in  the  year  1779.     This  gentleman 

*  M'Clung's  Sketches. 

t  A  letter  from  Lexington  says  Mr.  West  was  a  gunsmith,  and  that  he  was  the  father  of  the  eel 
ebrated  artist,  William  West,  now  of  London,  liis  miniature  steamboat  had  no  tly  wheels;  but  to 
overcome  the  dead  point,  the  piston  rod  was  made  to  strike  metallic  springs  at  every  return  motion 
given  by  the  steam.  The  experiment  on  Elkhorn  was  made  in  1798.  A  large  steam  boat,  constructed 
after  the  plan  of  Mr.  West,  was  advertised  in  the  Kentucky  Gazette  of  April  33,  1816,  to  start  from 
the  "mouth  of  Hickman  creek,"  in  Jessamine  counrj-,  for  New  Orleans,  and  no  doubt  was  enter- 
tained but  that  it  would  be  able  to  stem  the  current  o'f  the  Mississippi.  What  became  of  the  "large 
steam  boat."  the  writer  does  not  know.  The  identical  mitiiature  engine,  or  rather,  the  cylinder,  piston 
rod,  frame  work,  supply,  and  escape  pipe,  can  now  be  so^Ji  in  the  museum  of  the  Adelphi  society  oi 
Transylvania  university. 

18 


274 


FAYETTE    COUNTY". 


afterwards  removed  to  Lexington,  as  a  place  of  greater  safety,  and  became  dis- 
tinguished among  tiie  early  settlers. 

From  the  files  of  the  Kentucky  Gazette,  which  we  have  been  permitted  to  ex- 
amine, the  following  extracts  are  made  : 

^^  Lexington,  ^pril  26,  1790. 

Friday  the  10th  instant  was  appointed  for  the  examination  of  the  students  of 
the  Transylvania  seminary,  by  the  trustees.  In  the  presence  of  a  very  respectable 
audience,  several  elegant  speeches  were  delivered  by  the  boys,  and  in  the  evening 
a  tragedy  acted,  and  the  whole  concluded  with  a  farce.  The  several  masterly 
strokes  of  eloquence,  throughout  the  performance,  obtained  general  applause, 
and  were  acknowledged  by  a  universal  clap  from  all  present.  The  good  ord^ 
and  decorum  observed  throughout  the  whole,  together  with  the  rapid  progress  of 
the  school  in  literature,  reflects  very  great  honor  on  the  president." 

Lexington,  February  26,  1791. 
"The  following  posts  on  the  frontiers  are  to  be  immediately  occupied  by  the 
guards,  for  the  defence  of  the  district,  viz. : 
Posts.  No.  of  men. 

Three  Islands 20 

Locust  creek 13 

Iron  works 17 

Forks  of  Licking 12 

Big  hone  Lick 13 

Tanner's 5 

Drennon's  lick 10 

Mouth  Kentucky 19 

Patten's  creek 10 


Posts.  No.  of  men. 

Mouth  of  Salt  river 19 

Hardin's  settlement 12 

Russel's  creek 15 

Sovereign's  valley 10 

Widow  Wiljohn's 5 

Estill's  station 10 

Stevenson's 10 

Lackey's 8 

Noke's  lick 9 

December  1,  1787. 

"  Whereas,  the  subscribers  to  the  proposals  for  establishing  a  society,  to  be 
called  the  "  Kentucky  society  for  promoting  useful  knowledge,"  were  prevented 
from  meeting  on  the  fourth  Monday  in  September  last,  according  to  appointment, 
and  it  is  probable  that  a  meeting  of  the  subscribers  cannot,  in  any  short  time  be 
had,  and  absolutely  necessary  that  something  should  be  done  for  the  benefit  of 
the  society,  without  further  loss  of  time,  it  is  proposed  by  sundry  subscribers  that 
a  select  committee,  curator,  and  treasurer,  shall  be  fortiiwith  chosen  by  the  sub- 
scribers, in  the  (only)  manner  which  their  dispersed  situation  will  at  present 
admit  of.  The  committee,  curator,  and  treasurer  to  act  in  their  several  capacities, 
till  a  meeting  of  the  subscribers  can  be  had. 

"  Each  subscriber  is  therefore  requested  to  forward  to  Mr.  Thomas  Speed,  at 
Danville,  before  the  fifth  day  of  February  next,  a  list  of  such  gentlemen  as  he 
chooses  to  constitute  a  select  committee  ;  and  also  the  names  of  such  gentlemen 
as  he  wishes  to  be  appointed  curator  and  treasurer. 

"  It  is  proposed  that  such  gentlemen  as  are  found  on  the  said  first  day  of  Feb- 
ruary next,  to  have  a  majority  of  such  votes  in  their  favor,  as  have  then  came  to 
hand,  shall  be  a  select  committee,  and  act  as  curator  and  treasurer,  till  a  meeting 
as  above  mentioned  can  be  had. 

"A  list  of  all  the  subscribers  is  hereunto  subjoined;  and  it  is  necessary  to  ob- 
serve that  the  select  committee  is  to  consist  of  seven  members,  including  the 
chairman,  who  is  to  be  chosen  by  the  committee." 


George  Muter, 
Samuel  McDowell, 
Harry  Innes, 
James  Speed, 
William  McDowell, 
Willis  Green, 
Thomas  Todd, 
Thomas  Speed, 
Gabriel  J.  Johnson, 
Joshua  Barbee, 
Stephen  Ormsby, 
J.  Overton,  jun., 
J.  Brown, 


John  Jouett, 
Thomas  Allen, 
Robert  Todd, 
Jose{)h  Crockett, 
Ebenezer  Brooks, 
T.  Hall, 
CalebWallaee, 
William  Irvine, 
Charles  Scott, 
Levi  Todd, 
James  Parker, 
Alexander  Parker, 
John  Fowler, 


John  Coburn, 
George  Gordon, 
Alexander  D.  Orr, 
Robert  Barr, 
Horace  Turpin, 
Robert  Johnson, 
John  Craig, 
James  Garrard, 
Isaac  Shelby, 
David  Leitch, 
H.  Marshall, 
Christopher  Greenup. 


JOHN  PATTERSON.  275 

Education. — Notice  is  hereby  given,  that  on  Monday  the  28th  of  January  next, 
a  school  will  be  opened  by  Messrs.  Jones  &  Worley,  at  the  royal  spring  in  Leb- 
anon town,  Fayette  county,  where  a  commodious  house,  sufficient  to  contain  fifty 
or  sixty  scholars,  will  be  prepared.  They  will  teach  the  Latin  and  Greek  lan- 
guages, together  with  such  branches  of  the  sciences  as  are  usually  taught  in  public 
seminaries,  at  twenty-five  shillings  a  quarter  for  each  scholar,  one  half  to  be  paid 
in  cash,  the  other  in  produce  at  cash  price.  There  will  be  a  vacation  of  a  month 
in  the  spring  and  another  in  the  fall,  at  the  close  of  each  of  which,  it  is  expected 
that  such  payments  as  are  due  in  cash,  will  be  made.  For  diet,  washing  and 
house-room,  for  a  year,  each  scholar  pays  three  pounds  in  cash,  or  five  hundred 
weight  of  pork  on  entrance,  and  three  pounds  cash  on  the  beginning  of  the  third 
quarter.  It  is  desired  that  as  many  as  can  would  furnish  themselves  with  beds; 
such  as  cannot  may  be  provided  for  here  to  the  number  of  eight  or  ten  boys,  at 
thirty-five  shillings  a  year  for  each  bed.  ELIJAH  CRAIG. 

N.  B.  It  would  be  proper  for  each  boy  to  have  his  sheets,  shirts,  stockings,  &c. 
marked,  to  prevent  mistakes. 

Lebanon,  December  27,  1787. 

Lexington,  June  4,  1791. 

On  Wednesday  the  25th  ult.  seven  Indians  killed  a  family  about  twelve  miles 
from  Danville,  consisting  of  a  man,  his  wife  and  five  children.  They  were  pur- 
sued by  a  party  of  men,  overtaken,  one  killed  and  another  wounded. 

About  the  same  time  they  took  a  prisoner  with  a  number  of  horses  from  the 
neighborhood  of  Fort  Washington,  on  the  north-west  side  of  Ohio. 

Lexington,  March  10,  1792. 
On  Monday  evening  last  the  Indians  stole  ten  or  twelve  horses  from  near  Grant's 
mill,  on  North  Elkhorn;  and  on  Tuesday  night  burnt  a  dwelling  house,  together 
with  all  the  household  furniture  belonging  to  the  proprietors,  they  having  left  their 
houses  late  in  the  evening. 

July  28,  1792. 
Notice  is  hereby  given,  that  the  commissioners  for  fixing  the  permanent  seat  of 
government,  will  attend  at  Brent  &  Love's  tavern  in  Lexington,  on  the  first  Mon- 
da)'  in  August  next,  and  the  succeeding  day,  to  receive  proposals  from  any  per- 
sons authorized  to  make  offers  concerning  the  business  of  their  commission,  and 
will  proceed  from  thence  to  view  any  place  or  places  which  will  be  thought  most 
eligible. 

Lexington,  January  5,  1789. 
A  large  company  will  meet  at  the  Crab  Orchard,  on  the  29th  inst.  in  perfect 
readiness  to  make  an  early  start  through  the  wilderness  the  next  morning. 

Richmond,  Fa.  October  24,  1788. 
I  propose  attending  the  General  Court  in  the  District  of  Kentucky,  as  an  Attor- 
ney, and  shall  be  at  the  next  March  term,  if  not  prevented  by  some  unforeseen 
event.  GEORGE  NICHOLAS. 

Col.  John  Patterson  was  among  the  early  settlers  of  Lexington.  He  came 
to  Kentucky  shortly  after  the  old  pioneer  Boone  made  his  location  here.  He 
bought  all  the  property  on  the  hill,  in  the  western  limits  of  the  city,  a  large  por- 
tion of  which  is  now  very  tastefully  and  beautifully  improved.  Colonel  Patter- 
son commanded  a  company  in  the  disastrous  battle  of  the  Blue  Licks.  In  the 
retreat  from  the  battle  field  an  incident  occurred,  as  rare  as  it  was  magnanimous 
and  noble.  Young  Reynolds,  whom  the  reader  will  remember  for  his  rough  and 
humorous  reply  to  Girty  at  the  siege  of  Bryant's  station,  after  bearing  his  share 
in  the  action  with  distinguished  gallantry,  was  galloping,  with  several  other 
horsemen,  in  order  to  reach  the  ford.  The  greater  portion  of  the  fugitives  having 
preceded  them,  their  situation  was  extremely  critical  and  dangerous.  About  half 
way  from  the  battle-ground  to  the  river,  the  party  overlook  Colonel  (then  Cap- 
tain) Patterson,  on  foot,  infirm  in  consequence  of  former  wounds  received  from 
the  Indians,  and  so  exhausted  by  recent  exertions,  as  to  be  unable  to  keep  up 


276  FAYETTE   COUNTY. 

with  his  companions  in  flight.  The  Indians  were  close  after  him,  and  every  mo- 
ment shortened  the  distance  between  them.  Reynolds,  upon  coming  up  with  this 
brave  oflicer,  instantly  sprung  from  his  horse,  aided  Patterson  to  mount  into  the 
saddle,  and  continued  his  own  flight  on  foot.  From  his  remarkable  vigor  and 
activity,  he  was  enabled  to  outstrip  his  pursuers,  and  reach  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river  in  safety.  Here,  finding  that  the  water  absorbed  by  his  buckskin 
breeches,  had  rendered  them  so  tight  and  heavy  as  to  impede  his  flight,  he  sat 
down  for  the  purpose  of  pulling  them  off,  and  was  overtaken  by  a  party  of  In- 
dians, and  made  prisoner.  The  pursuit  was  continued,  and  Reynolds,  strictly 
guarded,  was  compelled  to  follow  on.  A  small  body  of  the  flying  Kentuckians, 
however,  soon  attracted  their  attention,  and  he  was  left  in  charge  of  three  Indians, 
who,  eager  in  pursuit,  in  turn  committed  him  to  one  of  their  number.  Reynolds 
emd  his  guard  moved  on  at  a  slow  pace,  the  former  unarmed,  the  latter  armed  with 
a  rifle  and  tomahawk.  At  length  the  Indian  stopped  to  tie  his  moccasin,  when 
Reynolds  instantly  sprung  upon  him,  knocked  him  down  with  his  fist,  and  quickly 
disappeared  in  the  tiiicket  which  surrounded  them.  For  this  act  of  noble  gen- 
erosity. Colonel  Patterson  afterwards  made  him  a  present  of  two  hundred  acres 
of  first  rate  land.  There  is  a  moral  beauty  in  this  incident  which  cannot  fail  to 
elicit  the  admiration  of  every  reader. 

Bknjamin  Howard  was  an  early  adventurer  to  this  county.  He  made  a  settle- 
ment at  Boonsborough  in  1775.  He  was  a  firm  and  decided  whig  in  the  revo- 
lution ;  and  was  a  volunteer  at  the  battle  of  Guilford.  While  in  the  act  of  taking 
a  wounded  man  from  the  field,  he  was  attacked  by  Tarleton's  light  horse,  and 
received  five  wounds,  three  of  which  were  pronounced  mortal  by  the  surgeon  who 
dressed  them.  He  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  completed  his  education  with 
the  celebrated  Dr.  Samuel  Daviess,  afterwards  president  of  Princeton  college. 
He  was  a  devoted  christian,  having  lived  an  exemplary  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian church  for  upwards  of  c!ij;hty  years.  His  only  son,  Governor  Benjamin 
Howard,  of  Missouri,  died  at  St.  Louis  in  1814.  Mr.  Howard  out-lived  all  his 
family,  except  his  second  daughter,  and  died  at  the  advanced  age  of  103,  at  the 
residence  of  Maj.  Woolley  (who  married  a  grand-daughter)  in  Lexington. 

Nathan  Burrows  was  also  among  the  first  settlers  of  Lexington.  About  the 
year  179G,  he  introduced  into  Kentucky  the  manufacture  of  hemp — being  the 
pioneer  in  that  branch  of  manufactures;  but  through  ihe  unworthiness  of  agents, 
he  never  reaped  any  advantage  from  it.  He  afterwards  established  a  manufactory 
of  mustard  in  Lexington,  and  produced  the  unrivalled  article  which  still  bears 
his  name.     He  died  in  1841. 

Andrew  McCalla,  the  father  of  Rev.  William  L.  and  General  John  M.  !Mc- 
Calla,  was  another  of  the  pioneers  of  Lexington.  He  spent  most  of  his  life  in 
acts  of  charity  and  kindness.  He  was  the  projector,  and  main  stay  in  its  infancy, 
of  the  lunatic  asylum.     He  died  at  a  good  old  age. 

John  Bradford  was  born  in  Fauquier  county,  Virginia,  in  the  year  1749.  He 
married  Eliza  James,  daughter  of  Captain  Benjamin  James,  of  said  county,  in 
the  year  1701,  and  had  five  sons  and  four  daughters.  He  served  for  a  short  time 
in  the  revolutionary  army,  and  came  to  Kentucky  for  the  first  time  in  the  fall  of 
the  year  1779.  He  was  in  the  battle  with  the  Indians  at  Chillicothe.  In  the 
year  1785,  he  removed  his  family  to  Kentucky,  and  settled  about  four  miles  north 
of  Lexington,  on  Cane  run.  In  the  year  1787,  he,  in  conjunction  with  his  brother, 
Fielding  Bradford,  (a  venerable  man,  who  now  lives  about  two  miles  nearly  north 
from  Georgetown),  established  the  "  Kentucky  Gazette,"  the  first  number  of  which 
was  published  in  Lexington  on  the  11th  of  August  in  that  year;  under  which 
title  it  was  continued  until  the  14th  of  March,  1789,  when  it  was  changed  to 
the  "  Kentucky  Gazette,"  in  consequence  of  the  legislature  of  Virginia  requiring 
certain  advertisements  to  be  inserted  in  the  Kentucky  Gazette.  Fielding  Brad- 
ford remained  a  partner  until  the  31st  of  May,  1788,  when  he  withdrew  from 
the  concern  ;  after  which  it  was  continued  by  John  Bradford  until  the  1st  of  April, 
1803,  when  he  conveyed  the  establishment  to  his  son,  Daniel  Bradford,  who 
continued  the  publication  of  the  Gazette  for  many  years,  and  is  still  residing  in 
Lexington,  an  acting  magistrate  of  Fayette  county. 

The  first  number  of  the  Gazette  was  published  on  a  sheet  of  demi  paper — the 


WILLIAM  TAYLOR  BARRY.  277 

second  on  a  half  sheet  of  the  same  size;  but  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  procuring 
paper,  it  was  soon  after  reduced  to  a  half  sheet  fools-cap,  and  thus  published  for 
several  months.  It  has  been  reported  that  the  type  on  which  the  paper  was 
issued,  were  cut  out  of  dog-wood  by  Mr.  Bradford.  This  is  not  true,  except  as 
to  particular  sorts,  which  fell  short,  and  also  as  to  a  few  large  letters,  although  he 
vras  a  man  of  uncommon  mechanical  ingenuity. 

Robert  Wickliffe,  sen.,  one  of  the  pioneer  lawyers  of  Fayette,  is  still  living 
near  the  city  of  Lexington,  in  a  green  old  age.  He  has  represented  the  county  for 
many  years,  in  both  branches  of  the  legislature  of  Kentucky,  and  has  discharged 
creditably  and  honorably,  several  other  important  public  trusts.  He  has  borne 
an  active  and  conspicuous  part  in  all  the  leading  questions  which  have  agitated  the 
State  for  nearly  or  quite  half  a  century.  When  the  State  was  rocked  as  with  an 
earthquake,  by  the  discussions  on  the  relief  and  new  court  questions,  Mr.  Wick- 
liffe  was  among  the  most  active  and  efficient  champions  of  the  constitutional  judi- 
ciary. He  is  universally  acknowledged  to  be  one  of  the  ablest  land  lawyers  in 
the  State ;  and  has,  by  his  industry  and  devotion  to  his  profession,  amassed  im- 
mense wealth. 

One  of  the  most  noted  citizens  of  Fayette,  is  Gen.  Leslie  Combs.  He  is  a 
lawyer  of  high  repute  in  his.  profession;  and,  during  the  late  war  with  Great 
Britain,  was  a  brave  and  gallant  soldier  under  Harrison.  While  out  on  the  north- 
western frontier,  he  was  highly  distinguished  as  a  brave,  vigilant,  and  efficient 
officer.  He  was  attached  to  the  force  under  General  Green  Clay,  which  went  to 
the  relief  of  Fort  Meigs  in  May,  1813.  He  volunteered  at  the  head  of  five  men, 
in  an  open  canoe,  to  carry  to  Harrison  the  intelligence  of  Clay's  approach,  through 
swarms  of  hostile  savages,  who  occupied  every  known  avenue  to  the  beleaguered 
fort.  In  this  daring  attempt  he  narrowly  escaped  death,  and  lost  nearly  all  his 
men.  He  took  part  with  distinguished  courage,  in  the  disastrous  attack  made 
upon  the  British  batteries  by  Colonel  Dudley,  and  was  severely  wounded,  and 
taken  prisoner,  in  that  affair.  He  has  repeatedly  represented  the  county  of  Fay- 
ette in  the  legislature  of  Kentucky,  and  always  with  ability.  At  the  session  of 
1846-7,  he  was  chosen  speaker  of  the  house  of  representatives,  and  presided 
over  that  body,  during  its  sittings,  with  dignity  and  tact. 

Colonel  James  Morrison,  one  of  the  most  wealthy  and  influential  citizens  of 
Lexington  in  his  day,  was  born  in  Cumberland  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  the  year 
1755.  The  son  of  an  Irish  emigrant,  his  native  strength  of  mind  gradually  ele- 
vated him  far  above  his  humble  origin.  He  served  for  six  years  in  the  army  of 
the  revolution,  and  distinguished  himself  as  one  of  Morgan's  select  corps  of  rifle- 
men. After  the  war,  he  went  into  business  at  Pittsburgh,  and  rose  to  be  sheriff 
of  the  county.  In  1792,  he  removed  to  Lexington,  then  presenting  an  inviting 
field  to  the  adventurous  and  enterprising.  Here  he  filled,  in  succession,  the  high 
and  important  trusts  of  land  commissioner,  representative  in  the  legislature,  su- 
pervisor of  the  revenue,  navy  agent,  contractor  for  the  north-western  army  during 
the  war  of  1812,  quarter-master  general,  president  of  the  Lexington  branch  of 
the  United  States  bank,  and  chairman  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  Transylvania 
university.  Col.  Morrison  was  a  man  of  commanding  appearance ;  stern  but 
courteous  ;  of  great  decision  of  character,  native  talent,  wide  experience,  and  con- 
siderable reading.*  He  acquired  immense  wealth,  which  he  disbursed  in  elegant 
hospitality,  judicious  patronage  of  deserving  young  men,  and  the  promotion  of 
letters.  He  died  in  the  68th  year  of  his  age,  at  Washington  city,  April  23,  1823, 
whither  he  had  gone  to  obtain  the  settlement  of  a  large  claim  against  the  govern- 
ment. 

William  Tavlor  Barry. — Among  the  many  distinguished  men  who  have  re- 
flected huior  upon  the  west,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  ranks  high  for  great  abili- 
ties and  lofty  virtues.  No  man  who  has  figured  so  largely  in  the  well-contested 
arena  of  western  politics,  ever  left  it  with  fewer  enemies,  or  a  larger  number  of 
admiring  and  devoted  friends.  He  was  born  in  the  State  of  Virginia,  on  the 
day  of  178  ,  of  reputable  parentage,  and  early  in  life  removed  to 

Lexington,  Kentucky,  which  continued  to  be  his  residence  until  he  removed  to 

*Dr.  Davidson's  History  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 


278  FAYETTE   COUNTY. 

Washington  in  1829,  to  form  a  part  of  President  Jackson's  cabinet.  In  1835,  he 
was  appointed  minister  to  Spain.  He  sailed  for  his  destination  by  the  way  of 
Liverpool,  but  on  his  arrival  at  that  city,  he  was  arrested  by  disease,  which,  in  a 
short  time,  consigned  him  to  a  premature  grave,  where  his  remains  still  rest. 

Major  Barry  was  eminent  as  a  lawyer,  and  pre-eminently  eloquent  as  an  advo- 
cate. During  his  professional  career,  he  came  in  contact  with  men  of  the  high- 
est order  of  talents  and  merit;  and  among  those  who  formed  the  pride  and 
strength  of  the  bar  in  Kentucky  between  the  years  1800  and  1825,  he  held  an 
equal  rank  with  the  foremost.  Those  who  were  witnesses  of  the  struggles  at 
the  bar  in  interesting  and  important  causes,  between  Major  Barry  and  such  men 
as  Mr.  Clay,  Judge  Bledsoe,  and  many  others  of  similar  grade,  all  unite  in  ex- 
pression of  admiration  for  the  man  and  the  orator. 

In  Kentucky,  the  legal  profession  has  aUvays  furnished  a  large  proportion  of 
its  legislators.  The  ardent  patriotism,  the  high  order  of  talents  which  distin- 
guished him,  as  well  as  his  benevolence  of  disposition,  early  pointed  him  out  as 
a  popular  favorite.  The  fiery  eloquence  with  which  he  stirred  the  minds  of  the 
multitude,  gave  him  a  controlling  influence  with  the  people,  which  was  increased 
and  secured  by  his  many  private  virtues.  He  was  accordingly  early  called  to 
occupy  places  in  the  legislature  of  the  State,  by  large  majorities  ;  and  at  length, 
in  1820,  he  was  elected  lieutenant  governor.  During  his  legislative  career,  he 
was  the  zealous  advocate  of  every  public  measure  calculated  to  benefit  the  peo- 
ple. His  report  upon  the  subject  of  public  education,  is  still  referred  to  by  the 
statesmen  of  Kentucky,  as  their  guide  on  that  all  important  subject.  While 
holding  the  latter  office,  the  division  of  parties,  called  old  and  new  court,  took 
place  in  Kentucky,  which  was  accompanied  by  more  violence  than  any  which 
ever  agitated  the  State.  It  divided  the  bar  and  the  bench,  as  well  as  the  people ; 
and  those  who,  from  this  era,  look  back  upon  its  struggles,  may  well  doubt  the 
correctness  of  a  triumph  over  constitutional  principles  which  were  sustained  by 
a  Barry,  a  Rowan,  a  Bledsoe,  and  a  Haggin. 

When  the  series  of  outrages  which  England  oifered  to  this  country,  previous  to 
1812.  were  rousing  the  public  indignation.  Major  Barry  warmly  advocated  the 
cause  of  his  country,  and  by  his  ready  eloquence,  greatly  aided  in  bringing  the 
public  mind  to  the  issue  which  national  honor  and  national  safety  alike  deman- 
ded. After  the  declaration  of  war,  he  advocated  its  vigorous  prosecution.  When 
Governor  Shelby  led  his  countrymen  in  1813,  to  take  vengeance  on  England  and 
her  savage  allies  for  the  massacre  of  the  river  Raisin  and  fort  Meigs,  Major  Barry 
held  the  responsible  station  of  one  of  his  aids.  In  that  post  he  served  during 
the  severe  and  glorious  campaign  which  terminated  in  the  capture  of  the  British 
army,  the  death  of  Tecumseh,  and  the  conquest  of  a  large  portion  of  Upper 
Canada.  His  courage  and  conduct  in  that  campaign,  secured  to  him  the  appro- 
bation of  his  veteran  commander,  and  the  aff"ection  of  his  comrades. 

In  the  change  of  parties  which  Mr.  Clay's  adherence  to  Mr.  Adams  in  1825, 
produced  in  Kentucky,  M^jor  Barry  adhered  to  the  democratic  party,  in  whose 
ranks  he  remained  without  deviation  until  his  death.  He  became,  in  fact,  its 
head  and  leader  in  Kentucky,  and  contended,  with  his  characteristic  zeal  and 
ability,  for  its  principles  and  measures.  Being  a  candidate  for  the  office  of  go- 
vernor in  1828,  he  canvassed  the  State,  and  in  pursuance  of  the  custom  of  Ken- 
tucky, he  addressed  numerous  public  meetings  of  the  citizens.  Although  he 
failed  in  his  election,  being  defeated  by  a  majority  of  less  than  seven  hundred 
votes,  he  acquired  additional  reputation  by  the  contest,  and  aided  greatly  in  pro- 
ducing the  triumph  of  the  democratic  party  in  the  presidential  election  which  fol- 
lowed, when  the  vote  of  Kentucky  was  given  to  General  Jackson,  against  Mr. 
Adams,  by  nearly  eight  thousand  majority.  The  bitter  feelings  which  were  crea- 
ted by  the  old  and  new  court  contest,  which  prevented  many  democrats  from 
supporting  him,  alone  prevented  his  election  to  the  office  of  governor. 

Upon  General  Jackson's  accession  to  the  executive  office,  he  called  Major  Barry 
to  the  office  of  postmaster  general,  which  he  continued  to  hold  until  unable,  from 
physical  debilit\'.  to  discharge  its  onerous  duties.  In  the  hope  to  retrieve  his 
health,  and  to  place  him  in  a  situation  where  his  high  qualities  might  be  made 
eminently  honorable  to  himself,  as  well  as  useful  to  his  country,  the  president 
appointed  him  to  the  office  of  ambassador  to  Spain.  But  the  decrees  of  a  higher 
power  had  gone  forth,  and  the  amiable,  the  generous  and  the  exalted  Barry  was 


JOSEPH  C.  BRECKINRIDGE.  279 

destined  to  close  in  a  foreign  land,  a  life  which  had  been  honorably  devoted  to 
the  service  of  his  country, 

Alajor  Barry  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Miss  Overton,  daughter 
of  the  late  John  Overton,  of  Fayette  county.  Of  their  children,  only  one,  Mrs. 
Taylor,  wife  of  James  Taylor,  Esq.  of  Newport,  Kentucky,  survives.  His  second 
wife  was  Miss  Mason,  of  Virginia,  sister  of  General  John  T.  Mason.  Of  that 
marriage,  one  son  only  survives. 

A  portion  of  his  fellow  citizens  of  Lexington  have  erected  a  plain,  unpretending 
monument  to  his  memor}',  which,  by  unanimous  consent  of  the  county  court,  was 
placed  in  the  public  square.  But  a  more  interesting  monument  of  his  virtues 
will  be  found  in  the  heart  of  every  one  who  knew  him  as  he  was,  and  could  judge 
him  without  the  bias  of  party  prejudice. 

Joseph  Cabell  Breckinridge  was  the  second  child  and  eldest  son  of  the  late 
Hon.  John  Breckinridge,  and  was  born  in  Albemarle  county,  Virginia,  the  24th 
day  of  July.  1788.  Some  account  has  been  given  of  his  paternal  ancestors  in  the 
notice  of  his  father.  His  mother,  Mary  Hopkins  Cabell,  was  the  daughter  of 
Colonel  Joseph  Cabell,  of  Buckingham  county,  Virginia,  whose  name  he  bore; 
and  of  Mary  Hopkins,  the  daughter  of  Arthur  Hopkins,  an  Irish  gentleman,  who 
emigrated  to  Virginia  early  in  the  eighteenth  century,  and  was  the  ancestor  of  a 
very  numerous  family  of  his  own  and  other  names,  scattered  over  the  middle  and 
southern  states.  William  Cabell,  the  great  grand  father  of  the  subject  of  this 
notice,  was  an  Englishman  by  birth,  hut  emigrated  to  Virginia  at  an  early  period, 
and  at  the  commencement  of  the  American  revolution,  his  four  sons,  who  were  all 
born  in  America,  embarked  with  great  ardor  in  that  struggle,  and  were  all  colonels 
in  the  Virginia  militia.  William  Cabell  and  several  of  his  sons,  amongst  them 
Joseph,  were  by  profession  physicians.  The  family  was  originally  Italian,  and 
the  name  Capellari,  changed  in  France  to  Capel,  and  became  in  English,  Cabell. 
This  modification  of  names  in  the  various  languages  of  Europe,  is  extremely  com- 
mon in  families  of  ancient  origin.  There  is  a  tradition  in  this  family  that  they 
are  remotely  descended  from  a  Catawba  Indian  chief,  whose  name  was  Davis, 
from  whom  various  other  families  (Floyd,  Burke,  Venable,  Williams,  Morgan, 
&c.)  are  also  descended ;  and  in  this  branch  of  the  Breckinridge  family,  the  evi- 
dences of  its  truth  have  been  carefully  collected. 

In  1793,  when  Joseph  was  in  his  fifth  year,  his  parents  removed  to  Lexington, 
Kentucky.  The  country  was  newly  settled,  and  the  facilities  even  for  elementary 
instruction,  by  no  means  ample.  At  the  age  of  fourteen,  he  was  sent  to  a  gram- 
mar school  in  his  native  state,  and  after  the  usual  preparatory  studies,  entered  one 
of  the  lower  classes  in  the  college  of  Princeton,  New  Jersey,  where  he  graduated 
with  distinguished  honor  in  1810.  While  a  student  there,  he  formed  an  attach- 
ment for,  and  soon  afterwards  married  Miss  Mary  Clay  Smith,  daughter  of  Dr. 
Samuel  Stanhope  Smith,  president  of  the  college,  and  grand  daughter  of  Dr.  John 
Witherspoon,  a  former  president,  and  a  whig  statesman  of  the  revolution. 

The  premature  and  lamented  death  of  his  father  in  1806,  had,  for  a  time,  inter- 
rupted his  studies,  and  called  him  to  Kentucky,  to  become,  in  his  boyhood,  the 
head  of  a  large  family,  and  to  prepare  for  the  chief  labor  in  managing  an  extensive 
and  complicated  estate.  The  responsibilities  of  this  new  position,  gave  him  even 
at  this  early  period,  a  certain  prudence  and  grave  maturity  of  character  which 
accompanied  him  through  life;  and  the  duties  it  involved,  were  faithfully  and 
ably  performed. 

Upon  his  return  to  Kentucky,  Mr.  Breckinridge  devoted  himself  to  the  various 
duties  thrown  upon  him  by  the  death  of  his  father,  and  to  the  study  of  the  law. 
But  before  he  completed  his  profession,  the  troubles  on  the  north-wes.;ern  frontier 
called  forth  the  gallantry  and  patriotism  of  Kentucky,  and  among  many  other 
brave  men,  he  volunteered  his  services  to  his  country,  and  served  one  campaign 
as  aid-de-camp  to  General  Samuel  Hopkins.  Soon  afterwards  he  was  admitted 
to  the  bar,  and  commenced  the  practice  of  law  in  Lexington. 

He  had  been  but  a  short  time  before  the  public,  when  he  began  to  attract,  in  a 
remarkable  degree,  its  notice  and  regard.  His  engatring  manners  and  exalted 
character,  irresistibly  drew  to  him  the  respect  and  aifection  of  his  fellow  men. 
He  was  a  stranger  to  deceit  in  every  form;  no  one  ever  suspected  him  of  dupli- 
city ;  he  was  open,  frank,  and  true ;  generous  and  confiding,  perhaps  to  a  fault ; 


280  FAYETTE   COUNTY. 

and  possessed  the  unbounded  confidence  of  all  who  knew  him.  Such  qualities 
naturally  fitted  him  for  public  life;  and,  accordingly,  at  a  very  early  age,  he  was 
elected  to  the  legislature  from  Fayette  county,  by  the  largest  majority  ever  given 
there.  His  legislative  career  was  highly  honorable  to  himself  and  useful  to  the 
State.  The  urbanity  of  his  manners,  united  to  his  vigorous  talents,  and  high, 
steady  character,  gave  him  uncommon  power  and  influence.  He  filled  the  chair 
of  speaker  of  the  house,  with  an  impartiality  and  dignity  that  commanded  the 
approbation  of  all  parties. 

Though  as  far  as  possible  removed  from  the  brawling  partisan,  and  without  one 
quality  of  the  demagogue  in  his  character,  Mr.  Breckinridge  always  took  a  deep 
interest  in  public  affairs,  and  his  hereditary  principles  were  those  of  the  republican 
party  of  '98,  which  brought  Mr.  Jefferson  into  power.  The  national  theatre,  in  his 
day,  presented  comparatively  a  quiet  scene;  for  the  greater  part  of  his  public  life 
was  passed  in  what  was  called  the  "  era  of  good  feeling" — during  the  adminis- 
tration of  Mr.  Monroe — that  interval  of  peace  between  the  violent  party  contests 
of  our  earlier  and  later  history.  In  the  politics  of  his  own  State,  it  was  the  rare 
good  fortune  of  Mr.  Breckinridge  to  command  the  confidence  of  both  parties; 
and  when  Gen.  Adair  was  elected  governor  of  Kentucky,  the  voice  of  the  public, 
and  of  the  governor  himself,  designated  him  for  the  office  of  secretary  of  state. 
He  accepted  the  appointment,  and  removed  to  Frankfort  with  his  family  in  the 
spring  of  1821,  where  he  continued  to  reside,  attending  to  his  lucrative  practice 
and  the  duties  of  his  office,  until  the  fall  of  1823,  when  he  was  seized  with  a 
malignant  fever  then  raging  in  tiie  town,  which  baffled  the  skill  of  his  physicians, 
and  of  which  he  died  on  the  1st  of  September. 

Thus  was  lost  to  his  family,  his  friends,  and  his  country,  at  the  early  age  of 
thirty-five  years,  Joseph  Cabell  Breckinridge — a  man  who,  from  his  first  appear- 
ance on  the  theatre  of  affairs,  had  been  steadily  growing  in  the  affection  and 
gratitude  of  his  countrymen — whose  life  had  given  a  sure  guarantee  of  true 
greatness — and  whose  noble  character  and  genuine  talents  promised,  in  any 
sphere,  to  reflect  honor  on  his  state.  At  the  bar,  his  eloquence,  which  was  of  a 
high  and  persuasive  order,  united  to  his  extensive  professional  attainments,  placed 
him  in  the  front  rank.  The  few  compositions  and  published  speeches  which  the 
pressure  of  his  other  avocations  allowed  him  to  throw  off,  show  remarkable  pu- 
rity and  force  of  style.  Perhaps,  in  his  day,  he  had  no  superior  as  a  writer  in 
the  west.  His  mind  was  of  that  long  maturing  kind,  which  is  late  in  attaining 
the  utmost  force  and  cultivation  to  which  it  is  susceptible;  and  at  his  death,  his 
powers  were  expanding  into  greater  strength,  and  he  seemed  but  upon  the  thresh- 
hold  of  his  fame.  In  social  intercourse,  his  influence  on  those  around  him  was 
remarkable.  There  was  a  certain  individuality  about  him,  not  to  be  forgotten, 
even  by  a  casual  observer — which  arose,  in  part,  from  his  extraordinary  personal 
advantages,  but  chiefly  from  a  lofty  tone  of  character,  which  impressed  itself  on 
all  his  conduct.  At  his  death,  his  position  was  fixed  ;  no  dispute  arose  concern- 
ing it ;  the  public  sentiment  was  settled  and  unanimous.  And  when  his  coun- 
trymen were  called  to  mourn  his  loss,  all  joined  their  according  testimony  to  the 
perfect  nobility  of  his  nature,  and  the  steadfast  uprightness  of  his  life. 

In  person,  Mr.  Breckinridge  was  somewhat  above  the  middle  height,  with  a 
form  of  remarkable  symmetry.  His  complexion  was  fair,  his  eyes  and  hair  dark. 
His  whole  appearance  was  strikingly  graceful  and  manly,  and  he  was  esteemed 
one  of  the  most  accomplished  gentlemen  of  his  day. 

For  a  number  of  years  before  his  death,  he  was  a  professor  of  religion,  and  was 
one  of  the  founders  and  ruling  elders  of  the  second  Presbyterian  church  in  Lex- 
ington. He  carried  his  religious  character  wherever  he  went,  and  died  as  he  had 
lived,  a  christian  gentleman.  His  life  is  worthy  of  study,  and  his  example  of 
imitation.  He  left  a  numerous  family,  of  whom  his  widow,  an  only  son,  and 
several  daughters,  still  survive. 

Henrv  Clay,  the  son  of  a  Baptist  clergyman  of  respectable  standing,  was 
born  in  Hanover  county,  Virginia,  on  the  12th  of  April,  1777.  His  father  died 
when  young  Henry  had  attained  his  fifth  year,  and  the  care  of  superintending  his 
education  devolved  on  his  widowed  nnjther.  She  appears  to  have  been  a  lady  of 
sterling  worth,  singular  intelligence,  and  masculine  vigor  of  intellect.  Though 
left  in  very  reduced  circumstances,  she  was  enabled,  by  jjrudence,  economy,  and 


HEKRY  CLAY.  281 

energy,  to  raise  her  large  family  in  comfort,  and  to  place  her  sons  in  the  way  to 
assume  stations  of  respectability  and  honor  in  society.  Mr.  Clay  has  never 
ceased  to  cherish  a  tender  and  profound  affection  and  reverence  for  the  memory 
of  this  fond  mother,  and  has  frequently  expressed  his  sense  of  the  inestimable 
advantage  derived  from  this  early  maternal  training. 

The  boyhood  of  Henry  Clay  was  furnished  with  few  of  those  facilities  for  oh- 
taining  a  literary  education,  which  arc  now  accessible  to  almost  all.  His  mind 
was  left  to  develop  its  powers  and  attain  its  growth  through  the  force  of  its  own 
innate  energies,  with  i^ut  little  aid  from  books  or  competent  instructors.  Those 
rich  treasures  of  intellectual  wealth,  which  are  to  be  found  in  well  selected  libra- 
ries and  properly  organized  schools,  were  to  him  a  sealed  fountain.  The  extent 
of  his  boyish  attainments  in  literature,  consisted  of  the  common  elements  taught 
in  a  country  school  of  the  most  humble  pretensions.  Even  these  slender  advan- 
tages were  but  sparingly  enjoyed,  and  the  future  orator  and  statesman  was  com- 
pelled, by  the  straitened  circumstances  of  his  family,  to  devote  a  considerable 
portion  of  his  time  to  manual  labor  in  the  field.  The  subsequent  brilliant 
achievements  of  that  master  mind,  derive  increased  lustre  from  the  contemplation 
of  the  obstacles  thus  early  interposed  to  its  progress,  and  no  more  honorable  tes- 
timony can  be  offered  to  the  ardour,  energy,  and  invincibility  of  that  towering  in- 
tellect and  imperial  spirit,  than  the  severe  trials  which  at  this  period  it  encoun- 
tered, and  over  which  it  triumphed.  It  is  probable  that  this  early  familiarity 
with  the  sternest  realities  of  life,  contributed  to  give  to  his  mind  that  strong 
practical  bias,  which  has  subsequently  distinguished  his  career  as  a  statesman  : 
while  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  demands  thus  continually  made  upon  his 
energies,  tended  to  a  quick  development  of  that  unyielding  strength  of  character 
which  bears  down  all  opposition,  and  stamps  him  as  one  of  the  most  powerful 
spirits  of  the  age. 

At  the  age  of  fourteen,  he  was  placed  in  a  small  drug  store  in  the  city  of 
Richmond,  Virginia.  He  continued  in  this  situation  but  a  few  months,  and  in 
1792  entered  the  office  of  the  clerk  of  the  high  court  of  chancery.  While  in  this 
office  he  attracted  the  attention  of  chancellor  Wythe,  who,  being  very  favorably 
impressed  by  his  amiable  deportment,  uniform  habits  of  industry,  and  striking 
displays  of  intelligence,  honored  him  with  his  friendship,  and  employed  him  as 
an  anianuensis.  It  was  probably  through  the  advice  of  chancellor  Wythe  that  he 
first  conceived  the  design  of  studying  law,  and  he  has  himself  borne  testimony 
to  the  fact,  that  his  intercourse  with  that  great  and  good  man  exercised  a  decided 
and  very  salutary  influence  in  the  development  of  his  mental  powers,  and  the  for- 
mation of  his  character. 

In  the  year  179G,  he  went  to  reside  with  Robert  Brooke,  Esq.,  attorney  gen- 
eral of  Virginia.  While  in  the  family  of  this  gentleman,  his  opportunities  for 
acquiring  a  knowledge  of  the  profession  to  which  he  had  determined  to  devote 
his  life,  were  greatly  improved,  and  he  appears  to  have  cultivated  them  with  ex- 
emplary assiduity.  The  year  1797  seems  to  have  been  devoted  by  Mr.  Clay 
exclusively  to  the  study  of  his  profession.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  this  was 
the  first  year  in  which  his  necessities  permitted  him  to  pursue  an  uninterrupted 
system  of  study,  and  so  eagerly  did  he  avail  himself  of  the  privilege,  and  such 
was  the  ardor  and  vivacity  of  his  mind,  that  near  the  close  of  the  year  he  ob- 
tained from  the  Virginia  court  of  appeals  a  license  to  practice.  Of  course  the 
acciuisitions  made  in  the  science  of  law,  in  the  course  of  these  irregular  and 
broken  efforts  to  master  that  intricate  and  complex  system,  were  somewhat  desul- 
tory and  crude,  and  it  is  not  the  least  striking  evidence  of  the  wonderful  resour- 
ces of  Mr.  Clay's  genius,  that  he  was  enabled,  notwithstanding  these  disadvan- 
tages, to  assume  so  early  in  life  a  high  i^nk  in  his  profession,  at  a  bar  distin- 
guished for  the  number,  ability  and  profound  erudition  of  its  members. 

Upon  obtaining  his  license,  Mr.  Clay,  then  in  the  twenty-first  year  of  his  age, 
came  to  Lexington,  Kentucky.  He  did  not,  however,  immediately  enter  upon  the 
duties  of  his  profession,  but  spent  several  months  in  reviewing  his  legal  studies, 
and  forming  an  acquaintance  with  the  people.  His  appearance  at  this  period  is 
represented  to  have  been  that  of  a  man  in  feeble  health.  Delicate  in  his  person, 
slow  and  languid  in  all  his  movements,  his  whole  air  and  bearing  was  pervaded 
by  a  lassitude,  which  gave  no  promise  of  that  untiring  energy,  which  has  since 
so  singularly  marked  his  extraordinary  history. 


282  FAYETTE   COUNTY. 

When  Mr.  Clay  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  profession,  the  Lexington 
bar  was  noted  for  talent,  numbering  among-  its  members  some  of  the 
first  lawyers  that  have  ever  adorned  the  legal  profession  in  America.  He  com- 
menced the  practice  under  circumstances  somewhat  discouraging,  and  as  ap- 
pears from  his  own  statement,  with  very  moderate  expectations.  His  earliest 
efforts,  however,  were  attended  with  complete  success ;  his  reputation  spread  ra- 
pidly, and,  to  use  his  own  language,  he  "  immediately  rushed  into  a  lucrative 
practice."  This  unusual  spectacle,  so  rare  in  the  legal  profession,  is  to  be  as- 
cribed mainly  to  Mr.  Clay's  skill  as  an  advocate.  Gifted  by  nature  with  orato- 
rial  o-enius  of  a  high  order,  his  very  youth  increased  the  spell  of  that  potent 
fascination  which  his  splendid  elocution  and  passionate  eloquence  threw  over  the 
public  mind,  and  led  the  imagination  a  willing  captive  to  its  power.  It  was  in 
the  conduct  of  criminal  causes,  especially,  that  he  achieved  his  greatest  triumphs. 
The  latitude  customary  and  allowable  to  an  advocate  in  the  defence  of  his  client, 
the  surpassing  interest  of  the  questions  at  issue,  presented  an  occasion  and  a  field 
which  never  failed  to  elicit  a  blaze  of  genius,  before  which  the  public  stood  daz- 
zled and  astonished. 

A  large  portion  of  the  litigation  at  that  day,  in  Kentucky,  grew  out  of  the  un- 
settled tenure  by  which  most  of  the  lands  in  the  country  were  held.  The  contests 
arising  out  of  those  conflicting  claims,  had  built  up  a  system  of  land  law  remark- 
able for  its  intricacy  and  complexity,  and  having  no  parallel  in  the  whole  range 
of  the  law  of  real  property.  Adapted  to  the  exigencies  of  the  country,  and  hav- 
ing its  origin  in  the  necessities  of  the  times,  it  was  still  remarkable  for  its  logical 
consistency  and  sound  principle.  Kentucky,  at  that  day,  could  boast  some  of 
the  most  profound,  acute  and  subtle  lawyers  in  the  world.  And  it  is  no  slight 
tribute  to  the  talents  and  acquirements  of  Mr.  Clay,  to  say  that,  among  those 
strong  and  deeply  learned  men,  he  stood  among  the  foremost. 

When  Mr.  Clay  first  arrived  in  Kentucky,  the  contest  between  the  old  federal 
and  democratic  parties  was  violent  and  bitter.  Any  one  acquainted  with  the  ar- 
dent, frank,  open  and  somewhat  boisterous  and  extravagant  character  of  the  Ken- 
tuckians  at  that  period,  will  not  require  to  be  told  that  neutrality  in  politics,  even 
had  Mr.  Clay  been  disposed  to  pursue  that  equivocal  line  of  conduct,  was  for 
him  utterly  out  of  the  question,  and  would  not  have  been  tolerated  for  a  moment. 
He,  accordingly  united  himself  with  the  Jeffersonian  or  democratic  party,  with 
whose  principles  his  own  sentiments  entirely  harmonized.  He  was  prominent 
at  a  very  early  day  among  those  who  denounced  the  most  obnoxious  measures  of 
the  Adams  administration,  and  was  especially  conspicuous  for  the  energy,  elo- 
quence and  efficiency  with  which  he  opposed  the  alien  and  sedition  laws. 

In  1803  he  was  elected  to  represent  the  county  of  Fayette  in  the  most  numer- 
ous branch  of  the  state  legislature.  He  was  re-elected  to  that  body  at  every  ses- 
sion, until  1806.  The  impression  made  upon  his  associates  must  have  been  of 
the  most  favorable  character,  since,  in  the  latter  year,  he  was  elected  to  the  senate 
of  the  United  States,  to  serve  out  the  unexpired  term  of  General  Adair.  He  was 
elected  for  one  session  only. 

During  this  session,  Mr.  Clay,  as  a  member  of  the  senate,  had  occasion  to  inves- 
tigate the  extent  of  the  power  of  congress  to  promote  internal  improvements,  and 
the  result  of  his  examination  was  a  full  conviction  that  the  subject  was  clearly 
within  the  competency  of  the  general  government.  These  views  he  has  never 
changed;  and  profoundly  impressed  with  the  policy  of  promoting  such  works,  he 
at  the  same  session  gave  his  cordial  support  to  several  measures  of  that  character. 
When  it  is  remembered  how  long  and  earnestly  Mr.  Clay  has  labored  to  engraft 
this  upon  the  settled  policy  of  the  government,  and  that  it  was  almost  the  first 
subject  upon  which  he  was  called  to  act  when  he  entered  the  senate,  it  will  be 
difficult  to  produce  a  similar  example  of  consistency  and  firm  persistence  in  the 
pursuit  of  a  cherished  object,  and  presents  a  refreshing  contrast  to  the  zigzag  track 
of  some  other  American  statesmen  of  great  eminence.  It  is  difficult  to  resist  the 
conclusion  that  to  the  man  who  could  thus  steadily  persevere,  against  an  over- 
whelming tide  of  opposition,  through  all  changes  of  party,  and  all  vicissitudes  of 
personal  fortune,  in  the  advocacy  of  a  principle,  frequently  obnoxious,  there  must 
have  been  something  in  the  aspect  of  truth  herself,  independent  of  all  extraneous 
considerations,  irresistibly  lovely  and  attractive. 

At  the  close  of  the  session,  Mr.  Clay  returned  to  Kentucky  and  resumed  the 


HENRY   CLAY.  283 

practice  of  his  profession.  At  the  ensuing  election  in  August,  he  was  returned 
^s  tiie  representative  from  Fayette  to  the  legislature.  When  the  legislature 
assembled,  he  was  elected  speaker  of  the  house.  In  this  station  he  was  distin- 
guished for  the  zeal,  energy  and  decision  with  which  he  discharged  its  duties. 
He  continued  a  member  of  the  legislature  until  1809,  when  he  tendered  his  resig- 
nation, and  was  elected  to  the  senate  of  the  United  States  for  two  years,  to  fill 
the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Thruston.  During  his  contin- 
uance in  the  legislature  he  had  produced  the  deepest  impression  of  his  abilities, 
and  won  the  warm  regard  and  full  confidence  of  his  associates.  How  completely 
he  had  established  himself  in  the  favorable  opinion  of  that  body,  may  be  inferred 
from  the  fact  that  he  was  elected  to  the  oflice  before  named,  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds. 
He  retired,  accompanied  by  expressions  of  ardent  admiration  for  his  talents,  high 
esteem  for  his  services,  and  sincere  regret  for  his  loss. 

The  principal  matters  which  came  before  the  senate  during  Mr.  Clay's  second 
term  of  service,  related  to  the  policy  of  encouraging  domestic  manufactures  ;  the 
law  to  reduce  into  possession,  and  establish  the  authority  of  the  United  States 
over  the  territory  between  the  Mississippi  and  Perdido  rivers,  comprehending  the 
present  states  of  Mississippi,  Alabama  and  Florida  ;  and  the  question  of  a  re- 
charter  of  the  bank  of  the  United  States.  In  the  discussions  which  arose  on  each 
of  these  questions,  Mr.  Clay  bore  a  conspicuous  part,  fully  sustaining  the  high 
reputation  for  ability  with  which  he  entered  the  senate. 

His  speech  in  favor  of  giving  the  preference  to  articles  of  American  growth  and 
manufacture,  in  providing  supplies  for  the  army  and  navy,  was  remarkable,  as 
being  the  first  occasion  in  which  he  developed  to  the  national  legislature,  those 
peculiar  vievis  in  reference  to  the  policy  of  building  up  a  system  of  home  industry, 
which  he  had  at  an  earlier  day  sought  to  impress  on  the  legislation  of  Kentucky. 
Up  to  this  period,  this  subject,  which  has  since,  and  mainly  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  Mr.  Clay,  become  so  prominent  and  exciting  a  question  in  American 
politics,  had  attracted  little  or  no  attention,  and  when  the  principle  of  protection 
and  encouragement  was  at  this  session  brought  forward  for  the  first  time,  and 
attempted  Co  be  embodied  in  legislative  enactments,  the  resistance  it  encountered 
was  violent,  bitter,  and  determined.  Mr.  Clay's  speech  in  favor  of  the  proposition, 
was  the  first  he  delivered  upon  re-entering  the  senate,  and  is  remarkable  as  having 
distinctly  shadowed  forth  the  outlines  of  that  magnificent  system  of  "protection," 
of  which  he  has  been  styled  the  "  father,"  and  which  has  since  become  a  cher- 
ished object  of  American  policy  with  our  soundest  statesmen.  To  the  admirers 
of  Henry  Clay  it  is  a  source  of  gratification  that  the  majority  of  those  great  prin- 
ciples of  internal  polity,  which  his  subsequent  life  has  been  devoted  to  build  up 
and  defend,  are  clearly  announced  and  distinctly  to  be  traced  in  the  first  acts  of 
his  public  career  ;  thus  presenting  in  his  history  as  a  politician,  a  consistency  and 
singleness  of  purpose,  as  rare  as  it  is  honorable  to  his  character  as  a  man,  and  his 
foresight  as  a  statesman. 

His  speech  delivered  at  the  same  session,  on  the  "  line  of  the  Rio  Perdido,''''  in 
which  he  undertook  to  investigate  and  trace  the  title  of  the  United  States  to  the 
territory  which  comprises  the  present  states  of  Mississippi,  Alabama  and  Florida, 
is  a  masterpiece  of  legislative  logic,  distinguished  for  the  clearness  of  its  state- 
ments, and  the  cogent  closeness  of  its  reasoning. 

At  the  session  of  1810-11,  the  questionof  a  re-charter  of  the  bank  of  the  United 
States  was  brought  before  the  senate,  and  became  the  subject  of  a  debate,  noted 
in  our  congressional  history,  for  its  intemperate  violence  and  splendid  displays  of 
eloquence.  On  this  occasion  Mr.  Clay  was  found  opposed  to  the  re-charter  of  the 
bank,  and  maintained  his  views  in  a  speech  of  great  ingenuity  and  power.  He 
afterwards,  in  1816,  saw  reason  to  change  his  opinions,  and  since  then  has  been 
firm  in  the  support  he  lias  given  to  that  institution.  The  explanation  of  this  in- 
consistency is  to  be  sought  in  the  peculiar  views  held  by  American  statesmen  at 
that  day,  in  reference  to  the  construction  of  the  constitution.  The  grand  subject 
of  diflference  in  principle  between  the  old  federal  and  democratic  parties,  related  to 
the  interpretation  of  that  instrument.  The  federalists  were  the  advocates  of  a 
free  construction,  granting  to  the  general  government  the  utmost  latitude  in  the 
exercise  of  its  powers.  It  is  probable  that  in  the  heat  of  party  controversy  they 
carried  their  principles  to  an  extreme,  perhaps  a  dangerous  length.  The  de- 
mocrats, on  the  other  hand,  were  strict   constructionists;    opposed  to  deriving 


284  FAYETTE   COUNTY. 

powers  to  congress  by  implication,  and  confining  the  government  to  the  exer* 
cise  of  such  as  were  expressly  and  in  terms  granted  in  the  constitution.  In 
looking  back  now  with  the  calm  eye  of  the  historian  to  those  troubled  times,  it 
is  probable  that  both  of  the  great  parties  of  the  day  pushed  their  principles  to  an 
impolitic  length,  and  that  greater  moderation  would  have  approximated  each  nearer 
to  the  truth.  The  question  of  a  re-charter  of  the  bank  of  the  United  States,  was 
the  one  of  all  others  calculated  to  develop  the  peculiar  views,  and  array  the 
ancient  prejudices  of  those  powerful  parties  in  deadly  opposition.  The  power  to 
incorporate  a  bank  was  one  which  could  be  obtained  by  implication  only,  and  the 
arguments  adduced  in  its  favor  assailed  the  constitutional  system  of  the  democrats 
in  its  most  sacred  principles.  Mr.  Clay  was  a  Jeffersonian  democrat,  and  had 
been  educated  in  all  the  peculiar  views  of  that  school.  He  had  entered  public 
life  at  a  period  when  the  contest  between  the  parties  was  most  furious  and  deter- 
mined ;  and  he  had,  with  the  ardour  and  energy  of  his  nature,  espoused  most  of 
the  doctrines  of  the  party  with  which  he  acted  ;  consequently,  when  the  question 
of  re-chartering  the  bank  came  up,  he  was  found  among  the  ablest  and  most  deter- 
mined opponents  of  that  measure.  His  speech,  delivered  on  the  occasion,  is 
remarkable  for  the  force  with  which  it  arrays  the  objections  to  the  bank,  and  may 
be  consulted  by  any  one  desirous  of  obtaining  a  clear  knowledge  of  the  principles 
of  his  party  at  that  day  in  reference  to  the  powers  vested  in  congress  by  the  con- 
stitution. In  1816,  time,  and  the  intervening-  experience  of  the  war,  had,  with 
its  usual  meliorating  effect,  modified  the  opinions  of  men  on  this  as  on  other  sub- 
jects. Mr.  Clay  became  convinced  of  the  necessity  of  a  bank  to  regulate  the 
financial  affairs  of  the  government  and  country,  and  with  the  manly  frankness 
characteristic  of  his  nature,  yielded  to  that  institution  his  friendship  and  support. 

When,  at  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  service  for  which  he  had  been  elected, 
Mr.  Clay  retired  from  the  senate,  he  left  behind  him  a  character  for  general 
ability  and  sound  statesmanship,  which  few  men  of  the  same  age  have  ever  at- 
tained. 

In  1811,  the  same  year  in  which  he  retired  from  the  senate,  he  was  elected  by 
the  people  of  the  Fayette  district  to  represent  them  in  the  house  of  representa- 
tives of  the  United  States.  In  1813  he  was  re-elected,  and  continued  a  member 
of  the  house  until  he  was  sent  to  Europe  as  one  of  the  commissioners  to  nego- 
tiate a  treaty  of  peace  with  Great  Britain.  During  the  whole  of  this  period,  he 
filled  the  speaker's  chair  in  the  house,  having  received  the  high  and  unusual  com- 
pliment of  being  chosen  to  that  responsible  station  the  first  day  on  which  he  ap- 
peared in  his  seat  in  congress. 

Mr.  Clay,  consequently,  presided  over  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  congresses, 
and  participated  largely  in  those  measures  adapted  to  vindicate  the  honor  and 
assert  the  rights  of  the  country,  against  the  usurpations  and  aggressions  of  Great 
Britain.  He  gave  a  warm  and  hearty  co-operation  in  all  those  efforts  that  were 
made  to  put  the  country  in  a  state  of  defence,  and  contributed  as  much,  if  not 
more,  by  his  sleepless  energy  and  unrivalled  eloquence,  to  infuse  a  proper  spirit 
into  the  deliberations  of  congress,  than  any  other  man.  His  speeches  on  the 
subject  of  our  dithculties  with  Great  Britain,  exhibit  some  of  the  most  brilliant 
specimens  of  parliamentary  eloquence  extant,  and  their  effect  at  the  time,  in 
arousing  the  country  to  a  sense  of  its  wrongs,  and  a  determination  to  redress  them, 
is  said  to  have  been  unequalled.  As  strange  as  it  may  sound  in  the  ears  of  the 
present  generation,  there  was  a  large  and  respectable  party,  at  that  period,  both 
in  and  out  of  congress,  which  was  averse  to  war  with  Great  Britain,  and  dis- 
posed to  submit  to  almost  any  outrage  rather  than  distract  her  efforts  to  put  down 
the  power  of  Napoleon,  then  in  the  midst  of  his  extraordinary  career.  It  was  in 
opposition  to  what  he  considered  the  parricidal  efforts  of  these  men,  that  the 
transcendent  genius  of  the  Kentucky  statesman  displayed  its  most  brilliant,  pow- 
erful, and  commanding  attril)utps.  He  was  the  life  and  soul  of  the  war  party  in 
congress — the  master  spirit  around  whom  all  the  boldness  and  chivalry  of  the 
nation  rallied  in  that  dark  hour,  when  the  gloom  of  despondency  hung  heavy  on 
every  brow,  and  the  generous  pride  of  a  free  people  drooped  under  the  withering 
sense  of  the  unavenged  insult  that  had  been  offered  to  the  national  honor.  In 
1814,  he  resigned  his  place  in  congress,  to  accept  an  appointment  as  commissioner 
and  minister  plenipotentiary  to  Ghent.     At  this  period,  the  control  which  he  had 


HENRY    CLAY.  285 

acquired  in  congress  was  unlimited.  In  the  house,  it  was  probably  equal  to  that 
he  had  obtained  a  lew  years  before  in  the  Kentucky  legislature. 

In  1814,  having  been  appointed  in  conjunction  with  Messrs.  John  Q.  Adams, 
.Tames  A.  Bayard,  Albert  Gallatin,  and  Jonathan  Russell,  a  commissioner  to  meet 
commissioners  appointed  on  the  part  of  Great  Britain,  he  proceeded  to  Europe. 
On  the  sixth  of  August,  the  plenipotentiaries  of  both  nations  met  in  the  ancient 
city  of  Ghent,  prepared  to  proceed  to  business.  The  plan  of  this  sketch  does  not 
require,  nor  would  it  admit  of  a  detailed  account  of  the  negotiations,  extending 
through  several  months,  which  finally  resulted  in  a  treaty  of  peace  between  tiie 
two  nations.  These  are  to  be  found  related  at  large,  in  the  public  histories  of  the 
time,  and  to  them  we  refer  the  reader  for  a  full  knowledge  of  those  transactions. 
Let  it  suffice  to  say,  that,  on  this,  as  on  all  other  occasions,  Mr.  Clay  mingled 
controllingly  in  the  deliberations  of  his  distinguished  colleagues,  and  exercised  a 
very  commanding  influence  over  the  course  of  the  negotiation.  There  is,  indeed, 
reason  to  believe,  that,  but  for  his  firmness  and  tact,  the  right  to  the  exclusive  nav- 
igation of  the  Mississippi  river  would  have  been  surrendered  for  a  very  inconsid- 
erable equivalent.  His  colleagues  in  the  negotiation  have  always  borne  the  most 
honorable  testimony  to  the  ability  and  comprehensive  knowledge  displayed  by 
Mr.  Clay  in  those  memorable  transactions,  and  he  returned  to  the  United  States 
with  a  reputation  materially  enhanced. 

When  the  commissioners  had  closed  their  diplomatic  labors,  Mr.  Clay  visited 
Paris,  and  subsequently  London,  forming  an  acquaintance  with  many  of  the  most 
distinguished  characters  on  the  continent  and  in  England.  In  1815,  he  left  the 
shores  of  Europe,  and  returned  to  America,  which  continent  he  has  not  since  left, 
except  on  one  occasion,  when  he  made  a  brief  visit  to  the  island  of  Cuba  for  the 
benefit  of  his  health. 

He  found  upon  his  arrival  in  Kentucky,  that,  during  his  absence,  he  had  been 
nominated  by  his  friends  and  elected  to  congress ;  but,  as  there  arose  doubts 
respecting  the  legality  of  his  election,  he  resigned,  and  the  canvass  was  opened 
anew.  This  resulted  as  the  previous  vote,  in  his  being  returned  by  an  overwhelm- 
ing majority.  He  was  re-elected  in  succession  to  every  congress  that  assem- 
bled, until  the  session  of  1820-21,  when  he  retired  to  repair  the  inroads  made 
in  his  private  fortune  by  his  long  devotion  to  public  affairs.  During  this  period, 
he  was  thrice  elected  speaker  of  the  house,  and  presided  over  the  deliberations  of 
that  body  during  the  whole  period  which  intervened  between  1815  and  1821. 

On  his  re-entrance  into  congress,  Mr.  Clay  v^as  called  to  defend  the  treaty,  in 
the  formation  of  which  he  had  participated  so  largely,  against  the  animadversions 
of  his  old  enemies,  the  Federalists.  That  treaty  was  made  the  subject  of  un- 
bridled criticism,  by  those  who  had  opposed  the  war,  and  with  the  magical 
astuteness  of  hatred,  they  discovered  objectionable  features  in  every  clause.  In 
the  course  of  the  discussions  which  thus  arose,  he  had  frequent  occasion  to  review 
the  origin,  progress,  and  termination  of  the  war,  which  task  he  performed  with 
masterly  ability,  exposing  the  inconsistency  and  malignity  of  his  adversaries  to 
deserved  odium.  He  met  them  at  every  point,  and  never  failed  to  make  their  ran- 
corous virulence  recoil  on  their  own  heads  with  tremendous  effect. 

During  the  time  of  this,  Mr.  Clay's  second  incumbency  in  the  house  of  repre- 
sentatives, many  questions  were  presented  for  its  deliberation  of  surpassing  inter- 
est, and  closely  touching  the  permanent  welfare  of  the  republic.  The  finances  of 
the  country  were  found  to  be  in  a  condition  of  ruinous  embarrassment ;  the  nation 
was  deeply  involved  in  debt,  and  the  little  money  left  in  the  country  was  being  con- 
tinually drained  away  to  pay  for  foreign  importations.  It  was  in  this  gloomy  con- 
juncture of  affairs  that  the  session  of  1815—16  opened,  and  congress  was  called  to 
the  arduous  task  of  repairing  the  breaches  which  thus  yawned  in  the  public  pros- 
perity. In  all  those  measures  recommended  by  Mr.  Madison's  administration,  with 
a  view  to  the  accomplishment  of  this  end,  Mr.  Clay  heartily  co-operated.  Among 
other  things,  he  gave  his  support  to  a  proposition  to  reduce  the  direct  tax  of 
the  United  States.  He  advocated,  as  has  been  already  stated,  the  incorporation 
of  a  United  States'  hank.  This  he  justified  on  the  ground  that  such  an  institution 
was  necessary  to  the  financial  department  of  the  government,  and  to  maintain  a 
healthy  condition  of  the  circulating  medium.  At  the  same  session  a  law  was 
passed,  establishing  a  tarilT  for  revenue  and  protection.  The  principle  of  pro- 
tection was  distinctly  avowed  and  clearly  developed.    To  this  measure,  of  course, 


286  FAYETTE    COUNTY. 

Mr.  Clay  gave  all  the  support  of  his  great  talents  and  commanding  infliif-nce. 
On  this  occasion  John  C.  Calhoun  was  found  arrayed  on  the  side  of  protection, 
and  Daniel  Webster  in  the  opposition.     But 

"  Tempora  mutantur,  et  nos  mutamur  cum  illix." 

The  position  and  sentiments  of  these  gentlemen  are  now  entirely  reversed.  Mr. 
Calhoun  has  become  the  great  nuUifier,  and  Mr.  Webster  is  universally  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  most  powerful  champions  of  protection. 

In  1820  the  subject  of  a  protective  tariff  again  came  before  Congress,  and  Mr. 
Clay  gave  an  ardent  support  to  a  bill  introduced  for  the  purpose  of  increasing  the 
measure  of  protection.  Nor  did  he  relax  his  efforts  until  he  finally  had  the  satis- 
faction of  seeing  tiie  system  for  which  he  had  been  so  long  struggling  fully  es- 
tablished. This  firmness  and  constancy  in  the  pursuit  of  a  favorite  object  con- 
stitutes one  of  the  prominent  features  in  Mr.  Clay's  character,  and  has  given  to 
his  career  as  a  politician  a  consistency  rarely  to  be  observed  among  that  fickle  and 
ever  changing  tribe.  There  is  an  iron  tenacity  and  obduracy  of  purpose  evinced 
in  his  life,  which  knows  not  to  yield  to  opposition  or  obstacles,  however  formida- 
ble. With  a  foresight  rarely  equaled,  his  measures  were  founded  in  a  profound 
knowledge  of  the  condition,  resources  and  wants  of  the  nation,  and  hence  he  has 
but  seldom  had  occasion  to  change  his  opinions  on  any  subject. 

In  March,  1818,  a  resolution  was  introduced  declaring  that  Congress  had 
power  to  construct  post-roads  and  canals,  and  also  to  appropriate  money  for  that 
object.  This  resolution  encountered  a  most  formidable  array  of  opposition.  IMr. 
Madison,  previous  to  his  retirement  from  the  presidential  chair,  had  vetoed  a  bill 
for  the  promotion  of  internal  improvements,  and  in  succeeding  him,  Mr.  Monroe 
manifested  a  disposition  to  "follow  in  his  footsteps."  But  nothing  daunted  by 
the  overwhelming  opposition  against  which  he  had  to  contend,  and  the  discoura- 
ging fact  that  the  administrations  of  Jefferson,  Madison  and  Monroe  were  all 
against  the  policy,  Mr.  Clay  continued  to  urge  upon  Congress  the  adoption  of 
his  system,  from  a  profound  conviction  that  it  was  intimately  connected  with  the 
progress  of  the  country  in  all  those  elements  which  promote  the  general  good. 
The  resolution  was  adopted  by  a  vote  of  ninety  to  seventy-five.  It  was  a  tri- 
umph, and  a  signal  one,  over  opposition  that  had  been  accumulating  during  two 
previous  administrations,  and  which,  in  the  existing  one,  was  directed  against 
iiim  with  all  the  violence  and  impetuosity  that  power,  patronage,  and  energy 
could  impart  to  it.  It  was  a  moment  of  proud  satisfaction  to  the  indefatigable 
statesman,  when  he  beheld  the  last  vestige  of  opposition  disappear  beneath  his 
feet.  The  system  of  internal  improvements  has  been  since  erected  so  much 
under  his  supervision  and  through  his  direct  instrumentality,  as  to  give  him  the 
title  of  "its  father." 

The  recognition  of  the  South  American  republics  by  the  government  of  the 
United  States,  a  measure  which  was  almost  entirely  attributable  to  the  indefati- 
gable exertions,  personal  influence  and  powerful  eloquence  of  Mr.  Clay,  while  it 
shed  lustre  on  the  Monroe  administration,  surrounded  the  brow  of  the  great 
statesman  with  a  halo  of  true  glory  which  grows  brighter  with  the  lapse  of 
time. 

At  the  session  of  181C-17  the  subject  of  the  Seminole  war  was  brought  before 
Congress,  and  Mr.  Clay,  in  the  course  of  his  speech  on  that  occasion,  found  it 
necessary  to  speak  with  some  severit}"^  of  the  conduct  of  General  Jackson.  This 
was  the  origin  of  that  inveterate  hostility  on  the  part  of  the  old  general  towards 
the  great  Kentuckian,  the  consequences  of  which  were  deeply  felt  in  after  years. 

The  only  remaining  measure  of  importance  with  which  Mr.  Clay's  name  is 
connected  in  the  history  of  those  times,  was  the  great  and  exciting  question 
which  arose  on  the  application  of  Missouri  for  admission  into  the  union.  Prob- 
ably at  no  period  of  our  history  has  the  horoscope  of  our  country's  destiny  looked 
so  dark  and  threatening.  The  union  was  convulsed  to  its  centre.  An  universal 
alarm  pervaded  all  sections  of  the  country  and  every  class  of  the  community.  A 
disruption  of  the  confederacy  seemed  inevitable — civil  war,  with  its  attendant 
horrors,  seemed  to  scowl  from  every  quarter,  and  the  sun  of  American  libert)'  ap- 
peared about  to  set  in  a  sea  of  blood.  At  this  conjuncture  every  eye  in  the  coun- 
try was  turned  to  Henry  Clay.  He  labored  night  and  day,  and  such  was  the  ex- 
citement of  his  mind,  that  he  has  been  heard  to  declare  that  if  the  settlement  of 


HENRY   CLAY.  287 

the  controversy  had  been  suspended  three  Aveeks  longer,  it  would  have  cost  him 
his  life.  Happy  was  it  for  America  that  he  was  found  equal  to  the  emergency, 
and  that  the  tempest  of  desolation  which  seemed  about  to  burst  upon  our  heads 
was,  through  his  agency,  permitted  to  pass  away  harmless.  At  the  close  of  the 
session  of  congress  in  1821,  Mr.  Clay  retired,  and  resumed  the  practice  of  his 
profession.     He  did  not  again  enter  congress  until  1823. 

Upon  resuming  his  place  in  congress  at  the  commencement  of  the  session  of 
1823-4,  Mr.  Clay  was  elected  speaker,  over  Mr.  Barbour  of  Virginia,  by  a  con- 
siderable majority.  He  continued  speaker  of  the  house  until  he  entered  the  cab- 
inet of  Mr.  Adams,  in  1825.  During  this  time,  the  subject  of  the  tarifl'  again 
came  before  congress,  and  was  advocated  by  Mr.  Clay  in  one  of  the  most  mas- 
terly etforts  of  his  life.  His  speech  on  the  occasion,  was  distinguished  for  the 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  subject  which  it  displayed  ;  for  its  broad,  comprehen- 
sive and  statesmanlike  views,  and  for  its  occasional  passages  of  impressive  and 
thrilling  eloquence.  He  also  advocated  a  resolution,  introduced  by  Mr.  Webster, 
to  defray  the  expenses  of  a  messenger  to  Greece,  at  that  time  engaged  against 
the  power  of  the  Turks  in  an  arduous  and  bloody  struggle  for  independence.  A 
spectacle  of  this  kind  never  failed  to  enlist  his  profoundest  sympathies,  and  elicit 
all  the  powers  of  his  genius. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  year  1824,  the  question  of  the  presidency  was  gener- 
ally agitated.  As  candidates  for  this  office,  Messrs.  J.  Q.  Adams,  Andrew  Jack- 
son, Henry  Clay  and  W.  H.  Crawford  had  been  brought  forward  by  their  respective 
friends.  Mr.  Clay  had  been  nominated  by  the  Kentucky  legislature  as  early  as 
1822.  The  people  failing  to  make  a  choice,  the  election  was  thrown  into  the 
house.  Mr.  Clay,  being  the  lowest  on  the  list,  was  excluded  from  the  house  by 
the  constitutional  provision,  which  makes  it  the  duty  of  congress  to  select  one 
of  the  three  highest  candidates.  His  position  in  the  house  now  became  exceed- 
ingly delicate  as  well  as  important.  He  had  it  in  his  power,  by  placing  himself 
at  the  head  of  the  party  who  went  with  him  in  the  house,  to  control  its  choice  of 
the  three  candidates  before  it.  When  the  election  came  on,  he  cast  his  vote  for 
Mr.  Adams,  who  thus  became  president  of  the  United  States.  This  vote  of  ]Mr. 
Clay  has  been  made  the  subject  of  much  calumny  and  misrepresentation.  At  the 
time,  it  was  charged  that  he  had  been  bought  up  by  the  oifer  of  a  seat  in  the  cab- 
inet. Efforts  were  made  to  produce  evidence  to  this  effect,  but  it  was  attended 
by  signal  failure.  Of  late  years  the  charge  was  reiterated  by  General  Jackson, 
the  defeated  candidate,  which  led  to  an  investigation  of  the  whole  affair.  The 
result  of  this  was  the  exposure  of  one  of  the  darkest  conspiracies  ever  formed,  to 
ruin  the  character  of  an  individual.  Our  limits  forbid  an  attempt  to  array  the  ev- 
idence on  this  subject,  and  we  must  content  ourselves  with  the  remark,  that  there 
is  probably  not  one  man  of  intelligence  now  in  the  Union,  who  gives  to  the 
charge  of  "  bargain  and  corruption,"  the  slightest  credit. 

During  Mr.  Adams'  administration.  Mr.  Clay  occupied  a  seat  in  his  cabinet,  as 
secretary  of  state.  The  various  official  documents  prepared  by  him  while  in  this 
office,  are  among  the  best  in  our  archives.  While  secretary  of  state,  he  nego- 
tiated many  treaties  with  the  various  foreign  powers  with  whom  this  country 
maintained  relations,  in  which  he  approved  himself  as  superior  as  a  diplomatist, 
as  he  had  been  before  unrivalled  as  a  legislator  and  orator.  He  was  a  universal 
favorite  with  the  foreign  ministers,  resident  at  Washington,  and  contributed  much, 
by  his  amenity  and  suavity  of  deportment,  to  place  the  negotiations  on  a  footing 
most  favorable  to  his  own  country. 

At  the  expiration  of  Mr.  Adams'  term  of  office,  Mr.  Clay  retired  to  Ashland,  his 
seat  near  Lexington.  He  continued  engaged  in  the  avocations  of  his  profession  until 
1831,  when  he  was  elected  to  the  senate  of  the  United  States  for  the  term  of  six 
j'ears.  About  the  same  time,  in  a  national  convention  at  Baltimore,  he  was  nom- 
inated to  the  pre^^idency  in  opposition  to  General  Jackson. 

The  subjects  brought  before  the  senate  during  this  term  of  Mr.  Clay's  service, 
were  of  the  most  important  and  exciting  character.  The  subjects  of  the  tariff, 
the  United  States'  bank,  the  public  lands,  &c.,  embracing  a  system  of  legislative 
policy  of  the  most  comprehensive  character  and  the  highest  importance,  constant- 
ly engaged  the  attention  of  the  country  and  of  congress.  During  the  period 
signalized  by  the  agitation  of  these  great  questions,  probably  the  most  exciting 
in  the  political  annals  of  America,  no  man  filled  a  larger  space  in  the  public  eye 


288  FAYETTE    COUNTY. 

than  Mr.  Clay.  He  was  the  centre  of  a  constellation  of  genius  and  talent,  the 
most  brilliant  that  has  ever  lighted  this  western  hemisphere.  Although  defeated 
when  the  election  for  president  carne  on,  that  circumstance  appeared  but  to  in- 
crease the  devotion  of  his  friends,  and  perhaps  the  star  of  Henry  (/lay  never 
blazed  with  a  lustre  so  bright,  so  powerful,  and  far-pervading,  as  at  this  moment, 
when  all  the  elements  of  opposition,  envy,  hatred,  malice,  and  detraction,  con- 
glomerated in  lowering  masses,  seemed  gathering  their  forces  to  extinguish  and 
obscure  its  light  forever. 

It  was  at  this  period  that  the  lines  were  drawn  between  those  two  great  and 
powerful  parties,  which,  assuming  to  themselves  the  respective  noms  de  guerre  of 
Whig  and  Democratic,  lighted  up  those  flames  of  civil  contention  which  have 
kept  this  country  in  a  state  of  confusion  ever  since.  At  the  head  of  these  two 
parties,  towering  in  colossal  strength  above  their  followers,  stood  two  of  the  most 
remarkable  men  of  the  age.  One  of  these  two  great  men  has  since  descended  to 
the  tomb.  Like  all  strong  and  decided  characters,  it  was  his  fortune  to  be  pursued 
with  a  relentless  hatred  by  his  enemies,  and  rewarded  with  a  love,  admiration, 
and  devotion  equally  boundless,  uncalculating,  and  indiscriminating  on  the  part 
of  his  friends.  He  was  unquestionably  a  man  of  great  virtues  and  high  qualities; 
but  the  coloring  of  his  character  was  marred  by  shades  of  darkness,  which  ap- 
peared yet  more  repulsive  from  their  strong  contrast  to  those  traits  of  brightness 
and  nobility  which,  gleaming  out  tlirough  the  habitual  sternness  of  his  nature, 
shed  a  redeeming  glory  over  his  life.  He  left  the  traces  of  his  mind  engraved  in 
deep  and  enduring  marks  upon  the  history  of  his  time,  and,  whatever  may  be  the 
sentence  pronounced  by  posterity  upon  his  character,  truth  will  say  that  when 
Andrew  Jackson  died,  he  left  no  braver  heart  behind  him.  He  was  brave  to  the 
definition  of  bravery  :  deterred  by  no  danger,  moral  or  physical.  A  man  of  im- 
petuous impulses,  of  strong  will  and  indomitable  firmness — he  was  one  of  those 
characters  that  seem  born  to  command.  Such  was  the  man  whose  powerful 
hand,  gathering  up  the  scattered  fragments  of  many  factions  and  parties,  and 
moulding  their  heterogeneous  elements  into  one  combined,  consistent  and  firm  knit 
mass,  seemed  resolved  to  direct  its  concentrated  energies  to  the  destruction  of  any 
institution,  the  subversion  of  any  principle,  and  the  prostration  of  any  individual, 
that  jarred  with  his  feelings,  his  prejudices  or  his  interests. 

It  was  in  opposition  to  this  great  leader,  and  this  powerful  party,  that  Mr.  Clay 
was  called  to  act  upon  his  entrance  into  the  senate  in  1831.  It  was  an  exigency 
which  demanded  all  his  energy  and  all  his  talents.  We  shall  not  pretend  to  say  that 
the  conduct  of  Mr.  Clay  in  these  bitter  and  exciting  controversies,  was  free  from 
the  influence  of  passion.  On  the  contrary,  passion  constitutes  one  of  the  strong 
forces  of  his  character,  and  is  stamped  on  every  action  of  his  life.  Perhaps,  with 
the  exception  of  Andrew  Jackson,  there  was  not  a  man  in  America  so  remarkable 
for  the  fierce  and  unyielding  power  of  his  will,  and  the  deep  and  fervent  impetu- 
osity of  his  passions,  as  Henry  Clay.  It  is  the  characteristic  of  all  decided  men. 
Mr.  Clay  had  no  love  for  his  great  antagonist,  either  personal  or  political.  The 
hostility  between  them  was  deep,  bitter,  and  irremediable;  and  of  them  it  may 
be  truly  said,  that, 

"  Like  fabled  gods,  their  mighty  war 
Shook  realms  and  nations  in  its  jar." 

Our  limits  will  not  allow  us  to  give  more  than  a  mere  summary  of  the  great 
questions  and  events  which  made  up  the  history  of  those  busy  times.  They  be- 
long to  the  public  history  of  the  country,  and  to  that  source  the  reader  must  re- 
sort for  particulars. 

General  Jackson's  veto  of  the  bill  to  re-charter  the  Bank  of  the  United  States, 
while  it  clearly  indicated  the  unsparing  temper  in  which  this  war  of  parties  was 
to  he  prosecuted,  produced  an  eff'ect  on  the  financial  condition  of  the  country, 
which  resulted  in  the  most  disastrous  consequences  to  trade,  commerce,  and  busi- 
ness in  all  its  branches.  The  establishment  of  the  pet  bank  system  but  aggra- 
vated and  hastened  the  evil,  and  in  those  first  measures  of  General  Jackson's 
second  term  of  service,  were  sown  the  seeds  which,  at  a  future  day,  were  reaped 
in  a  harvest  of  woe  and  desolation.  As  in  1816,  Mr.  (/lay  advocated  the  re- 
charter  of  the  bank,  and  denounced  the  veto  in  unmeasured  terms.    He  predicted 


HENRY   CLAY.  289 

the  consequences  which  would  result  from  the  measure,  and  subsequent  events 
verified  his  anticipations. 

In  relation  to  the  tariff,  South  Carolina  had  assumed  a  hostile  attitude.  She 
declared  her  intention  to  resist  the  execution  of  the  revenue  laws  within  her  bor- 
ders, and  prepared  to  maintain  herself  in  this  resistance  by  force  of  arms.  Jack- 
son, on  the  contrary,  swore  by  the  Eternal,  that  the  revenue  laws  should  be  en- 
forced at  all  hazards,  and  threatened  to  bang'  Mr.  Calhoun  and  his  coadjutors  as 
high  as  Haman.  The  national  horizon  becran  to  look  bloody,  and  peaceable  men 
to  tremble.  At  this  juncture,  Mr.  Clay  again  stepped  forward  as  mediator.  Al- 
though wedded  to  the  protective  system,  by  his  conviction  of  its  utility,  and  its 
close  connection  with  the  progress  of  the  country  in  arts,  wealth,  and  civiliza- 
tion, he  was  not  the  man  to  jeopardize  the  existence  of  the  union,  or  sacrifice  the 
peace  of  his  country  to  the  preservation  of  any  favorite  system  of  policy.  He  ac- 
cordingly introduced,  and  after  great  efforts  succeeded  in  passing,  a  compromise 
measure,  which,  without  yielding  the  principle  of  protection,  but  deferring  to  the 
exigencies  of  the  times,  pacified  the  troubled  elements  of  contention,  and  restored 
harmony  to  a  distracted  people.  Perhaps  one  motive  which  governed  Mr.  Clay 
in  his  anxiety  to  pass  the  compromise  act,  was  his  just  alarm  at  the  rapidly  in- 
creasing power  of  the  executive,  which,  about  this  period,  began  to  assume  a 
most  portentous  aspect.  He  was  doubtful  of  the  prudence  of  entrusting  in  the 
hands  of  President  Jackson,  the  power  necessary  to  enforce  the  collection  of  the 
revenue  by  hostile  measures.  He  considered  that  the  power  and  patronage  of  the 
executive  had  already  attained  a  magnitude  incompatible  with  the  public  liberty. 
Subsequent  developments  justified  his  apprehensions. 

Mr.  Clay's  land  bill,  introduced  into  congress  about  this  time,  embodying  a 
system  for  the  gradual  disposition  of  the  unappropriated  public  domain  of  the 
United  .States,  although  it  has  been  the  subject  of  rancorous  contention,  compre- 
hends perhaps  the  most  wise,  federal,  and  judicious  plan  for  accomplishing  that 
object,  that  has  yet  been  devised.  We  have  not  space  for  a  detail  of  the  princi- 
ples and  particulars  of  this  celebrated  measure.  They  belong  to  the  public  his- 
tory of  the  nation,  and  would  be  out  of  place  in  this  sketch. 

In  1836,  Mr.  Van  Buren  became  President  of  the  United  States,  and  Mr.  Clay 
was  re-elected  to  the  senate.  Mr.  Van  Buren's  administration  was  taken  up 
principally  with  the  disputes  relative  to  the  currency.  The  pet  bank  system  hav- 
ing failed,  and  a  general  derangement  and  prostration  of  all  the  business  relations 
and  facilities  of  the  country  having  followed  in  its  train,  an  attempt  was  made  to 
rescue  the  government  from  the  embarrassment  in  which  it  had  involved  the  na- 
tion, by  the  establishment  of  the  sub-treasury  system.  Up  to  this  period,  the 
power  of  the  executive  had  gone  on  steadily  increasing,  until  it  had  absorbed 
every  department  of  the  government.  This  is  the  feature  which  distinguishes 
the  Jackson  and  Van  Buren  administrations  from  all  which  preceded  them.  It 
was  against  this  tendency  of  politics  and  legislation  that  the  whigs,  under  the 
lead  of  Mr.  Clay,  were  called  to  combat,  and  it  finally  got  to  be  the  engrossing 
subject  of  controversy.  The  sub-treasury  was  intended  to  consummate,  complete, 
and  rivet  that  enormous  system  of  executive  power  and  patronage,  which  had 
commenced  under  General  Jackson,  and  attained  its  maximum  during  the  admin- 
istration of  his  obsequious  follower  and  slavish  imitator,  Martin  Van  Buren.  The 
debates  in  congress  on  this  exciting  question,  are  among  the  ablest  in  our  his- 
tory, and  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say,  that  among  those  who  opposed  on  the 
floor  of  the  senate,  by  the  most  gigantic  efforts  of  human  intellect,  the  creation  of 
this  dangerous  money  power  in  the  government,  Mr.  Clay  was  with  the  foremost 
and  most  able.  The  sub-treasury,  however,  was  established,  and  the  system  of 
executive  patronage  under  which  the  majesty  of  law  and  the  independence  of 
official  station  disappeared,  was  complete. 

In  1840,  General  Harrison,  the  whig  candidate  for  the  presidency,  was  elected 
by  one  of  those  tremendous  and  irresistible  popular  movements,  which  are  seen 
in  no  other  country  besides  this.  During  the  canvass,  Mr.  Clay  visited  Hanover 
county,  the  place  of  his  nativity,  and  while  there  addressed  an  assembly  of  the 
people.  It  was  one  of  the  ablest  speeches  of  his  life,  and  contained  a  masterly 
exposition  of  tiie  principles  and  subjects  of  controversy  between  tlie  two  parties.. 

After  tlie  election  of  General  Harrison,  when  congress  assembled,  it  set  itself 
to  work  to  repair  the  ravages  made  in  the  prosperity  and  institutions  of  the  country. 
19 


290  FAYETTE   COUNTY. 

by  twelve  years  of  misfovernment.  Unfortunately,  however,  the  work  had 
scarcely  commenced  before  death  removed  the  lamented  Harrison  from  the  scene 
of  his  usefulness,  and  Mr.  Tyler,  the  vice-president,  succeeded  to  his  place. 
Then  followed,  in  rapid  succession,  veto  after  veto,  until  all  hope  of  accomplish- 
ing the  objects  for  which  the  whigs  came  into  power,  were  extinct. 

During  this  period,  Mr.  Clay  labored  night  and  day  to  bring  the  president  into 
an  accommodating  temper,  but  without  success.  He  seemed  resolved  to  sever  all 
connection  between  himself  and  the  party  which  brought  him  into  power.  He 
will  go  down  to  posterity  with  the  brand  of  traitor  stamped  upon  his  brow,  and 
take  his  place  with  the  Arnolds  of  the  revolution. 

On  the  31st  of  March,  1842,  Mr.  Clay  executed  his  long  and  fondly  cherished 
design  of  retiring  to  spend  the  evening  of  his  days  amid  the  tranquil  shades  of 
Ashland.  He  resigned  his  seat  in  the  senate,  and  presented  to  that  body  the  cre- 
dentials of  his  friend  and  successor,  Mr.  Crittenden.  The  scene  whicli  ensued 
was  indescribably  thrilling.  Had  the  guardian  genius  of  congress  and  the  nation 
been  about  to  take  his  departure,  deeper  feeling  could  hardly  have  been  manifested 
than  when  Mr,  Clay  arose  to  address,  for  the  last  time,  his  congressional  com- 
peers. All  felt  that  the  master  spirit  was  bidding  them  adieu;  that  the  pride  and 
ornament  of  the  senate,  and  the  glory  of  the  nation  was  being  removed,  and  all 
grieved  in  view  of  the  void  that  would  be  created.  When  Mr.  Clay  resumed  his 
seat,  the  senate  unanimously  adjourned  for  the  day. 

In  May,  1844,  the  national  whig  convention  nominated  Mr.  Clay  as  a  candi- 
date for  president  of  the  United  States.  The  nominee  of  the  democratic  party  was 
Colonel  .Tames  K.  Polk,  of  Tennessee.  The  canvass  was  probably  one  of  the 
most  exciting  ever  witnessed  in  this  country.  In  addition  to  the  old  issues,  a 
new  one  was  formed  on  the  proposition  to  annex  the  republic  of  Texas  to  the 
American  union.  This  cjuestion,  intimately  involving  the  exciting  subject  of 
slavery,  gave  to  the  presidential  canvass  a  new  character  and  an  unforeseen  direc- 
tion. It  would  be  out  of  place  here,  although  not  without  interest  and  instruc- 
tion, to  trace  and  analyze  the  causes  which  operated  to  defeat  the  whigs.  Suffice 
it  to  say,  that  Mr.  Polk  was  made  president.  Texas  became  one  of  the  United 
States.  War  ensued  with  Mexico;  and  the  armies  of  the  United  States  swept 
the  fertile  provinces  of  that  sister  republic  from  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande  to 
the  western  base  of  the  Koeky  mountains.  Governments  were  abrogated,  and 
new  ones  established  in  their  pluce,  by  the  fiat  of  subordinate  militia  officers  ;  and 
throughout  the  whole  extent  of  that  rich  and  beautiful  region,  scenes  were  enacted 
which  carry  the  mind  back  to  tiie  days  of  romance,  and  revive  the  memory  of  those 
bloody  national  tragedies  which  have  crimsoned  the  pages  of  European  and  Asi- 
atic history. 

Since  the  presidential  election  of  1844,  Mr.  Clay  has  lived  in  retirement  at 
Ashland,  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He  is  now  in  the  seventieth 
year  of  his  age,  and  the  full  enjoyment  of  all  his  faculties.  Few  men  have  ever 
lived  who  could  look  back  over  a  career  so  various,  so  full  of  strange  vicissitude 
and  stirring  incident.  And  fewer  still  have  lived,  who  could  find  in  such  retro- 
spect, so  little  to  condemn  or  regret;  so  many  subjects  of  pleasing  reflection 
and  allowat)le  self-gratiilation.  May  the  evening  of  his  days  be  as  bright  and 
tranquil  and  pleasant,  as  their  meridian  has  been  brilliant,  glorious  and  suc- 
cessful. 

Mr.  Clay  entered  the  legislature  of  Kentucky  in  1803.  He  returned  from  the 
senate  of  the  United  States  in  1842.  Durinnf  a  period  of  forty  ypars,  he  has  inin- 
gled  actively  and  with  a  controlling  influence  in  the  politics  of  the  country.  Prob- 
ably no  man  has  lived  during  this  time,  who  has  made  an  impression  upon  legis- 
lation so  deep  and  enduring,  or  who  has  exercised  so  strong  an  influence  in  shap- 
ing the  course  of  public  sentiment.  He  entered  ])uhlic  life  when  the  nation  was 
yet  in  its  early  infancy.  Our  institutions  were  new  and  comparatively  imtried. 
Our  principles  were  in  a  state  of  formation  ;  and  those  gigantic  eleinents  of  wealth 
and  power,  with  which  providence  has  blessed  this  magnificent  land,  were  still 
undiscovered  and  remained  to  be  developed.  More  than  half  of  the  country  was 
covered  witli  an  unbroken  forest.  Those  rich  and  wide  spread  regions,  which, 
stretching  from  the  Allesfhany  to  the  Rocky  mountains,  and  from  the  head  waters 
of  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  to  the  sands  of  the  Mexican  Gulf,  are  now  the 
seat  of  many  powerful  states  and  opulent  communities,  then  lay  dark  and  silent, 


> 


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HENRY  CLAY.  291 

the  home  of  the  panther,  the  hear,  and  the  prowling  savage.  Before  the  public 
men  of  that  day  was  spread  the  grandest  field  that  ever  invited  the  attention  or 
presented  a  fitting  theatre  to  the  genius  of  a  statesman.  Those  immense  resources 
were  to  be  developed,  and  those  noble  elements  combined  and  moulded  into  all 
those  fair  forms  of  public  prosperity  which  modern  civilization  presents  for  the 
admiration  of  the  patriot,  philanthropist  and  philosopher.  For  forty  years  this 
great  work  has  been  steadily  progressing.  Those  gloomy  forests  have  been  sub- 
dued and  converted  into  the  garden  spot  of  the  world.  Civilization  has  pene- 
trated their  dark  glades,  and  arts  and  knowledge  have  humanized  their  most 
savage  retreats.  Temples  to  the  living  God  now  lift  their  lofty  spires  in  every 
direction  throughout  that  smiling  region,  and  splendid  cities  rear  their  glittering 
domes  where  the  sombre  forest  waved  its  rustling  foliage.  Over  this  region,  so 
late  a  howling  solitude,  there  is  now  spread  a  population  of  many  millions  ;  active, 
industrious  and  intelligent;  moral,  religious  and  refined;  carrying  forward  the 
arts  to  the  highest  perfection,  and  sending  forth  the  products  of  their  industry  and 
ingenuity  into  every  country  of  the  earth. 

With  the  progressive  advance  of  this  wonderful  development  of  national 
greatness,  Mr.  Clay  has  been  contemporary:  and  in  the  wise  and  judicious  legis- 
lation, under  whose  fostering  care  the  great  work  has  gone  steadilj'  forward,  the 
traces  of  his  powerful  hand  are  to  be  seen  at  every  step.  Endowed  by  nature 
with  genius  of  high  and  commanding  attributes — eloquent  and  brilliant — ardent 
and  ambitious — he  possesses  all  those  qualities  which,  in  a  democratic  country  and 
under  popular  institutions,  confer  power  and  extended  influence.  From  his  ear- 
liest manhood  he  has  been  placed  in  the  most  responsible  stations  ;  and  from  the 
control  which  he  has  alwa)'s  exercised  over  the  party  with  which  he  was  connec- 
ted, has  given  a  direction  to  its  energies,  and  communicated  the  coloring  of  his 
own  views  to  its  principles  and  opinions. 

The  question,  then,  as  to  the  light  in  which  bis  character  will  be  estimated  by 
posterity — whether  as  a  true  statesman,  comprehensive,  sagacious  and  far-sighted 
— a  patriot,  pure,  and  undefiled,  exerting  his  God-given  faculties  in  singleness  of 
heart  to  build  up  the  fortunes  and  secure  the  liberties  of  his  country  ;  or  as  a  mere 
intriguing  politician,  absorbed  in  the  pursuit  of  his  own  selfish  ambition,  becomes 
one  of  great  interest  and  general  importance.  It  cannot  be  disguised  that,  if  the 
principles  upon  which  this  man's  conduct  has  been  founded,  are  false,  and  hol- 
low, and  corrupt,  there  is  much  of  that  which  is  noblest,  highest  and  most  excel- 
lent in  our  own  history,  liable  to  the  same  reproach.  For  it  is  these  principles, 
and  the  spirit  of  this  man,  working  out  through  many  obstacles  its  cherished  de- 
signs, that  now  stand  before  the  world  embodied  in  the  forms  of  laws,  opinions 
and  institutions,  which  give  a  character  to  the  age. 

In  early  life  Mr.  Clay  acted  with  that  party  which  was  known  as  the  demo- 
cratic, and  of  which  Thomas  Jefferson  was  the  acknowledged  leader  and  anima- 
ting spirit.  His  first  public  efforts  after  his  arrival  in  Kentucky  were  directed 
against  the  alien  and  sedition  laws:  and  upon  most  subjects  he  continued  to 
think  and  act  with  the  democratic  party,  while  it  retained  an  organized  exist- 
ence, and  until  the  part}"  lines  were  broken  up  and  obliterated  under  the  admin- 
istration of  James  Monroe.  But,  although  agreeing  in  sentiment  with  his  party 
upon  the  majority  of  those  questions  which  formed  the  grounds  of  the  controvers}'' 
between  it  and  its  great  antagonist,  it  is  due  to  Mr.  Clay  to  say  that  he  never 
sacrificed  the  right  of  private  judgment,  or  yielded  up  his  freedom  of  action. 
Thus,  upon  some  questions,  in  which  he  believed  the  principles  of  the  party  to  be 
inimical  to  the  true  interests  of  the  country,  he  separated  without  hesitation  from 
the  majority  of  his  political  friends.  As  a  noted  example  of  this  perfect  inde- 
pendence with  which  he  exercised  the  right  of  judging  for  himself,  we  may  men- 
tion his  course  in  relation  to  the  great  subject  of  internal  improvements.  It  is 
well  known  that  from  his  first  entrance  into  the  senate  of  the  United  States  in 
1806,  he  was  an  ardent  advocate  of  the  policy  of  extending  the  patronage  and 
protection  of  government  to  works  of  this  kind.  And  yet,  the  administrations  of 
Jefferson,  Madison,  and  Monroe,  and  the  majority  of  the  democratic  party,  were 
hostile  to  the  policy.  The  power  to  promote  internal  improvements  was  among 
those  implied  powers,  which  the  creed  of  democracy  almost  utterly  disclaimed. 
On  the  question  of  the  United  States'  bank,  again,  in  1811,  Mr.  Clay  acted  with 
his  party,  as  he  did   not  believe  the  necessity  for  such  institution  to  be  such,  as 


292  FAYETTE    COUNTY. 

would  justify  a  resort  to  implied  powers.  On  this  subject,  in  1811,  he  parti- 
cipated fully  in  the  jealousy  with  vvhicli  his  party  viewed  all  corporations.  Power, 
in  any  shape,  was  the  great  bugbear  of  democracy  at  that  day  ;  and  the  power 
which  resided  in  independent  corporations  of  individuals,  was  honored  with  a  pe- 
culiar share  of  aversion.  The  democrats  of  1811  viewed  the  incorporation  of  the 
United  States'  bank  with  much  the  same  feeling  with  which  the  whigs,  at  a  later 
day,  looked  upon  the  establishment  of  the  sub-treasury. 

On  the  subject  of  the  tariff,  Mr.  Clay  had  the  happiness  to  act  in  concert  with 
his  party  ;  as  it  is  well  known  that  Jefferson,  Madison,  and  Monroe,  with  a  ma- 
jority of  their  followers,  were  all  friendly  to  the  policy. 

When  the  modern  whig  and  democratic  parties  were  organized,  Mr.  Clay  was 
found  with  the  whigs.  The  principles  and  leading  characteristics  of  this  party,  cor- 
responded very  closely  with  those  of  the  old  democratic  or  Jeffersonian  party,  with 
such  modification  as  time,  experience  and  the  altered  circumstances  of  the  coun- 
try, had  inevitably  produced.  Both  were  distinguished  by  the  same  jealousy  of 
executive  power;  which  may  be  said  to  have  formed  the  basis  upon  which  the 
organization  of  each  reposed. 

Upon  the  subject  of  slavery,  Mr.  Clay  has  always  been  a  sound  conservative. 
For  many  years,  he  acted  as  president  of  the  American  colonization  society  ;  and 
while  deprecating  the  acknowledged  evils  of  African  slavery,  and  prepared  to  co- 
operate in  any  plan  by  which  it  could  be  gradually  and  safely  banished  from  the 
country,  he  has  invariably  opposed,  with  firmness,  the  wild  fanatic  schemes  of 
modern  abolitionism. 

Upon  an  impartial  review  of  his  career  as  a  politician,  it  may  be  pronounced 
that  Mr.  Clay's  principles  have  approached  as  near  the  standard  of  true  democracy, 
as  those  of  any  public  man  in  our  history  ;  equally  removed  from  the  fanaticism 
and  radicalism  of  the  demagogue,  as  from  the  bigotry  of  aristocratic  prejudice. 

The  personal  characteristics  of  Mr.  Clay  are  obvious  to  the  most  superficial 
observer.  That  he  is  a  man  of  vast  powers,  has  never  been  contested.  As  an 
orator,  he  has  had  few  equals.  As  a  statesman,  he  has  been  remarkable  for  the 
enlargement  of  his  views,  and  for  his  far  sighted  sagacity.  His  political  infor- 
mation is  extensive  and  accurate.  He  is  a  man  of  proud  spirit  and  dauntless 
courage;  ardent,  impetuous,  self-willed,  and  withal  ambitious  ;  a  man  of  intense 
convictions  and  burning  passions.  These  qualities  have  made  him  as  much 
feared  and  hated  by  his  adversaries  as  he  is  admired  and  beloved  by  his  friends. 
It  has  fallen  to  the  lot  of  few  men  to  live  a  life  so  crowded  with  incidents, 
events  and  passages  of  stirring  interest  and  deep  excitement.  From  his  earliest 
youth,  he  has  been  accustomed  to  mingle  in  those  scenes  which  develop  the  deep- 
est and  strongest  faculties  of  our  nature,  both  of  good  and  evil.  And  in  view  of 
all,  it  may  he  said  that  few  men,  looking  back  over  the  same  career,  could  find 
90  few  actions  which  merit  reproach.  Posterity,  removed  by  time  and  distance 
from  the  influence  of  passions  and  interests  which  now  obscure  the  judgments 
of  men,  will  look  calmly  at  the  great  epic  of  his  life,  and  with  stern  impartial- 
ity award  to  each  particular  act  the  meed  of  praise  or  odium  of  censure,  and  sum- 
ming up  the  events  of  his  varied  career,  pronounce  upon  his  character,  and  write 
his  epitaph. 

Ashland,  the  residence  of  Mr.  Clay,  comprising  the  house,  grounds  and  park, 
is  situated  a  mile  and  a  half  south-east  of  the  court-house  in  Lexington,  on  the 
south-west  side  of  the  turnpike  road  leading  to  Richmond.  The  whole  estate  of 
Ashland  consists  of  five  or  six  hundred  acres  of  the  best  land  in  Kentucky. 
Ashland  proper  was  projected  for  an  elegant  country  seat.  The  house  is  a  spa- 
cious brick  mansion,  without  much  architectural  pretensions,  surrounded  by 
lawns  and  j)leasure  grounds.  The  grounds  are  interspersed  with  walks  and 
groves,  and  planted  with  almost  every  variety  of  American  shrubbery  and  forest 
trees.  As  the  domicil  of  iIk;  great  American  statesman,  Ashland  is  one  of  the 
household  words  of  the  American  people. 

Mr.  Clay  is  one  of  the  most  enterprising  and  successful  farmers  in  Kentucky, 
and  has  contributed  much  to  improve  the  quality  of  the  stock  of  the  country. 
Mrs.  Clay,  we  understand,  derives  from  the  produce  of  her  dairy  alone  a  very 
considerable  revenue. 

Colonel  William  Dudley,  well  known  in  American  history  from  the  bloody 


A.S11LAM),    RKSIDENCE   OF   HENRY   CLAY,  KY. 


ANCIENT     FORT,    FAYETTE    CO.,    KY. 


294  FAYETTE    COUNTY. 

and  disastrous  defeat  sustained  by  the  Kentuekians  under  his  command,  at  fort 
Meigs  during  the  late  war,  was  a  citizen  of  Fayette  county.  He  was  a  native 
of  Spottsylvania  county,  Virginia,  and  emigrated  to  Kentucky  at  an  early  age. 
He  was  for  many  years  a  leading  magistrate  of  Fayette  county,  and  was  much 
respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  In  the  north-western  campaign  of  1813,  under 
General  Harrison,  he  held  the  command  of  a  colonel  in  the  Kentucky  troops,  and 
on  the  5th  of  May  was  sent,  at  the  head  of  a  detachment,  to  spike  a  battery  of 
cannon  which  had  been  erected  by  the  British  army,  at  that  time  besieging  fort 
Meigs.  He  succeeded  in  spiking  the  guns,  but  attempting  to  follow  up  his  ad- 
vantage, by  attacking  some  troops  in  the  vicinity,  was  surrounded  by  the  Indians 
and  defeated  with  terrible  slaughter.  Colonel  Dudley  was  shot  in  the  body  and 
thigh,  and  thus  disabled.  When  last  seen,  he  was  sitting  in  the  swamp,  defend- 
ing himself  against  the  Indians,  who  swarmed  around  him  in  great  numbers.  He 
was  finally  killed,  and  his  corpse  nmtilated  in  a  most  shocking  manner.  He  was 
a  brave  and  accomplished  officer,  and  but  for  his  rashness,  a  fault  too  common  at 
that  day  among  Kentuekians,  his  military  character  would  have  stood  high. 

Among  the  distinguished  men  who  have  made  Fayette  county  their  residence, 
was  the  late  Richard  H.  Menifee,  whose  premature  death  cast  a  gloom  over  the 
whole  State.  It  has  been  the  fortune  of  but  few  men,  of  the  same  age,  to  leave 
behind  them  a  reputation  so  brilliant.  Born  in  obscurity,  and  forced  to  struggle 
in  early  life  against  an  array  of  liostile  influences  sufficient  to  have  crushed  any 
common  spirit,  he  had,  at  the  period  of  his  early  death,  attained  an  eminence 
which  fixed  upon  him  the  eyes  of  all  America,  as  one  of  our  most  promising 
statesmen.  He  was  a  native  of  Bath  county,  and  in  early  life  taught  a  school  to 
supply  himself  with  the  means  of  ol)laining  a  profession.  His  success  at  the 
bar  was  rapid  and  brilliant.  He  w'as  barely  eligible,  when  he  was  elected  to  rep- 
resent the  county  of  Montgomery  in  the  Kentucky  legislature.  In  this  body  he 
established  a  character  for  ability  which  spread  his  name  through  the  .State.  At 
twenty-seven  years  of  age,  he  was  elected  to  Congress.  His  efl^orts  on  the  floor 
of  the  house,  bearing  the  impress  of  high  genius  and  commanding  talent,  soon 
placed  him  in  the  front  rank  of  debaters,  at  a  time  when  Congress  was  remarka- 
ble for  the  number  of  its  able  men.  At  the  close  of  his  term  of  service,  he  re- 
moved to  Lexington,  and  devoted  himself  to  the  practice  of  his  profession.  Busi- 
ness flowed  in  upon  him,  and  he  was  rapidly  amassing  a  fortune,  which  would 
have  enabled  him  to  re-enter  public  life,  and  accomplish  those  ardent  desires 
cherished  from  his  early  boyhood,  when  his  career  was  prematurely  checked  by 
death.  He  died  at  his  residence  in  Lexington,  in  1840,  in  the  thirty-first  year 
of  his  age. 

Col.  William  R.  M'Kee  was  a  resident,  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  Henrv  Clay, 
Jun.,  a  native,  of  Fayette.  These  officers  fell  while  bravely  fighting  at  the  head 
of  the  second  Kentucky  regiment,  at  Buena  Vista,  in  Mexico. 

There  are  several  remains  in  the  northern  part  of  Fayette  county,  which  appear 
to  be  vestiges  of  ancient  Indian  fortifications.  Thirty  years  ago,  there  was  a 
small  and  very  intricate  one  on  the  plantation  of  the  late  Col.  William  Russell; 
but  it  was  examined  in  the  summer  of  1810,  and  found  to  be  nearly  obliterated. 
There  are  three,  two  of  tliem  still  very  distinct,  near  the  di\jiding  line  between 
the  old  military  surveys  of  Dandridge  and  Meredith,  of  which  a  brief  descrip- 
tion may  be  interesting.  The  most  easterly  of  those  is  on  the  estate  of  C.  C. 
Moore,  Esq.  It  is  on  the  top  of  a  high  blufT,  on  ttie  west  side  of  North  Elkhorn, 
in  the  midst  of  a  very  thick  growth,  mostly  of  sugar  trees.  The  area  within  a 
deep  and  broad  circular  ditch,  is  about  a  quarter  of  an  acre  of  ground.  The  ditch 
is  still  deep  enough,  in  some  places,  to  hide  a  man  on  horseback.  The  dirt  taken 
from  the  ditch,  is  thrown  outward;  and  there  is  a  gateway  where  the  ditch  was 
never  dug,  some  ten  feet  wide,  on  the  north  side  of  the  circle.  Trees,  several 
hundred  years  old,  are  growing  on  the  bank  and  in  the  bottom  of  the  ditch,  and 
over  the  area  which  it  encloses,  and  the  whole  region  about  it.  A  hundred  yards, 
or  thereabout,  from  this  work,  down  a  gentle  slope,  and  near  a  large  spring  branch, 
there  was,  about  the  commencement  of  this  century,  a  circular  ditch  enclosing  a 
very  small  area,  probably  not  above  ten  feet  wide,  within  the  inner  margin  of  the 


CONTEST   WITH   A   WILD  OAT.  295 

ditch,  which  was  broad,  flat,  and  obscure  at  that  time;  at  present  it  is  hardly  vis- 
ible. Tills  is  also  on  Mr.  Moore's  estate.  Going  still  westward  from  this  spot, 
you  cross  a  branch,  ascend  a  sharp  slope,  and  come  upon  an  elevated  and  beauti- 
ful forest  alonff  the  old  military  line  spoken  of  above  ;  and  at  the  distance  of  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  work  first  described,  is  a  work  of  considerable  extent. 
It  commences  on  the  Meredith  estate,  and  runs  over  on  the  Cabell's  Dale  estate 
(the  Breckinridge  property),  and  contains  perhaps  ten  acres  of  land.  The  shape 
of  the  area  is  not  unlike  that  of  the  moon,  when  about  two-thirds  full.  The  dirt 
from  the  ditch  enclosing  this  area,  is  thrown  sometimes  out,  sometimes  in,  and 
sometimes  both  ways.  There  is  no  water  within  a  hundred  yards  of  this  work; 
but  there  are  several  very  fine  springs  a  tew  hundred  yards  oflT;  and  North  Elk- 
horn  is  within  that  distance  in  a  north-eastern  direction.  An  ash  tree  was  cut 
down  in  the  summer  of  1845,  which  stood  on  the  bank  of  this  ditch,  which,  upon 
being  examined,  proved  to  be  four  hundred  years  old.  The  ditch  is  still  perfectly 
distinct  throughout  its  whole  extent,  and  in  some  places  is  so  deep  and  steep  as  to 
be  dangerous  to  pass  with  a  carriage.  It  is  difficult,  perhaps  impossible,  to  as- 
certain when,  by  whom,  or  for  what  purpose,  these  works  were  made.  Many 
of  them  seem  wholly  incapable  of  military  use  of  any  kind  ;  and  it  is  probable 
they  may  have  been  connected  with  the  national  religion,  or  possibly  the  national 
shows  and  sports  of  the  original  makers  of  them.  In  one  of  the  fields  of  the 
Cabell  Dale  estate,  an  immense  mass,  perhaps  several  bushels,  of  flint  arrow 
heads,  have  been  picked  up  within  the  last  half  century,  over  an  area  of  an  acre 
or  two  of  ground  ;  and  on  the  same  estate,  in  a  southerly  direction  from  the  work 
first  described,  are  several  ancient  tumuli  of  considerable  extent. 

Singular  Incident. — Mr.  McClung,  in  his  "  Sketches  of  Western  Adventure," 
relates  the  following  incident,  which,  from  its  singularity,  will  doubtless  be  read 
with  interest : 

"  In  1781,  Lexington  was  only  a  cluster  of  c;ibins,  one  of  which,  near  the  spot  whore  the 
court  house  now  stands,  was  used  as  a  school  house.  One  morning  in  May,  McKinley,  the 
teacher,  was  sitting  alone  at  his  desk,  busily  engaged  in  writing,  when  hearing  a  slight  noise 
at  the  door,  he  turufd  his  head,  and  beheld,  what  do  you  suppose,  reader?  A  tall  Indian 
in  his  war  paint,  brandishing  his  tomahawk  or  handling  his  knife?  No!  an  enormous  cat, 
with  her  fore-feet  upon  the  step  of  the  door,  her  tail  curled  over  her  back,  her  bristles  erect, 
and  her  eyes  glancing  rapidly  through  the  room,  as  if  in  search  of  a  mouse. 

McKirdey's  position  at  fust  completely  concealed  him,  but  a  slight  and  involuntary  mo- 
tion of  his  chair,  at  sight  of  this  shaggy  inhabitant  of  the  forest,  attracted  puss's  attention, 
and  their  eyes  met.  McKinley  having  heard  much  of  the  powers  of  "  the  human  face  di- 
vine," in  quelling  the  audacity  of  wild  animals,  attempted  to  disconcert  the  intruder  by  a 
frown.  But  puss  was  not  to  be  bullied.  Her  eyes  flashed  lire,  her  tail  waved  angrily,  and 
she  began  to  gnash  her  teeth,  evidently  bent  upon  serious  hostility.  Seeing  his  danger,  Mc- 
Kinley hastily  arose  and  attempted  to  snatch  a  cylindrical  rule  from  a  table  which  stood 
within  reach,  but  the  cat  was  too  quick  for  him. 

"  Darting  upon  him  with  the  ])rovcrbial  activity  of  her  tribe,  she  fastened  upon  his  side 
with  her  teeth,  and  began  to  rend  and  tear  with  her  claws  like  a  fury.  McKinlcy's  clothes 
were  in  an  instant  turn  from  his  side,  and  his  flesh  dreadfully  mangled  by  the  enraged  animal, 
whose  strength  and  ferocity  filled  him  with  astonishment.  He  in  vain  attempted  to  disengage 
her  from  his  side.  Her  long  sharp  teeth  were  fastened  between  his  ribs,  and  his  efl'orts  served 
but  to  enrage  her  the  more.  Seeing  his  blood  flow  very  cojaously  from  the  numerous  wounds 
in  his  side,  he  became  seriously  alarmed,  and  not  knowing  what  else  to  do,  he  threw  himself 
upon  the  edge  of  the  table,  and  pressed  her  against  the  sharp  corner  with  the  whole  weight 
of  his  body. 

"  The  cat  now  began  to  utter  the  most  wild  and  discordant  cries,  and  McKinley,  at  the  same 
time,  lifting  up  his  vuice  in  concert,  the  two  together  sent  forth  notes  so  doleful  as  to  alarm 
the  whole  town.  Women,  who  are  always  the  first  in  hearing  or  spreading  news,  were  now 
the  first  to  come  to  McKinley 's  assistance.  But  so  strange  and  uneartblj'  was  the  harmony 
within  the  school  house,  that  they  hesitated  long  before  they  ventured  to  enter.  At  lenuth 
the  boldest  of  them  rushed  in,  and  seeing  McKinley  bending  over  the  corner  of  the  table, 
and  writhing  his  body  as  if  in  great  pain,  she  at  fir.st  supjxised  that  he  was  laboring  under 
a  severe  fit  of  the  colic  ;  but  quickly  perceiving  the  cat.  which  was  now  in  the  agonies  of 
death,  she  screamed  out,  "  why  good  heaven  !   .Mr.  McKinley,  what  is  the  matter  1" 

"  I  have  caught  a  cat,  madam  !"  replied  he,  gravely  turning  round,  while  the  sweat  streamed 
from  his  face  under  the  mingled  operation  of  fright,  and  fatigue,  and  agony.  Most  of  the 
neighbors  had  now  arrived,  and  attempted  to  disengage  the  dead  cat  from  her  antagonist; 


296  FLEMING   COUNTY. 

but,  so  firmly  were  her  tusks  locked  between  his  ribs,  that  this  was  a  work  of  no  small  diffi- 
culty. Scarcely  had  it  been  eflfected,  when  McKinley  became  very  sick,  and  was  compelled 
to  go  to  bed.  In  a  few  days,  however,  he  had  entirely  recovered,  and  so  late  as  1820,  was 
alive,  and  a  resident  of  Bourbon  county,  Kentucky,  where  he  has  often  been  heard  to  affirm, 
that  he,  at  any  time,  had  rather  fight  two  Indians  than  one  wild  cat." 


FLEMING    COUNTY. 

Flevung  county  was  formed  in  1798,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Colonel  John  Fleming.  It  is  situated  in  the  north-east  part  of  the 
State,  on  Licking  river — bounded  on  the  north  by  Mason  and 
Lewis;  east  by  Carter;  south  by  Bath,  and  west  by  Nicholas. 
The  face  of  the  country  is  variegated,  and  the  soil  as  diversified 
as  that  of  any  county  in  Kentucky.  The  western  portion  of  the 
county,  in  the  centre  of  which  is  situated  the  county  seat,  is  roll- 
ing or  undulating,  abounding  in  limestone  and  very  productive 
for  grasses,  hemp  and  corn,  and  a  part  well  adapted  for  wheat. 
The  eastern  and  north-eastern  portion  of  the  county,  embracing 
an  extensive  territory,  is  generally  mountainous,  interspersed  with 
large  creeks  and  fertile  bottoms,  adapted  to  corn,  wheat,  clover 
and  tobacco — abounding  in  mineral-waters — among  which  the 
Fox  Springs  and  Phillips  Springs  are  improved  as  watering  places; 
watered  by  main  Licking,  Fleming,  Fox  and  Triplett  creeks.  Its 
principal  exports  consist  of  cattle,  hogs  and  hemp. 

Taxable  property  in  1846,  $3,422,370;  number  of  acres  of  land 
in  the  county  280,681  ;  average  value  of  lands  per  acre,  $6,96; 
number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  2,325  ; 
number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  old,  2,810. 
Population  in  1830,   13,493— in  1840,  13,268. 

The  towns  of  Fleming,  are  Flemingsbm-g,  Poplar  Plains,  Mount 
Carmel,  Elizaville,  Hillsborough  and  Sherburn.  Flemingsburg  is 
the  county-seat  and  principal  town,  situated  on  the  Maysville 
and  Mount  Sterling  turnpike  road,  seventeen  miles  from  the  for- 
mer place,  and  seventy-nine  miles  from  Frankfort.  It  contains  a 
large  and  handsome  brick  court  house,  with  a  fine  cupola,  bell 
and  clock ;  five  churches,  (Presbyterian,  Baptist,  Methodist,  Re- 
formed or  Christian,  and  Seceder).  One  Academy,  one  collegiate 
institution,  six  physicians,  twelve  lawyers,  six  stores,  three  hotels, 
one  printing  office,  (Fleming  Flag,)  market  house  and  jail,  a 
branch  of  the  Louisville  bank,  one  hat  store,  one  drug  store, 
twenty  mechanics'  shops,  and  one  large  steam  flouring  mill.  Es- 
tablished in  the  year  1812.  Population  800.  Derived  its  name 
from  the  Fleming  family. 

Elizaville  is  five  miles  from  Flemingsburg,  and  contains  three 
stores,  one  tavern,  three  physicians,  one  tanner}^,  one  manufactory 
of  saleratus,  pearlash,  &c.,  one  school  and  five  mechanics'  shops. 
Hillsborough  contains  two  stores,  one  tavern,  post  office  and  black- 
smith shop.      Population  forty.     Mount   Carmel  is  seven  miles 


INDIAN   TROUBLES.  297 

north  of  Flemingsburgh,  and  contains  two  stores,  one  tavern,  one 
Methodist  church,  one  school  house,  two  doctors,  two  tanneries, 
one  wool  factory,  five  mechanical  trades.  Population  120.  In- 
corporated in  1825.  Poplar  Plains  is  situated  five  miles  south- 
east of  Flemingsbui'g — incorporated  in  1831,  contains  two  stores, 
one  tavern,  post  office,  tannery,  woolen  factory  and  oil  mill,  two 
doctors  and  six  mechanics'  shops.  Population,  100.  Sherburnia 
a  small  village  and  mills  on  Licking  river,  containing  a  store, 
post  office,  tailor's  shop,  blacksmith  shop  and  tavern.  Population 
about  40. 

The  Geological  statistics  of  Fleming  county  are  not  in  general  of  a  rich  or  varied 
character.  It  rests  principally  upon  the  upper  strata  of  the  blue  limestone  series, 
belonging,  with  its  accompaniments,  to  the  transition  formation  :  though  in  the 
eastern  part,  it  is  in  some  places  overlaid  with  a  very  silicious  limestone,  prob- 
ably the  equivalent  of  the  cliff  limestone;  and  in  the  "knobs"  rises  into  the 
blank  slate,  capped  with  old  red  sandstone.  Except  where  the  rocks  and  clays 
occupy  the  surface,  (which  is  but  a  small  portion,)  the  soil  is  very  productive, 
much  of  it  being-  good  hemp  land  ;  but  no  important  metals  are  to  be  found. 
There  are  several  small  deposites  of  iron  ore,  not  valuable  or  extensive  to  work, 
as  far  as  examined.  One  of  these,  however,  lying  near  the  Licking  river,  is  a 
remarkable  and  rare  deposite.  The  oxide  of  iron,  incorporated  with  sand,  is 
formed  into  regular  tubes,  from  the  size  of  a  pistol  barrel  to  several  inches  in 
diameter,  the  cylinder  being  from  a  half  to  one  and  a  half  inches  thick.  It  is 
impossible  to  estimate  the  length  of  these  fulgurites,  as  the  fragments  have  been 
fractured  at  both  ends  by  the  ploughshare. 

There  is  likewise  a  large  deposite  of  clay  near  Poplar  Plains,  suitable  for  pot- 
ter's ware.  The  other  minerals  are  small  quantities  of  sulphurate  of  iron,  calca- 
rious  spar,  barytes  and  petroleum  or  "  mineral  tar."  The  disintegrating  limestone 
presents  about  seventy-five  species  of  fossils,  some  of  them  in  great  abundance 
and  perfection,  the  hill  sides  of  the  undulating  surface  exposing  them  to  obser- 
vation. The  soil  has  but  a  small  proportion  of  sand  in  its  composition,  clay  and 
lime  predominating. 

George  Stockton,  who,  in  his  infancy,  had  been  taken  prisoner,  together  with 
a  sister,  by  the  Indians  in  Virginia,  and  carried  to  New  York,  there  remained 
until  he  became  so  much  attached  to  the  Indian  manner  of  living,  that  the  desire 
to  see  his  friends  and  family  could  scarcely  overcome  his  reluctance  to  part  with 
those  whom  association  had  made  dear. 

After  he  had  grown  up,  he  accompanied  his  tribe  on  a  trading  expedition  to 
Pennsylvania,  and  there  determined  to  visit  his  friends  in  Virginia.  A  fondness 
for  forest  life  had  so  entertwined  itself  with  his  very  nature,  that  he  could  ill  sup- 
port the  dull  uniformity  of  society,  and  he  soon  set  out  for  Kentucky,  to  enjoy 
the  glorious  solitude  and  freedom  of  the  woods.  He  settled  at  Stockton's  station, 
in  sight  of  Flemingsburg,  in  1787. 

Robert  Stockton  and  Beacham  Rhodes  set  out  from  Stockton's  station  in  the 
winter  of  1789,  for  the  purpose  of  hunting  on  the  waters  of  Fox's  creek  and  its 
tributaries,  then  the  favorite  resorts  of  the  buffalo,  deer,  bear,  &c.  Regarding  the 
season  of  the  year,  it  was  not  considered  any  adventure  fraught  with  great  dan- 
ger, as  the  Indians  rarely  visited  Kentucky  except  in  the  seasons  when  the  neces- 
saries of  life  were  more  easily  obtained.  The  hunters  pitched  their  camp  upon 
the  bank  of  Fox's  creek,  and  enjoyed  several  days  of  successful  hunting  and  ex- 
citing sport.  On  the  night  of  the  15th  February,  after  a  day  of  unusual  excite- 
ment and  fatigue,  the  hunters,  replenishing  their  fire,  rolled  themselves  up  in 
their  blankets,  and  stretching  themselves  (with  their  two  fine  dogs)  upon  the 
ground,  after  the  manner  of  the  hunters  of  that  day,  without  other  "means  and 
appliances,"  were  soon  soundly  asleep.  About  the  middle  of  the  night,  they 
were  aroused  by  the  simultaneous  discharge  of  two  guns.  Stockton  sprung  to  his 
feet  only  to  fall  lifeless  to  the  earth.  Rhodes,  though  severely  wounded  in  the 
hip  by  two  balls  from  the  same  gun,  succeeded  (whilst  the  dogs  made  fiercely  at 
the  Indians)  in  crawling  beyond  the  light  of  the  fire.     Stationing  himself  behind 


298  FLEMING  COUNTY. 

a  tree,  he  calmly  awaited  the  re-appearance  of  the  Indians,  resolved  to  sell  his 
life  at  the  cost  of  one  of  theirs.  The  Indians,  doubtless,  suspecting  his  purpose, 
were  wise  enough  to  mount  the  horses  of  tlie  hunters,  and  made  for  tiie  Kentucky 
river,  where  one  of  them  was  afterwards  killed.  The  Indians  not  appearing, 
Rhodes  determined,  if  possible,  to  conceal  himself  before  day  should  dawn. 
With  this  hope,  he  crawled  into  the  creek,  and  that  his  trail  might  not  be  discov- 
ered, kept  in  the  water  until  about  a  iialf  a  mile  from  camp  he  came  to  a  large* 
pile  of  brush  and  logs  which  the  creek  had  drifted.  In  this  he  remained  secre- 
ted (in  momentary  expectation  of  hearing  the  Indians)  all  day.  At  night  he  set 
out  on  a  painful  journey  towards  home,  and  on  the  seventh  day  after  his  wound, 
reached  Fleming  creek,  having  crawled  a  distance  of  fourteen  miles.  The  creek 
was  considerably  swollen,  and  in  his  wounded  and  exhausted  state,  presented  an 
insuperable  barrier  to  his  further  progress.  Fortunately,  however,  he  was  found 
by  another  hunter,  who  aided  him  in  reaching  his  home.  The  friends  of  Stock- 
ton, instantly  collecting,  started  for  the  camp,  where  they  found 

■'  His  faithful  dog,  in  life  his  firmest  friend, 
The  first  to  welcome,  foremost  to  defend, 
W  hose  honest  heart  was  still  his  master's  own, 
Who  labor'd,  fought,  lived  and  breathed  for  him  alone," — 

guarding  his  body,  though  so  weak  from  starvation,  as  to  be  unable  to  walk.  A 
circle  of  torn  earth  all  around  the  body  of  Stockton,  marked  the  rage  and  disap- 
pointment of  wolves  and  panthers,  and  told  how  watchful  and  firm  had  been  the 
protection  of  the  dog.  Stockton  was  buried  where  he  fell,  and  his  grave,  marked 
with  a  large  slab,  is  yet  to  be  seen  in  going  from  Flemingsburg  to  Carter  court- 
house, one  mile  beyond  Phillips'  springs.  The  friends  of  Stockton  carried  home 
the  dog,  and  after  several  weeks,  the  other  dog,  which  had  followed  the  horses, 
also  returned. 

Zadock  Wili,iaims,  whilst  working  in  a  tobacco  field,  in  sight  of  Stockton's 
station,  was  shot  by  an  Indian  in  the  year  1790.  There  were  no  men  in  the  fort 
at  the  time;  and  the  old  settlers,  to  this  day,  speak  with  wonder  at  the  efforts  of 
an  old  negro  woman  upon  a  horn,  with  which  she  alarmed  the  residents  of  a  fort 
five  or  six  miles  distant.  The  Indians,  probably  terrified  at  such  prodigious 
blasts,  made  off. 

The  three  forts  or  stations  in  the  county,  (Stockton's,  Cassiday's  and  Flem- 
ing's,) had  in  their  service  two  brothers,  named  Stuart,  whose  duty  it  was  (dressed 
after  the  Indian  fishion)  to  keep  a  look  out,  and  give  timely  notice  of  the  pres- 
ence of  hostile  Indians.  It  was  understood  by  all  the  settlers,  that  no  one  was 
to  fire  a  gun  within  hearing  of  either  fort,  unless  at  an  Indian.  In  returning  at 
Cassiday's  station  in  the  evening,  one  of  the  brothers  was  overcome  by  the  temp- 
tation to  shoot  a  large  owl.  Michael  Cassiday  and  .lohn  Clifford,  who  were  at 
the  fort,  supposing  the  gun  to  be  fired  by  an  Indian,  seized  their  rifles  and  issued 
forth  into  the  M'oods  to  reconnoitre.  They  soon  observed  the  two  brothers 
approaching,  but  owing  to  the  dusk  of  the  evening  and  their  Indian  dress,  did 
not  recognize  them.  Old  man  Cassiday,  who  was  proverbial  for  his  resolution 
and  bravery,  pushed  on  until  within  gun  shot,  fired,  and  one  of  the  brothers  fell 
to  the  ground.  Clifford,  in  the  mean  time,  was  exerting  all  his  ingeiuiity  and 
stratagem  to  get  a  shot  at  the  other  brother,  until  he  finally  made  himself  heard. 
The  three  then  went  to  the  wounded  man,  and  found  him  with  but  just  enough 
life  to  tell  Cassiday  his  death  was  the  result  of  his  own  follj'  in  firing  his  gun 
within  hearing  of  the  fort,  forgave  him,  and  expired.  The  surviving  brother 
afterwards  declared,  that  he  was  once  or  twice  upon  the  point  of  shooting  Clif- 
ford, to  save  his  own  life. 

Michael  Cassiday,  the  individual  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  narrative,  was  a 
native  of  Ireland,  whence  he  emigrated  to  tin;  United  States  in  his  youth.  At 
the  breaking  out  of  the  revolutionary  war,  he  enlisted  and  served  for  several 
years  in  the  ranks  of  the  army.  After  leaving  the  army,  he  came  to  Keniucky, 
and  attached  himself  to  Strode's  station,  in  what  is  now  Clark  county,  and  from 
thence  removed  to  this  county,  and  settled  at  Cassiday's  station.  He  was  re- 
markably small  in  stature,  little  if  at  all  exceeding  five  feet,  and  there  are  many 
amusing  stories  told  of  his  contests  with  Indians,  who  looked  upon  him  as  a  boy. 


JOHN   FLEMLNG.  899 

Upon  one  occasion,  while  encamped  in  ibe  woods  with  two  other  friends, 
(Bennett  and  Spor),  three  Indians  attacked  their  camp,  and  killed  Bennett  and 
Spor  at  the  first  (ire.  Cassiday  sprung  to  his  feet,  but  was  soon  overpowered 
and  made  prisoner.  The  Indians,  supposing  him  to  be  a  boy,  and  proposing  to 
relieve  the  tedium  of  the  night,  selected  the  smallest  of  their  number  to  carve  him 
up  with  a  large  butcher  knife,  for  their  diversion.  Cassiday,  whose  fiery  spirit 
little  predisposed  him  to  suffer  an  unresisting  martyrdom,  grappled  his  antago- 
nist, and  flung  him  several  times  with  great  violence  to  the  earth,  greatly  to  the 
amusement  of  the  other  Indians,  who  laughed  immoderately  at  their  companion's 
defeat  by  one  seemingly  so  disproportioned  in  strength.  The  two  Indians,  find- 
ing that  it  was  growing  a  serious  matter,  came  to  the  rescue  of  their  companion, 
and  with  several  strokes  of  their  war  clubs,  felled  Cassiday  to  the  ground.  For- 
tunately, Cassiday  fell  with  his  hand  upon  the  knife  which  his  competitor  had 
let  fall,  and  rising,  brandished  it  with  such  fierceness  that  the  Indians  gave 
back,  when  he,  stepping  to  one  side,  darted  rapidly  into  the  woods.  The  dark- 
ness of  the  night  enabled  him  to  elude  his  pursuers  until  he  came  to  a  deep  pool 
of  water,  overhung  by  a  large  sycamore.  Under  the  roots  of  this  tree,  up  to  his 
neck  in  the  water,  he  remained  concealed  until  the  Indians,  flashing  their  torches 
around  him  in  every  direction,  gave  up  in  despair.  He  carried  to  his  grave  the 
marks  of  the  Indian  clubs,  to  testify  with  what  good  will  they  were  given. 
Colonel  Thomas  Jones,  who  was  at  the  burial  of  the  two  men,  (Bennett  and 
Spor),  yet  lives  near  Flemingsburg. 

Upon  another  occasion,  whilst  hunting  on  Cassiday's  creek,  in  what  is  now 
Nicholas  county,  he  very  unexpectedly  found  himself  in  close  proximity  to  a 
powerful  Indian,  in  a  place  quite  free  from  timber.  Each  observed  the  other  at 
the  same  time,  and  both  leveled  their  guns.  But  Cassiday,  to  his  consternation, 
found  that  his  pocket  handkerchief  was  tied  round  the  lock  of  his  gun,  so  as  to 
prevent  its  being  cocked,  and  he  feared  to  untie  it,  lest  the  Indian  perceiving  it, 
should  fire.  They  remained  pointing  their  guns  at  each  other  in  this  manner  for 
some  time.  The  Indian  not  firing,  Cassiday  suspected  that  something  was  the 
matter  with  his  gun  also,  and  began  to  take  off  his  handkerchief,  when  the  In- 
dian fled  to  a  tree.  Cassiday  followed  in  full  speed,  and  taking  a  circuit  so  as  to 
bring  the  Indian  in  view,  fired  and  wounded  him  in  the  shoulder.  Drawing  his 
knife,  he  made  towards  the  wounded  Indian,  in  whose  gun  he  now  perceived  the 
ramrod.  When  Cassiday  approached,  the  Indian  (lying  on  the  ground)  extended 
his  hand,  crying  "brother!"  Cassiday  told  him  he  was  "  ad — d  mulatto  hypo- 
crite, and  he  shouldn't  claim  /iv'n  with  him.  Saint  Patrick  I  but  he  would  pum- 
mel him  well."  After  a  desperate  conflict  with  the  Indian,  who,  though  deprived 
of  the  use  of  his  right  arm,  proved  no  contemptible  foe,  and  whose  nakedness 
afforded  no  tangible  hold,  Cassiday  succeeded  in  dispatching  him. 

Cassiday  was  in  upwards  of  thirty  Indian  fights,  and  such  and  so  many  was 
his  'hair  breadth  'scapes,'  that  he  was  commonly  said  to  have  a  charmed  life. 
He  served  in  the  legislature  repeatedly,  lived  respected  and  died  regretted,  at  his 
station,  in  the  year  1829. 

('olonel  John  Fleming,  after  whom  Fleming  county  was  called,  was  born  in 
Virginia;  and  in  company  with  Major  George  Stockton,  emigrated  to  Kentucky  in 
the  year  1787,  descending  the  Ohio  river  in  a  canoe,  and  settled  at  Stroud's  sta- 
tion. He  afterwards  removed  to  Fleming  county,  and  settled  Fleming's  station 
in  the  year  1790,  where  he  remained  till  his  death  in  the  year  1791.  The  wit- 
nesses of  his  life,  like  the  fabled  leaves  of  the  Sybil's  prophecy,  have  been  so 
scattered  by  the  hand  of  death,  that  it  is  impossible  to  collect  the  history  of  any 
save  the  following  incidents  : 

Some  twenty  Indians  liaving  stolen  horses,  and  made  prisoners  of  two  children 
near  Strode's  station,  in  Clark  county,  in  the  year  1791,  were  pursued  by  about  fif- 
teen whites,  and  overtaken  on  a  creek,  since  called  Battle  run,  in  Fleming  county. 
A  sharp  contest  ensued,  in  which  the  loss  was  about  equal  on  either  side;  but 
the  whites,  being  outnumbered,  were  forced  to  give  way. 

Col.  John  Fleming,  the  settler  of  Fleming's  station,  was  severely  wounded  in 
the  engajement,  and  in  the  retreat,  being  hotly  pursued  by  an  Indian,  directed 
one  of  the  men  who  was  dying  past  him,  to  point  his  gun  at  the  Indian  and  com- 
pel him  to  tree,  until  he  could  reload  his  gun.  The  man  replied  that  his  gun  was 
not  loaded.     Fleming  quickly  remarked,  "  the  Indian  don't  know  that;"  where- 


300  FLEMING   COUNTY. 

upon  the  man  did  as  directed,  with  the  effect  that  Fleming  foresaw.  Whilst  the 
Indian  was  intent  upon  the  manoeuvres  of  the  man,  Fleming  succeeded  in  loading 
his  gun.  The  pursuit  hecoming  alarming,  the  man  fled.  The  Indian,  supposing 
P^leming  to  be  too  badly  wounded  to  be  dangerous,  made  confidently  towards  him 
with  uplifted  tomahawk.  Fleming,  supporting  his  gun  upon  a  log,  waited  until 
the  Indian  came  very  near,  when,  firing,  he  fell  headlong  almost  against  the  log 
behind  which  Fleming  was  lying. 

Fleming's  mare,  which  had  broken  loose  during  the  fight,  came  galloping  by, 
recognized  the  voice  of  her  master,  went  to  him,  received  him  on  her  back,  and 
carried  him  gallantly  off  the  field.  He  reached  the  large  pond  near  Sharpsburg, 
where,  exhausted  from  the  loss  of  blood,  and  burning  with  thirst,  he,  with  a  fel- 
low fugitive,  encamped.  Such  was  his  fever  from  his  wound,  that,  to  allay  his 
insatiate  thirst,  he  kept  his  friend  constantly  engaged  throughout  the  night  in 
bringing  water.  Next  morning,  he  was  sufficiently  recovered  to  resume  his  way, 
and  arrived  safely  at  the  station. 

In  the  family  of  Major  George  Stockton  was  a  slave  named  Ben.  Ben  was  a 
"  regular"  negro,  devoted  to  his  master — hated  an  Indian  with  an  enmity  passing 
Randolph's  aversion  to  sheep — loved  to  moralize  over  a  dead  one — got  into  a  tow- 
ering rage,  and  swore  "magnificently"  when  a  horse  was  missing — handled  his 
rifle  well,  though  somewhat  foppishly — and  hopped  and  danced  and  showed  his 
teeth  with  infinite  salisfiction,  at  the  prospect  of  a  chase  of  the  '•'■  yaller  varmints.'''' 
His  master  had  every  confidence  in  his  resolution  and  prudence,  and  in  fact  Ben 
was  a  great  favorite  with  all  the  hunters,  adding  much  to  their  stock  of  fun  on 
dull  exi)editions. 

A  party  of  Indians  having  stolen  horses  from  some  of  the  upper  stations,  were 
pursued  by  a  party  of  whites,  who  called  at  Stockton's  station  for  reinforcements. 
Ben,  among  others,  gladly  volunteered.  The  Indians  were  overtaken  at  Kirk's 
springs,  in  Lewis  county.  The  whites  dismounting,  secured  their  horses,  and 
advanced  to  the  attack.  Only  eight  or  ten  Indians  could  be  seen,  and  they  re- 
treated rapidly  over  the  mountain.  The  whites  followed,  but  in  descending  the 
mountain,  discovered,  from  an  attempt  to  out-flank  them,  that  the  retreating  In- 
dians were  but  a  part  of  the  enemy  remaining  behind  to  decoy  them  into  an  am- 
buscade, prepared  at  the  base  of  the  mountain.  Various  indications  plainly 
showed  that  the  Indians  were  greatly  superior  in  number,  and  the  whites  were 
ordered  to  retreat.  Ben  was  told  of  the  order  by  a  man  near  him,  but  was  so  in- 
tently engaged,  that  he  did  not  hear.  The  man,  in  a  louder  tone,  warned  him  of 
his  danger.  Ben  turned  upon  him  a  reproving  look,  with  indescribable  grimaces 
and  ludicrous  gesticulations,  admonishing  silence,  and  springing  forward,  set  off 
at  a  furious  rate  down  the  mountain.  The  man,  unwilling  to  leave  him,  started 
after,  and  reached  his  side  in  time  to  see  him  level  his  rifle  at  a  huge  Indian  down 
the  mountain,  tiptoe  on  a  log,  peering  with  outstretched  neck  into  the  thick 
woods.  Ben's  rifle  cracked,  and  the  Indian,  bounding  liigh  in  air,  fell  heavily  to 
the  earth.  A  fierce  yell  answered  this  act  of  daring,  and  "the  Indians,  (said 
Ben)  skipped  from  tree  to  tree  thick  as  grass-hoppers."  Ben,  chucklinir  with  huge 
self-satisfaction,  bawled  out,  "  take  dat  to  'member  Ben — de  'black  white  man  ;  " 
and  set  off  in  earnest  after  his  retreating  party. 

The  following  interesting  incidentof  a  well  known  and  highly  esteemed  citizen 
of  Fleming  (which  occurred  after  St.  Clair's  defeat  in  November,  1791),  is  rela- 
ted in  M'Clung's  Sketches  of  Western  Adventure: 

The  late  William  Kennan,  of  Fleming  county,  at  that  time  a  young  man  of 
eighteen,  was  attached  to  the  corps  of  rangers  who  accompanied  the  regular 
force.  He  had  long  been  remarkable  for  strength  and  activity.  In  the  course 
of  the  march  from  fort  Washington,  he  had  repeated  opportunities  of  testing  his 
astonishing  powers  in  that  respect,  and  was  universally  admitted  to  be  the  swift- 
est runner  of  the  light  corps.  On  the  evening  preceding  the  action,  his  corps 
had  been  advanced,  as  already  observed,  a  few  liundred  yards  in  front  of  the  first 
line  of  infantry,  in  order  to  give  seasonable  notice  of  the  enemy's  approach.  Just 
as  day  was  dawning,  he  observed  about  thirty  Indians  within  one  iuindred  yards 
of  the  guard  fire,  advancing  cautiously  towards  the  spot  where  he  stood,  together 
with  about  twenty  rangers,  the  rest  being  considerably  in  the  rear. 


WILLIAM  KENNAN.  301 

Supposing  it  to  be  a  mere  scouting  party,  as  usual,  and  not  superior  in  number 
to  the  rangers,  he  sprang  forward  a  few  paces  in  order  to  shelter  himself  in  a 
spot  of  peculiarly  rank  grass,  and  firing  with  a  quick  aim  upon  the  foremost  In- 
dian, he  instantly  fell  flat  upon  his  face,  and  proceeded  with  all  possible  rapidity 
to  reload  his  gun,  not  doubting  for  a  moment,  but  that  the  rangers  would  main- 
tain their  position,  and  support  him.  The  Indians,  however,  rushed  forward  in 
such  overwhelming  masses,  that  the  rangers  were  compelled  to  fly  with  precipita- 
tion, leaving  young  Kennan  in  total  ignorance  of  his  danger.  Fortunately,  the 
captain  of  his  company  had  observed  him  when  he  threw  himself  in  the  grass, 
and  suddenly  shouted  aloud,  "Run  Kennan  !  or  you  are  a  dead  man  !"  He  in- 
stantly sprang  to  his  feet,  and  beheld  Indians  within  ten  feet  of  him,  while  his 
company  was  already  more  than  one  hundred  yards  in  front. 

Not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost.  He  darted  otf  with  every  muscle  strained  to  its 
utmost,  and  was  jjursued  by  a  dozen  of  the  enemy  with  loud  yells.  He  at  first 
pressed  straight  forward  to  the  usual  fording  place  in  the  creek,  which  ran  be- 
tween the  rangers  and  the  main  army,  but  several  Indians  who  had  passed  him 
before  he  arose  from  the  grass,  threw  themselves  in  the  way,  and  completely  cut 
him  otTfrom  the  rest.  By  the  most  powerful  exertions,  he  had  thrown  the  whole 
body  of  pursuers  behind  him,  with  the  exception  of  one  young  chief,  (probably 
Messhawa),  who  displayed  a  swiftness  and  perseverance  equal  to  his  own.  In 
the  circuit  which  Kennan  was  obliged  to  take,  the  race  continued  for  more  than 
four  hundred  yards.  The  distance  between  them  was  about  eighteen  feet,  which 
Kennan  could  not  increase  nor  his  adversary  diminish.  Each,  for  the  time,  put 
his  whole  soul  into  the  race. 

Kennan,  as  far  as  he  was  able,  kept  his  eye  upon  the  motions  of  his  pursuer, 
lest  he  should  throw  the  tomahawk,  which  he  held  aloft  in  a  menacing  attitude, 
and  at  length,  finding  that  no  other  Indian  was  immediately  at  hand,  he  deter- 
mined to  try  the  mettle  of  his  pursuer  in  a  diflerent  manner,  and  felt  for  his  tom- 
ahawk in  order  to  turn  at  bay.  It  had  escaped  from  its  sheath,  however,  while 
he  lay  in  the  grass,  and  his  hair  had  almost  lifted  the  cap  from  his  head,  when 
he  saw  himself  totally  disarmed.  As  he  had  slackened  his  pace  for  a  moment 
the  Indian  was  almost  in  reach  of  him,  when  he  recommenced  the  race,  but  the 
idea  of  being  without  arms,  lent  wings  to  his  flight,  and  for  the  first  time,  he  saw 
himself  gaining  ground.  He  had  watched  the  motions  of  his  pursuer  too  closely, 
however,  to  pay  proper  attention  to  the  nature  of  the  ground  before  him,  and  he 
suddenly  found  himself  in  front  of  a  large  tree  which  had  been  blown  down,  and 
upon  which  brush  and  other  impediments  Iviy  to  the  height  of  eight  or  nine  feet. 

The  Indian  (who  heretofore  had  not  uttered  the  slightest  sound)  now  gave  a 
short  quick  yell,  as  if  sure  of  his  victim.  Kennan  had  not  a  moment  to  deliber- 
ate. He  must  clear  the  impediment  at  a  leap  or  perish.  Putting  his  whole  soul 
into  the  effort,  he  bounded  into  the  air  with  a  power  which  astonished  himself, 
and  clearing  limbs,  brush,  and  every  thing  else,  alighted  in  perfect  safety  upon 
the  other  side.  A  loud  yell  of  astonishment  burst  from  the  band  of  pursuers,  not 
one  of  whom  had  the  hardihood  to  attempt  the  same  feat.  Kennan,  as  may  be 
readily  imagined,  had  no  leisure  to  enjoy  his  triumph,  but  dashing  into  the  bed 
of  the  creek  (upon  the  banks  of  which  his  feat  had  been  performed)  where  the 
high  banks  would  shield  him  from  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  he  ran  up  the  stream 
until  a  convenient  place  offered  for  crossing,  and  rejoined  the  rangers  in  the 
rear  of  the  encampment,  panting  from  the  fatigue  of  exertions  which  have  seldom 
been  surpassed.  No  breathing  time  was  allowed  him,  however.  The  attack  in- 
stantly commenced,  and  as  we  have  already  observed,  was  maintained  for  three 
hours,  with  unabated  fury. 

When  the  retreat  commenced,  Kennan  was  attached  to  Major  Clarke's  bat- 
talion, and  had  the  dangerous  service  of  protecting  the  rear.  Tiiis  corps  quickly 
lost  its  commander,  and  was  completely  disorganized.  Kennan  was  among  the 
hindmost  when  the  flight  commenced,  but  exerting  those  sanm  powers  which  had 
saved  him  in  the  morning,  he  quickly  gained  the  front,  passing  several  horsemen 
in  the  flight.  Here  he  beheld  a  private  in  his  own  company,  an  intimate  ac- 
quaintance, lying  upon  the  ground,  with  his  thigh  broken,  and  in  tones  of  the 
most  piercing  distress,  implored  each  horseman  who  hurried  by  to  take  him  up 
behind  him.  As  soon  as  he  beheld  Kennan  cominor  up  on  foot,  he  stretched  out 
his  arms  and  called  loud  upon  him  to  save  him.     Notwithstanding  the  imminent 


302  FLOVD    COUNTY. 

peril  of  the  moment,  liis  friend  coiikl  not  reject  so  passionnte  an  appeal,  but 
seizing  him  in  his  arms,  he  placed  liim  upon  his  back,  and  ran  in  that  manner 
for  several  hundred  yards.  Horseman  after  horseman  passed  them,  all  of  whom 
refused  to  relieve  him  of  his  burden. 

At  length  the  enemy  was  gaining  upon  him  so  fast,  that  Kennan  saw  their 
death  certain,  unless  he  relinquished  his  burden.  He  accordingly  told  his  friend, 
that  he  had  used  every  possible  exertion  to  save  his  life,  but  in  vain;  that  he 
must  relax  his  hold  around  his  neck  or  they  would  both  perish.  The  unhappy 
wretch,  heedless  of  every  remonstrance,  still  clung  convulsively  to  his  back,  and 
impeded  his  exertions  until  the  foremost  of  the  enemy  (armed  with  tomahawks 
alone.)  were  within  twenty  yards  of  them.  Kennan  then  drew  his  knife  from 
its  sheath  and  cut  the  fingers  of  his  companion,  thus  compelling  him  to  relinquish 
his  hold.  The  unhappy  man  rolled  upon  the  ground  in  utter  helplessness,  and 
Kennan  beheld  him  tomahawked  before  he  had  gone  thirty  yards.  Relieved 
from  his  burden,  he  darted  forward  with  an  activity  which  once  more  brought  him 
to  the  van.  Here  again  he  was  compelled  to  neglect  his  own  safety  in  order  to 
attend  to  that  of  others. 

The  late  governor  Madison,  of  Kentucky,  who  afterwards  commanded  the 
corps  which  defended  themselves  so  honorably  at  Raisin,  a  man  who  united  the 
most  amiable  temper  to  the  most  unconquerable  courage,  was  at  that  time  a  sub- 
altern in  St.  Clair's  army,  and  being  a  man  of  infirm  constitution,  was  totally 
exhausted  by  the  exertions  of  the  morning,  and  was  now  sitting  dov\'n  calmly 
upon  a  log,  awaiting  the  approach  of  his  enemies.  Kennan  hastily  accosted  him, 
and  enquired  the  cause  of  his  delay.  Madison,  pointing  to  a  wound  which  had 
bled  profusely,  replied  that  he  was  unable  to  walk  further,  and  had  no  horse. 
Kennan  instantly  ran  back  to  a  spot  where  he  had  seen  an  exhausted  horse  graz- 
ing, caught  him  without  difficulty,  and  having  assisted  Madison  to  mount,  walked 
by  bis  side  until  they  were  out  of  danger.  Fortunately  the  pursuit  soon  ceased, 
as  the  plunder  of  the  camp  presented  irresistible  attractions  to  the  enemy.  The 
friendship  thus  formed  between  these  two  young  men,  endured  without  interrup- 
tion through  life.  Mr.  Kennan  never  entirely  recovered  from  the  immense  exer- 
tions which  he  was  compelled  to  make  during  this  unfortunate  expedition.  He 
settled  in  Fleming  county,  and  continued  for  many  years  a  leading  member  of 
the  Baptist  church.     He  died  in  1827. 


FLOYD   COUN  TY. 

Floyd  county  was  established  in  1799,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Colonel  John  Floyd.  It  is  situated  in  the  eastern  extremity  of 
the  State,  and  lies  on  the  waters  of  Big  Sandy  river, — bounded  on 
the  north  by  Johnson  ;  east  by  the  Virginia  line  ;  south  by  Pike, 
and  west  by  Breatiiitt.  Prestonsburg  is  the  seat  of  justice,  about 
one  hundred  and  sixty  miles  from  Fi'ankfort.  The  mean  width 
of  the  county  is  about  thirty  miles  ;  the  surface  mountainous,  in 
some  places  reaching  an  elevation  of  five  hundred  feet,  and 
abounding  in  rich  and  inexhaustible  strata  of  stone-coal.  The 
principal  crop  is  corn,  though  wheat,  oats  and  flax  arc  also  culti- 
vated. The  mountains  afford  excellent  range  for  sheep, hogs  and 
cattle.  Three  thousand  hogs  are  annually  driven  to  market  from 
this  county,  and  wool  is  beginning  to  be  an  article  of  exporta- 
tion. Seventeen  miles  from  Prestonsburg,  there  is  a  spring  cnlled 
the  "  Burnhvj;  S/iriniJi;,^'  which  constantly  emits  a  thick  sulphurous 
vapor,  and  instnntly  ignites  on  the  ap])lication  of  fire. 

A'aluation  of  taxable  property  in  Floyd  county  in  1846,  $485.- 


FRANKLIN   COUNTY.  303 

878 ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  96,732 ;  average 
value  of  land  per  acre,  $2,89  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty- 
one  years  old,  812  ;  number  of  children  between  the  ages  of  live 
and  sixteen  years,  1490.     Population  in  1840,  6,302. 

Prcstonsburg  is  situated  on  Big  Sandy  river,  about  seventy  miles 
from  its  mouth — contains  a  brick  court  house,  jail  and  other  public 
buildings,  one  seminary,  six  stores,  two  groceries,  two  taverns, 
four  lawyers,  three  doctors,  three  tan-yards  and  six  mechanics' 
shops.  Incorporated  in  1818,  and  called  in  honor  of  Col.  John 
Preston,  of  Virginia,  who  owned  the  land.     Population  200. 

Colonel  John  Floyd,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its  name,  was  a 
native  of  Virginia,  as  were  most  of  the  pioneers  of  Kentucky.  Towards  the  close 
of  the  year  1773,  as  stated  both  by  Butier  and  Marshall,  or  in  1774,  according  to 
the  authority  of  Mr.  Nathaniel  Hart,  Sen.,  late  of  Woodford  county,  he  came  to 
Kentucky  on  a  surveying  excursion,  as  a  deputy  of  Colonel  William  Preston, 
principal  surveyor  of  Fincastle  county,  of  which  the  region  in  Virginia,  west  of 
the  mountains,  was  then  a  part.  He  made  many  surveys  on  the  Ohio,  and  be- 
longed to  the  party  that  was  re-called  by  Dunmore,  in  consequence  of  the  dangers 
attending  the  performance  of  their  official  duties.  Colonel  Floyd  returned  in 
1775,  and  became  a  conspicuous  actor  in  the  stirring  scenes  of  the  times.  Alter- 
nately a  surveyor,  a  legislator  and  a  soldier,  his  distinguished  qualities  rendered 
him  at  once  an  ornament  and  a  benefactor  of  the  infant  settlements.  No  indi- 
vidual among  the  pioneers  was  more  intellectual  or  better  informed  ;  none  dis- 
played, on  all  occasions  that  called  for  it,  a  bolder  and  more  undaunted  courage. 
His  person  was  singularly  attractive.  With  a  complexion  unusually  dark,  his 
eyes  and  hair  were  deep  black,  and  his  tall  spare  figure  was  dignified  by  the 
accomplishments  of  a  well  bred  Virginia  gentleman.  Connecting  himself  with 
the  fortunes  of  the  Transylvania  company,  he  became  their  principal  surveyor, 
and  was  chosen  a  delegate  from  the  town  of  St.  Asaph  to  the  assembly  that  met 
at  Boonesborough  on  the  21th  of  May,  1775,  to  make  laws  for  the  infant  colony. 
He  accompanied  Boone  in  the  pursuit  and  rescue  of  his  daughter  and  her  com- 
panions, whom  the  savages  had  decoyed  and  captured  in  July,  1776,  and  his 
cotemporaneous  account  of  that  thrilling  occurrence,  does  equal  credit  to  his  sol- 
diership and  pen.  In  all  the  stations,  civil  and  military,  to  which  he  was  called, 
he  acquitted  himself  with  honor,  and  came  at  last  to  a  violent  death,  by  the  hands 
of  the  savages,  in  1783. 


FRANKLIN    COUNTY. 

Franklin  county  was  formed  in  the  year  1794,  and  named  in 
honor  of  the  distinguished  patriot  and  statesman,  Dr.  Benjamin 
Franklin.  It  lies  on  both  sides  of  the  Kentucky  river,  and  is 
bounded  on  the  north  by  Owen;  east  by  Scott ;  south  by  Ander- 
son and  Woodford  ;  and  west  by  Shelby.  The  face  of  the  coun- 
try is  diversified  :  a  small  portion  gently  undulating ;  another 
part,  intersected  by  the  small  sti'eams  which  flow  into  the  Ken- 
tucky, uneven  and  hilly  ;  while  tall  cliffs,  in  many  places  quite 
precipitous,  rear  their  heads  along  the  meandering  course  of  that 
river  through  the  county.  The  staple  products  of  the  county 
are  wheat,  corn  and  oats.     Hemp  is  cultivated  to  a  limited  extent. 

Number  of  acres  of  land,  reported  by  commissioners,  as  lying 
in  Franklin,  120,731;  average  value  per  acre  in   1846,  $11,47; 


304  FRANKLIN   COUNTY. 

value  of  taxable  property,  $4,004,223  ;  number  of  white  males 
over  21  years  of  age,  1692  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and 
sixteen  years  old,  1537.  Population  in  1830,  9,251 — in  1840, 
9,420. 

Frankfort  is  the  seat  of  justice  for  Franklin  county,  and  the 
capital  of  the  state  of  Kentucky,  being  25  miles  from  Lexington, 
and  550  miles  from  Washington  city.  It  is  beautifully  situated 
on  the  Kentucky  river,  60  miles  above  its  mouth,  and  in  the 
midst  of  the  wild  and  romantic  scenery  which  renders  that  stream 
so  remarkable.  From  the  summits  of  the  overhanging  cliffs 
w^hich  encircle  the  plains  beneath  like  the  ramparts  of  a  mighty 
fortress,  the  city  of  Frankfort  and  the  town  of  South  Frankfort, 
with  their  public  edifices  and  private  residences,  their  spires  and 
gardens,  intermingled  and  occupying  both  banks,  the  meadows 
around,  and  the  graceful  stream  itself  as  it  sweeps  through  the 
verdant  valley,  are  all  mapped  out  to  the  eye  in  a  single  view  of 
varied  and  picturesque  beauty.  The  state  house,  with  the  pub- 
lic offices  on  either  side  of  it,  is  situated  on  a  slight  eminence 
about  midway  between  the  river,  which  it  fronts,  and  the  north- 
ern termination  of  the  valley.  It  is  a  large  and  very  handsome 
structure,  built  of  Kentucky  marble,  with  a  portico  in  front,  sup- 
ported by  six  columns  of  the  Ionic  order.  The  senate  and  rep- 
resentative halls  are  in  the  second  story — the  former  a  capacious 
room,  handsomely  finished,  with  a  portrait  of  General  Wash- 
ington, large  as  life,  immediately  in  the  rear  of  the  speaker's 
chair,  and  portraits  of  General  Lafayette  and  Colonel  Daniel 
Boone  on  the  right  and  left.  The  senate  chamber  is  a  smaller 
room,  also  very  neatly  finished,  and  having  a  full  length  portrait 
of  General  William  Henry  Harrison  suspended  over  the  presi- 
dent's chair.  The  rooms  on  the  lower  story,  are  appropriated  to 
the  state  library,  court  of  appeals,  federal  court,  &c.  The  pub- 
lic offices  are  plain,  but  neat  and  substantial  buildings.  The 
public  grounds  embrace  an  area  of  some  four  or  five  acres,  and 
are  studded  with  a  variety  of  handsome  shrubs  and  forest  trees. 
In  front  of  the  capitol  is  a  beautiful  fountain,  supplied  with  wa- 
ter conveyed  through  iron  pipes  from  a  large  spring  some  dis- 
tance from  the  city.  The  governor's  house  is  a  large,  plain  build- 
ing of  brick.  The  other  public  buildings  are — a  court  house, 
Presbyterian,  Baptist,  Methodist  and  Episcopal  churches,  an  acad- 
emy, and  a  banking  house  for  the  branch  bank  of  Kentucky. 

Frankfort  contains,  also,  two  newspaper  establishments — the 
"Frankfort  Commonwealth,"  and  "Kentucky  Yeoman," — both 
weeklies,  but  the  former  published  daily,  as  well  as  weekly,  dur- 
ing the  session  of  the  legislature  ;  twenty  lawyers,  twelve  phy- 
sicians, twelve  dry  goods'  stores,  two  book  stores,  six  grocery 
stores,  two  drug  stores,  two  hardware  stores,  two  jewelry  stores, 
four  commission  houses,  four  taverns,  three  bagging  factories, 
with  a  large  number  of  manufacturing  establishments  and  me- 
chanic shops.  Population  in  1840,  1,917 — in  1847,  supposed  to 
be  about  2,600.     The  place  is  well  supplied  with  water,  of  an 


THE   PENITENTIARY.  305 

excellent  quality,  conducted  through  pipes  from  a  spring  some 
one  or  two  miles  from  the  city.  The  improvement  of  the  Ken- 
tucky river  has  greatly  advanced  the  commercial  importance  of 
Frankfort,  which  must  continue  to  grow  with  the  increasing  pop- 
ulation and  Avealth  of  the  surrounding  country. 

Frankfort  was  established  by  the  Virginia  legislature  in  1786, 
though  the  first  survey  of  600  acres  was  made  by  Robert  M' Afee 
on  the  16th  July,  1773.  The  seat  of  government  was  located 
here  in  1792,  and  the  first  session  of  the  assembly  was  held  1793. 
The  public  buildings  not  being  ready,  the  legislature  assembled 
in  a  large  frame  house  belonging  to  Major  James  Love,  which  is 
yet  seen  on  the  bank  of  the  river  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city. 

The  State's  Prison  or  Penitentiary,  is  located  at  Frankfort.  The  penitentiary 
system  was  established  in  Kentucky  in  1798 ;  the  legislature  which  adopted  it 
being  moved  by  feelings  of  the  most  benevolent  character.  The  prisoners  were, 
for  some  years,  allowed  to  appropriate  to  their  own  use,  the  excess  of  their  earn- 
ings, above  the  costs  of  prosecution  and  after  making  restitution  to  those  they 
had  injured.  This  system  was  repealed  in  1805.  Under  the  operation  of  subse- 
quent acts  of  the  legislature,  no  revenue  was  derived  to  the  state  from  the  peni- 
tentiary ;  indeed,  for  twenty  years,  it  was  a  dead  expense.  In  the  year  1825, 
Mr.  Joel  Scott  was  appointed  agent  and  keeper  by  act  of  assembly,  who  entered 
upon  his  duties  in  the  nature  of  a  contract  with  the  state,  stipulating  to  pay  to 
the  state  one  half  the  profits,  and  guarantying  they  should  not  fall  below  a  spe- 
cified sum.  To  him  is  due  the  credit  of  introducing  the  Auburn  system,  under 
which  the  Kentucky  penitentiary  has  long  been  the  most  prosperous  institution 
of  the  kind  in  the  United  States  or  the  world.  He  was  appointed  for  two  terms 
of  five  years  each,  but  relinquished  the  last  year  of  his  last  term  on  account  of 
ill  health.  The  average  number  of  prisoners  during  his  term  of  nine  years,  was 
about  85,  and  the  clear  average  earnings  of  the  prison,  over  and  above  expenses, 
was  $70,000. 

Dr.  T.  S.  Theobalds  succeeded  Mr.  Scott  in  1834,  upon  the  same  terms.  He 
conducted  the  institution  on  the  same  general  principles,  but  changing  somewhat 
the  employment  of  the  prisoners,  and  introducing  additional  machinery.  The 
heaviest  branch  of  business  is  the  manufacture  of  bagging  and  rope.  During  his 
first  term,  the  earnings  above  expenses,  were  about  $80,000;  during  the  second, 
ending  March,  1844,  about  $120,000.  The  number  of  prisoners  from  1834  to 
1839,  ranged  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  and  forty;  and  from  the  latter  year  to 
1846,  from  one  hundred  and  forty  to  one  hundred  and  eighty.  The  present  keepers 
(Messrs.  Craig  and  Henry)  were  appointed  for  five  years,  on  the  same  terms  as 
their  predecessors,  except  that  they  stipulate  to  pay  the  state  two-thirds  of  the  net 
profits  earned,  at  the  same  time  guarantying  a  certain  annual  profit  of  not  less 
than  $5,000. 

The  distinguishing  disciplinary  feature  of  the  institution  is  silence  by  day  and 
solitary  confinement  by  night.  The  convicts  are  employed  in  associated  labor  by 
day,  but  not  allowed  to  talk  together  except  about  the  business  in  hand.  They 
have  two  meals  a  day,  of  plain,  coarse,  but  wholesome  fare,  each  eating  as  much 
as  he  likes  of  bread,  various  meats,  vegetables  and  soups.  They  have  divine 
service  every  Sabbath,  and  the  ignorant  are  taught  letters  and  learning;  and  those 
who  can  read,  are  required  to  choose  books  for  perusal  from  a  good  library  of 
moral  books,  provided  by  the  State.  Their  heads  are  shaved  every  Saturday,  a 
disagreeable  punishment,  but  deemed  a  necessary  safeguard.  Their  hair  is  allowed 
to  grow  four  months  before  expiration  of  sentence.  On  discharge,  each  prisoner 
is  entitled  to  five  dollars  cash,  and  a  comfortable  suit  of  new  clothes.  The  audi- 
tor, treasurer,  land  register  and  attorney  general  of  the  State,  are  inspectors, 
required  by  law  to  examine  the  institution,  condition  of  the  prisoners,  their  treat- 
ment, clothing,  food,  &c.  monthly.  The  buildings  of  the  penitentiary  are  exten- 
sive, and  well  arranged  alike  for  the  security  and  comfort  of  the  convicts.  The 
ofiice  of  the  keeper  is  an  elegant  building  of  cut  stone,  ornamented  with  two  hex- 
agonal gothic  towers. 
20 


306  FRANKLIN   COUNTY. 

Female  Hkroism. — The  facts  in  the  following  account  of  an  attack  on  Innia 
settlement,  near  Frankfort,  in  April,  1792,  are  derived  from  the  Rev.  Abraham 
Cook,  a  venerable  minister  of  the  Baptist  church,  himself  a  pioneer,  now  upwards 
of  eighty  years  of  age,  and  the  brother  of  Jesse  and  Hosea  Cook,  the  husbands 
of  the  two  intrepid  and  heroic  females  whose  bravery  is  here  recorded : 

Some  five  or  six  years  previous  to  the  occurrence  of  the  event  named,  a  settle- 
ment was  commenced  on  South  Elkhorn,  a  short  distance  above  its  junction  with 
the  North  fork,  which,  though  not  very  strong,  was  considered  a  sort  of  asylum 
from  Indian  invasion.  About  Christmas  in  the  year  1791,  two  brothers,  Jesse 
and  Hosea  Cook  and  their  families,  their  brothers-in-law,  Lewis  Mastin  and  family, 
and  William  Dunn  and  part  of  his  family,  with  William  Bledsoe  and  family, 
moved  to  Main  Elkhorn,  about  three  miles  from  the  above  named  place,  and 
formed  a  settlement  in  a  bottom  there,  known  as  Innis'  bottom.  A  man  by  the 
name  of  Farmer,  with  his  family,  shortly  after  made  a  settlement  a  short  distance 
lower  down  the  creek;  and  an  overseer  and  three  negroes  had  been  placed  on  an 
improvement  of  Colonel  Innis'  a  short  distance  above.  The  new  settlement  was 
between  three  and  four  miles  from  Frankfort,  at  that  time  containing  but  a  few 
families.  It  was  composed  of  newly  married  persons,  some  with  and  others  with- 
out children.  They  had  been  exempt  from  Indian  depredations  up  to  the  28th  of 
April,  1792,  although  a  solitary  Indian  on  horseback,  had  passed  it  in  the  night, 
during  the  preceding  winter.  The  two  Cooks  settled  in  cabins  close  together; 
Mastin  and  Bledsoe  occupied  double  cabins  some  three  hundred  yards  from  the 
Cooks  ;  the  cabin  of  Dunn  was  about  three  hundred  yards  from  those  above 
named,  and  Farmer's  about  the  same  distance  below  the  Cooks:  while  Innis' 
overseer  and  negroes  were  located  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  above. 

On  the  day  above  mentioned  (the  2Sth  of  April,  1792),  an  attack  was  made  on 
three  several  points  of  the  settlement,  almost  simultaneously,  by  about  one  hun- 
dred Indians.  The  first  onset  was  made  upon  the  Cooks.  The  brothers  were 
near  their  cabins,  one  engaged  in  shearing  sheep,  the  other  looking  on.  The 
sharp  crack  of  rifles  was  the  first  intimation  of  the  proximity  of  the  Indians; 
and  that  fire  was  fatal  to  the  brothers — the  elder  fell  dead,  and  the  younger  was 
mortally  wounded,  but  enabled  to  reach  the  cabin.  The  two  Mrs.  Cooks,  with 
three  children,  (two  whites  and  one  black),  were  instantly  collected  in  the  house, 
and  the  door,  a  very  strong  one,  made  secure.  The  Indians,  unable  to  enter,  dis- 
charged their  rifles  at  the  door,  but  without  injury,  as  the  balls  did  not  penetrate 
through  the  thick  boards  of  which  it  was  constructed.  They  then  attempted  to 
cut  it  down  with  their  tomahawks,  but  with  no  better  success.  While  these  things 
occurred  without,  there  was  deep  sorrow,  mingled  with  fearless  determination  and 
high  resolve  within.  The  younger  Cook,  mortally  wounded,  immediately  the 
door  was  barred,  sunk  down  on  the  floor,  and  breathed  his  last :  and  the  two  Mrs. 
Cooks  were  left  the  sole  defenders  of  the  cabin,  with  the  three  children.  There 
was  a  rifle  in  the  house,  but  no  balls  could  be  found.  In  this  extremity,  one  of 
the  women  got  hold  of  a  musket  ball,  and  placing  it  between  her  teeth,  actually 
bit  it  into  two  pieces.  With  one  she  instantly  loaded  the  rifle.  The  Indians, 
failing  in  their  attempts  to  cut  down  the  door,  had  retired  a  few  paces  in  front, 
doubtless  to  consult  upon  their  future  operations.  One  seated  himself  upon  a  log, 
apparently  apprehending  no  danger  from  within.  Observing  him,  Mrs.  Cook 
took  aim  from  a  narrow  aperture  and  fired,  when  the  Indian  gave  a  loud  yell, 
bounded  high  in  the  air,  and  fell  dead.  This  infuriated  the  savages,  who  threat- 
ened (for  they  could  speak  English)  to  burn  the  house  and  all  the  inmates.  Sev- 
eral speedily  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  cabin,  and  kindled  a  fire  on  the  boards  of 
the  roof.  The  devouring  element  began  to  take  effect,  and  with  less  determined  and 
resolute  courage  within,  the  certain  destruction  of  the  cabin  and  the  death  of  the 
inmates,  must  have  been  the  consequence.  But  the  self  possession  and  intrepidity 
of  these  Spartan  females  were  equal  to  the  occasion.  One  of  them  instantly  as- 
cended to  the  loft,  and  the  other  handed  her  water,  with  which  she  extinguished 
the  fire.  Again  and  again  the  roof  was  fired,  and  as  often  extinguished.  The 
water  failing,  the  undaunted  woman  called  for  some  eggs,  which  were  broken 
and  the  contents  thrown  upon  the  fire,  for  a  time  holding  the  flames  at  bay.  Their 
next  resource  was  the  bloody  waistcoat  of  the  husband  and  brother-in-law,  who 
lay  dead  upon  the  floor.  The  blood  with  which  this  was  profusely  saturated, 
checked  the  progress  of  the  flames — but,  as  they  appeared  speedily  to  be  gather- 


REMAINS   OF  BOONE.  307 

incr  strength,  another,  and  the  last  expedient      ****** 
proved  successful.     The  savage  foe  yielded,  and  the  fruitful  expedients  of  female 
courage  triumphed.      One  Indian,  in  bitter  disappointment,  fired  at  his  unseen 
enemy  through  the  boards,  but  did  not  injure  her,  when  the  whole  immediately 
descended  from  the  roof. 

About  the  time  the  attack  commenced,  a  young  man  named  McAndre,  escaped 
on  horseback  in  view  of  the  Indians,  who,  it  was  supposed,  would  give  the  alarm 
to  the  older  neighboring  settlement.  As  soon  as  they  descended  from  the  house- 
top, a  few  climbed  some  contiguous  trees,  and  instituted  a  sharp  look-out.  While 
in  the  trees,  one  of  them  fired  a  second  ball  into  the  loft  of  the  cabin,  which  cut  to 
pieces  a  bundle  of  yarn  hanging  near  the  head  of  Mrs.  Cook,  but  without  doing 
further  injury.  Soon  after,  they  threw  the  body  of  the  dead  Indian  into  the  adja- 
cent creek,  and  precipitately  fled. 

A  few  moments  after  the  Cooks  were  attacked,  Mastin,  in  conversation  with  Mc- 
Andre near  his  cabin,  was  fired  upon  and  wounded  in  the  knee ;  but  not  so  badly 
as  to  disable  him.  He  commenced  a  rapid  retreat  to  his  house,  but  received  a 
second  shot,  which  instantly  killed  him.  McAndre  escaped  on  horseback,  and 
carried  with  him  to  the  old  settlement  one  of  Mastin's  small  children.  Dunn  and 
two  of  his  sons,  one  aged  sixteen  and  the  other  nine  years,  the  only  members  of 
the  family  then  in  the  bottom,  not  having  been  observed  by  the  Indians  when  the 
attack  commenced,  escaped  to  the  woods  and  separated.  The  old  man  made  his 
way  safely  to  the  older  settlement,  but  the  boys  were  afterwards  discovered  by 
the  Indians,  and  both  murdered.  One  of  the  negroes  at  Innis's  quarter,  being 
sick,  was  killed,  and  the  two  others  taken  captive,  (the  overseer  being  absent). 
Of  the  captives,  one  died  among  the  Indians,  and  the  other  returned  to  his  mas- 
ter. The  survivors  of  this  infant  colony  were  taken  to  the  older  settlement,  and 
found  all  the  kindness  and  hospitality  so  characteristic  of  pioneer  life. 

The  alarm  was  quickly  communicated  to  the  adjacent  settlements,  and  before 
night-fall,  a  body  of  from  seventy-five  to  one  hundred  men  were  in  hot  pursuit  of 
the  retreating  foe.  The  main  body  of  the  Indians,  however,  reached  the  Ohio 
and  crossed  it  safely,  in  advance  of  the  Kentuckians.  A  small  party  who  had 
lingered  behind  and  stolen  some  negroes  and  horses  from  another  settlement,  were 
overtaken  on  the  succeeding  morning,  a  short  distance  from  the  Ohio,  by  a  por- 
tion of  the  pursuing  force,  among  them  the  venerable  William  Tureman,  of  the 
city  of  Maysville,  then  a  youth.  The  whites  fired,  and  the  hindmost  Indian  fell, 
severely  wounded.  One  of  the  whites  imprudently  rushed  his  horse  through  the 
tall  grass  to  the  spot  where  the  Indian  fell,  when  the  latter  raised  his  rifle  and 
shot  him  through  the  heart.  He  then  rose  to  his  feet,  and  attempted  to  reach  the 
thicket  to  which  his  companions  had  retreated,  but  was  fired  upon  and  killed, 
some  fifteen  or  twenty  balls  having  been  lodged  in  his  body. 

Remains  of  Daniel  Boone. — At  its  session  of  1844-45,  the  legislature  of  Ken- 
tucky adopted  measures  to  have  the  mortal  remains  of  the  celebrated  pioneer, 
Daniel  Boone,  and  those  of  his  wife,  removed  from  their  place  of  burial  on  the 
banks  of  the  Missouri,  for  the  purpose  of  interment  in  the  public  cemetery  at 
Frankfort.  There  seemed  to  be  a  peculiar  propriety  in  this  testimonial  of  the 
veneration  borne  by  the  commonwealth  for  the  memory  of  the  illustrious  dead  ; 
and  it  was  fitting  that  the  soil  of  Kentucky  should  afford  the  final  resting  place 
of  his  remains,  whose  blood  in  life  had  so  often  been  shed  to  protect  it  from  the 
fury  of  savage  hostility.  It  was  as  the  beautiful  and  touching  manifestation  of 
filial  affection  shown  by  children  to  the  memory  of  a  beloved  parent ;  and  it  was 
right  that  the  generation  who  were  reaping  in  peace  the  fruits  of  his  toils  and  dan- 
gers, should  desire  to  have  in  their  midst,  and  decorate  with  the  tokens  of  their  love, 
the  sepulchre  of  this  primeval  patriarch,  whose  stout  heart  watched  by  the  cradle 
of  this  now  powerful  commonwealth,  in  its  weak  and  helpless  infancy,  shielding 
it  with  his  body  from  all  those  appalling  dangers  which  threatened  its  safety  and 
existence. 

The  consent  of  the  surviving  relations  of  the  deceased  having  been  obtained,  a 
commission  was  appointed,  under  whose  superintendence  the  removal  was  effec- 
ted ;  and  the  13th  of  September,  1845,  was  fixed  upon  as  the  time  when  the  ashes 
of  the  venerable  dead,  would  be  committed  with  fitting  ceremonies  to  the  place 
of  their  final  repose.    It  was  a  day  which  will  be  long  remembered  in  the  history 


308  FRANKLIN    COUNTy. 

of  Franklin.  The  deep  feeling  excited  by  the  occasion,  was  evinced  by  the  as- 
sembling of  an  immense  concourse  of  citizens  from  all  parts  of  the  State;  and 
the  ceremonies  were  most  imposing  and  impressive.  A  procession,  extending 
more  than  a  mile  in  length,  accompanied  the  coffins  to  the  grave.  The  hearse, 
decorated  with  evergreens  and  flowers,  and  drawn  by  four  white  horses,  was 
placed  in  its  assigned  position  in  the  line,  accompanied  as  pall  hearers,  by  the 
following  distinguished  pioneers,  viz.  Colonel  Richard  M.  Johnson,  of  Scott : 
General  James  Taylor,  of  Campbell ;  Captain  James  Ward,  of  Mason ;  General 
Robert  B.  McAfee,  and  Peter  Jordan,  of  Mercer;  Waller  Bullock,  Esq.,  of  Fay- 
ette; Captain  Thomas  Joyce,  of  Louisville;  Mr.  Landon  Sneed,  of  Franklin; 
Colonel  John  Johnston,  of  the  State  of  Ohio;  Major  Z.  Williams,  of  Kenton; 
and  Colonel  William  Boone,  of  Shelby.  The  procession  was  accompanied  by 
several  military  companies,  and  by  the  members  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity,  and 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  in  rich  regalia.  Arrived  at  the  grave,  the 
company  was  brought  together  in  a  beautiful  hollow  near  the  grave,  ascending 
from  the  center  on  every  side.  Here  the  funeral  services  were  performed.  The 
hymn  was  given  out  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Godell,  of  the  Baptist  church ;  prayer  by 
Bishop  Soule,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church ;  oration  by  the  Honorable 
John  J.  Crittenden;  closing  prayer  by  the  Rev.  J.  J.  Bullock,  of  the  Presbyte- 
rian church ;  and  benediction  by  the  Rev.  P.  S.  Fall,  of  the  Christian  church. 
The  coffins  were  then  lowered  into  the  graves.  The  spot  where  the  graves  are 
situated,  is  as  beautiful  as  nature  and  art  combined  can  make  it.  It  is  designed 
to  erect  a  monument  on  the  place. 

Honorable  John  Brown. — The  present  high  rank  that  Kentucky  occupies  in 
the  Union,  is  but  a  continuation  and  expansion  of  the  impulse  first  given  by 
those  who  rescued  the  land  from  the  dominion  of  the  savages.  No  country  was 
ever  settled  by  men  of  more  distinct  character  from  the  great  mass,  and  the  infu- 
sion of  those  traits  was  so  common  to  the  population  of  the  early  emigrants,  that 
it  will  take  centuries  to  eradicate  it  from  their  descendents.  More  of  the  gal- 
lant officers  of  the  American  revolution,  and  their  no  less  gallant  soldiers,  found 
a  retreat  in  Kentucky,  than  in  any  other  part  of  America  ;  and  they  brought  with 
them  to  the  west,  the  young  men  of  enterprise  and  talent  and  courage  who,  like 
Sidney,  were  determined  to  "find  or  to  make  "  a  way  to  distinction.  Among 
the  pioneers  of  Kentucky,  no  one  acted  a  more  conspicuous  part  than  the  gentleman 
whose  name  is  at  the  head  of  this  notice,  and  a  brief  sketch  of  his  life  is  not  only 
appropriate,  but  indispensable,  to  a  work  having  for  its  object  an  elucidation  of 
the  history  of  the  State. 

Mr.  Brown  was  born  at  Staunton,  Virginia,  on  the  12lh  day  of  September, 
1757.  He  was  the  son  of  the  Rev.  John  Brown  and  Margaret  Preston.  His 
father  was  eminently  distinguished  as  a  Presbyterian  minister  of  piety  and  learn- 
ing, a  graduate  of  Princeton  college,  and  pastor  for  forty-four  years  of  the  church 
at  Providence  meeting  house  in  Rockbridge.  The  mother  was  a  woman  of  re- 
markable energy  of  character  and  vigor  of  mind — the  second  daughter  of  John 
Preston  and  Elizabeth  Patton,  and  sister  of  William  Preston,  of  Mrs.  Breckin- 
ridge, Mrs.  Smith  and  Mrs.  Howard,  from  whom  are  descended  the  Prestons, 
the  Breckinridges,  the  M'Dowells,  the  Harts,  and  many  other  distinguished  fe- 
males in  Kentucky  and  Virginia.  The  children  were  reared  in  the  hardy  nurture 
of  the  western  borderers,  and  having  no  patrimony  in  expectancy,  were  habitua- 
ted to  depend  on  their  own  energies  for  success  in  life.  A  good  education  was 
all  that  they  could  look  for,  and  this  was  carefully  bestowed.  John,  being  the 
eldest,  was  sent  to  Princeton,  at  which  place  he  was  a  student  when  the  Ameri- 
can army  made  its  memorable  retreat  though  the  Jerseys.  The  college  was  bro- 
ken up,  and  he  joined  the  troops  and  crossed  the  Delaware  with  them,  and  re- 
mained with  the  army  under  Washington  for  some  time  as  a  volunteer.  He  sub- 
sequently was  a  member  of  a  volunteer  company  from  Rockbridge,  which  com- 
pany was  under  the  command  of  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette.  He  completed  his 
education  at  William  and  Mary  college — assisted  the  celebrated  Dr.  Waddill  for 
two  years  as  a  teacher  in  his  school — read  law  in  the  office  of  Mr.  Jefferson,  and 
removed  to  Kentucky  in  1782,  arriving  directly  after  the  battle  of  the  Blue  Licks  ; 
and  from  that  date  to  the  period  of  his  death  he  was  a  citizen  of  the  western 
country. 


THE  BROTHERS  BROWN.  309 

From  the  commencement  of  our  political  history,  Mr.  Brown  was  called  to  act 
a  prominent  part.  He  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Virginia  legislature  from  the 
district  of  Kentucky,  and  was,  by  the  legislature  of  that  state,  appointed  a  repre- 
sentative to  the  "-old  Congress,"  in  1787,  and  also  in  1788.  In  1789  and  1791, 
he  was  elected  by  the  people  of  Kentucky  a  representative  to  the  first  and  sec- 
ond Congress,  under  the  present  constitution.  After  Kentucky  became  a  state, 
he  was  three  times  consecutively  elected  a  senator  in  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States,  and  continued  in  the  senate  until  1805,  when  he  retired  to  private  life. 
It  was  his  fortune  as  a  politician,  to  live  to  be  nearly,  if  not  the  very,  last  survi- 
vor of  the  old  Congress;  and  he  was  the  first  member  of  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States  ever  sent  from  the  great  valley  of  the  Mississippi !  He  came  to  it 
in  his  youth,  and  it  was  a  vast  and  dangerous  wilderness — he  lived  to  see  it  un- 
der the  dominion  of  eleven  powerful  and  independent  sovereignties,  teeming  with 
a  population  of  more  than  seven  millions  of  people,  and  holding  the  balance  of 
power  in  the  national  confederacy.  Coming  into  public  life  at  the  close  of  the 
Revolution,  he  was  brought  into  an  intimate  association  with  many  of  the  most 
prominent  actors  of  that  eventful  period,  and  enjoyed  the  personal  friendship  of 
General  Washington,  Mr.  Adams,  Mr.  Jefferson,  Mr.  Madison  and  Mr.  Monroe. 
General  Washington  honored  him,  in  conjunction  with  General  Charles  Scott, 
Benjamin  Logan,  Harry  Innis  and  Isaac  Shelby,  with  important  commissions  of 
a  military  trust,  with  power  to  enlist  men,  commission  officers,  and  carry  on  war 
at  home  and  abroad.  He  was  the  projector  of  several  of  the  military  expeditions 
into  the  Indian  countries,  and  accompanied  one  of  the  most  successful  of  them  as 
a  volunteer,  lending  the  influence  of  his  example  to  enforce  his  official  exhorta- 
tions. He  was  a  most  distinguished  actor  in  all  the  events  that  attended  the 
admission  of  Kentucky  into  the  Union,  and  the  securing  for  the  west  the  naviga- 
tion of  the  Mississippi ;  and  the  efforts  of  no  one  individual  contributed  more  to 
bring  about  those  results.  In  the  celebrated  controversy  between  Mr.  Jefferson 
and  Colonel  Burr  for  the  presidency,  he,  then  a  senator  from  Kentucky,  advoca- 
ted the  claims  of  Mr.  Jefferson  with  zealous  ardor.  Mr.  Jefferson  pressed  upon 
him,  during  his  administration,  the  acceptance  of  several  highly  important  and 
lucrative  offices,  all  of  which  he  declined.  The  intimacy  and  friendship  which 
existed  between  them,  commencing  while  he  was  a  student  in  the  office  of  that 
world-renowned  statesman,  continued  without  interruption  throughout  life.  When 
Mr.  Monroe  became  president,  he  also  addressed  him  a  letter,  wishing  to  know  in 
what  manner  his  administration  could  testify  its  regard  for  his  character  and  early 
public  service;  but  he  declined  all  preferment.  With  the  public  men  of  the  west, 
he  was  on  terms  of  the  most  endearing  friendship.  With  General  George  Rogers 
Clark,  Governor  Shelby  and  Governors  Scott  and  Madison,  and  with  Judges 
Innis  and  Todd,  and  Colonels  Nicholas  and  Breckinridge,  and  their  illustrious 
associates,  he  held  the  most  confidential  intercourse,  and  their  attachment,  com- 
menced in  periods  of  danger  and  under  circumstances  of  trial,  never  wavered. 
This  eminent  man — eminent  as  a  patriot,  as  a  statesman  and  citizen — lived  to 
the  advanced  age  of  80  years,  and  died  at  his  residence  in  Frankfort  on  the  29th 
of  August,  1837.  His  accomplished  wife,  the  daughter  of  the  Rev.  John  Mason, 
of  the  city  of  New  York,  and  sister  of  the  Rev.  John  M.  Mason,  both  distin- 
guished divines,  survived  him  but  a  few  months. 

Honorable  James  Brown,  a  brother  of  the  Honorable  John  Brown,  was  a  dis- 
tinguished lawyer  in  Kentucky,  and  a  cotemporary  at  the  bar  of  the  Honorable 
Henry  Clay,  (both  of  whom  married  daughters  of  Colonel  Thomas  Hart),  and 
also  of  George  Nicholas,  Mr.  Murray,  John  Breckinridge,  and  others,  and  was 
distinguished,  even  in  such  competition,  as  an  able  lawyer  and  eloquent  speaker. 
He  was  appointed  first  secretary  of  state  of  Governor  Shelby.  Upon  the  pur- 
chase of  Louisiana,  he  removed  to  New  Orleans,  was  associated  with  Mr.  Liv- 
ingston in  the  compilation  of  the  civil  code,  was  several  times  elected  to  the 
senate  of  the  United  States,  and  subsequently  received  the  appointment  of  min- 
ister to  France,  in  which  capacity  he  resided  many  years  in  the  city  of  Paris, 
admired  for  his  ability  as  a  diplomatist,  and  beloved  for  his  munificent  hospitality. 
He  died  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia  in  1836. 

Dr.  Samuel  Brown,  also  another  brother  of  the  Hon.  John  Brown,  was  a 
graduate  of  Edinburgh,  and  very  distinguished  for  his  medical  writings,  and  for 


310  FRANKLIN,   COUNTY. 

many  years  filled,  with  great  credit  to  himself  and  usefulness  to  the  institution, 
the  chair  of  professor  of  theory  and  practice  of  medicine  in  the  Transylvania 
University.     He  died  in  Alabama. 

Dr.  Preston  W.  Brown,  the  youngest  of  the  brothers,  was  a  graduate  of  the 
school  of  medicine  in  Philadelphia,  and  favorably  known  to  the  profession  as  a 
successful  practitioner  of  medicine  in  Kentucky.  He  died  in  Jefferson  county 
in  1826. 

Governor  George  Madison  was  born  in  Virginia,  about  the  year  1763.  His 
career  was  one  of  distinction  in  arms  as  well  as  the  cabinet.  He  was  one  of  the 
soldiers  of  the  American  revolution.  Before  he  was  of  age,  whilst  yet  a  boy, 
he  threw  himself  in  the  ranks,  and  with  a  gallant  bearing  passed  through  the 
scenes  of  his  country's  first  and  great  struggle  for  independence.  He  was  also 
engaged  in  the  battles  which  were  fought  by  the  early  settlers  of  Kentucky  with 
the  Indians  of  the  north-western  territory.  At  the  head  of  his  company,  Captain 
Madison  was  wounded  at  St.  Clair's  defeat  in  1791 ;  and  he  was  again  wounded 
in  the  attack  upon  the  camp  of  Major  John  Adair,  by  the  Indians,  in  1792.  Ma- 
jor Adair,  in  his  report  of  that  battle  to  Brigadier  General  Wilkinson,  speaking 
of  Captain  Madison,  whom  he  had  ordered  to  take  a  party  and  gain  the  right 
flank  of  the  enemy,  says  : — "  Madison's  bravery  and  conduct  need  no  comment  ,• 
they  are  well  known.''''  This  was  his  reputation  in  military  life — to  speak  in  fa- 
vor of  his  courage  was  considered  superfluous — all  who  saw  him  in  the  field, 
both  men  and  officers,  knew  him  to  be  brave — that  knowledge  came,  as  if  by  in- 
tuition, to  all  who  beheld  him — his  looks,  his  words,  his  whole  demeanor  on  the 
field,  were  emphatically  those  of  a  soldier.  No  hero  ever  shed  his  blood  in  the 
cause  of  his  country  more  freely  than  George  Madison ;  when  called  into  her 
service,  there  seemed  no  limit  to  his  patriotism,  no  bounds  to  his  zeal  in  her  be- 
half. It  did  in  truth  appear  as  if  he  considered  himself — all  he  had,  and  all  he 
could  do — a  free  gift,  a  living  sacrifice,  to  be  offered  up  on  the  altar  of  his 
country. 

Having  passed  through  two  wars  with  honor  and  distinction,  and  having  set- 
tled permanently  in  Kentucky  at  a  very  early  period,  he  was  soon  called  upon  to 
take  part  in  the  civil  administration  of  the  State.  On  the  7th  of  March,  1796,  he 
was  appointed  by  Governor  Shelby  auditor  of  public  accounts,  to  fill  the  vacancy 
occasioned  by  the  resignation  of  William  McDowell,  which  office  he  held  for 
more  than  twenty  years.  During  the  whole  of  this  period,  his  official  duties,  and 
his  position  at  the  seat  of  government,  threw  him  in  constant  personal  intercourse 
with  persons  from  every  quarter  of  the  State ;  and  the  influence  which  he  thus 
acquired,  and  the  universal  confidence  and  love  with  which  he  inspired  all  who 
knew  him,  were  so  unbounded  throughout  Kentucky,  that  there  was  no  office 
within  the  gift  of  the  people  which  he  could  not  easily  have  attained,  without  the 
slightest  solicitation. 

In  the  summer  of  1812,  a  requisition  was  made  on  the  State  of  Kentucky  to 
aid  in  an  expedition  against  Canada  and  the  Indians  of  the  north-western  terri- 
tory, who,  at  that  time,  were  in  alliance  with  the  British.  In  obedience  to  the 
call  of  the  government,  Colonel  John  Allen  raised  a  volunteer  regiment  of  Ken- 
tuckians,  and  George  Madison,  then  auditor  of  public  accounts,  accepted  the  of- 
fice of  second  major  under  him,  at  the  earnest  solicitation  of  Captains  Hickman, 
Ballard  and  others,  who  had  served  with  him  in  previous  campaigns  against  the 
Indians,  and  knew,  therefore,  how  to  appreciate  his  skill  as  an  officer.  At  the 
memorable  battle  of  the  river  Raisin,  which  occurred  in  January,  1813,  in  which 
that  regiment  suffered  so  severely,  and  in  which  Colonel  Allen,  Captains  Simp- 
son, McCracken,  Hickman,  and  a  host  of  others  fell,  Madison  behaved  with  ex- 
emplary firmness  and  courage.  He  was  in  immediate  command  of  the  force  that 
stood  within  the  pickets,  and  by  his  calm  and  collected  bearing,  and  his  desper- 
ate resolution,  exacted  terms  of  capitulation  from  General  Proctor,  the  commander 
of  the  British  and  Indians,  by  which  his  men  and  all  the  wounded  were  to  be 
thrown  under  the  immediate  protection  of  the  British  commander,  and  saved 
from  the  violence  of  savage  cruelty.  Accordingly,  Madison  and  such  of  the 
Americans  as  were  able  to  march,  were  removed  to  Maiden,  whence  he  and  the 
other  officers  were  sent  to  Quebec.     The  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates 


SOLOMON  P.  SHARP.  311 

were  shortly  afterwards  discharged  on  parole,  and  permitted  to  return  to  the  Uni- 
ted States.  In  consequence  of  the  shameful  violation  by  Proctor  of  the  terms 
of  capitulation  entered  into  with  Madison — in  permitting  the  Indians  to  massacre 
our  wounded  men  left  at  the  river  Raisin — a  retaliation  was  apprehended,  and 
Madison  and  our  other  officers  were  kept  in  confinement  at  Quebec  as  hostages. 

In  the  year  1816,  having  resigned  his  office  as  auditor  of  public  accounts,  Major 
Madison  was  urged  from  every  section  of  the  state  to  become  a  candidate  for  gov- 
ernor. So  loud  and  so  general  was  the  call  made  on  him,  that  he  consented  to 
run.  Colonel  James  Johnson,  who  had  distinguished  himself  at  the  battle  of  the 
Thames,  was  announced  as  the  opposing  candidate.  Colonel  Johnson  had  not, 
however,  been  engaged  very  long  in  the  canvass,  before  he  found  it  impossible  to 
resist  the  popularity  of  Major  Madison.  He  accordingly  retired  during  the  very 
heat  of  the  canvass,  and  declined  the  race,  declaring  that  it  was  utterly  futile  for 
him  or  any  body  else  to  run  against  a  man  so  universally  popular  and  beloved,  as 
he  found  his  opponent  to  be.  He  was  not,  however,  permitted  to  enjoy  very  long 
the  high  honor  conferred  upon  him  by  the  State  with  such  marked  distinction. 
He  died  on  the  14th  day  of  October,  1816,  and  left  a  whole  people  to  mourn  over 
his  loss  with  a  sorrow  as  deep  as  was  the  love  which  they  had  borne  him. 

Col.  Solomon  P.  Sharp. — In  a  work  designed  to  perpetuate  a  knowledge  of 
the  remarkable  events  that  have  transpired  in  Kentucky,  and  the  memory  of  dis- 
tinguished men  who  have  given  renown  to  the  State,  the  name  of  Colonel  Sol- 
omon P.  Sharp  deserves  a  conspicuous  place.  It  was  the  fortune  of  this  able 
man  to  illustrate,  by  his  own  career,  the  noble  tendency  of  our  republican  insti- 
tutions, and  to  teach  to  his  youthful  countrymen  the  important  lesson  that  each 
may,  and  must  be,  the  architect  of  his  own  fortunes,  and  that  there  is  no  station 
to  which  the  humblest  may  not  aspire.  He  was  born  of  a  parentage  that  brought 
him  no  aid  but  that  which  an  unsullied  name  can  give.  His  father  had  been  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolution,  and  one  of  the  gallant  but  obscure  borderers  who  gained 
the  memorable  victory  at  King's  mountain.  The  war  being  over,  he  moved  from 
Washington  county,  in  Virginia,  first  to  the  neighborhood  of  Nashville,  Ten- 
nessee, and  in  a  short  time  afterwards  to  the  vicinity  of  Russellville,  Kentucky. 
It  was  at  the  latter  place  that  Colonel  Sharp  grew  up  to  manhood,  having  been 
but  a  very  small  child  at  the  period  of  his  father's  removal  to  the  Green  river 
country.  At  that  early  day,  that  region  was  almost  a  desert,  and  but  few  advan-- 
tages  were  possessed  by  the  young  for  mental  improvement.  The  simplest  rudi- 
ments of  education  were  all  that  even  the  most  favored  could  expect,  and  even 
these  were  only  to  be  obtained  by  alternate  interchange  between  the  labors  of  the 
farm  and  the  employments  of  the  school  room.  Still,  such  was  the  nursery  of 
many  of  the  most  distinguished  men  of  Kentucky;  and  in  that  school  they  ac- 
quired a  vigor  of  constitution  and  independence  in  thought,  action  and  speech, 
that  gave  them  throughout  life,  a  force  of  character  which  enabled  them  to  leave 
their  impress  on  the  times  in  which  they  lived. 

Col.  Sharp,  at  the  early  age  of  nineteen,  had,  in  the  midst  of  innumerable  and, 
to  any  but  a  brave  spirit,  insurmountable  difficulties,  gained  admittance  to  the  bar. 
He  entered  the  profession  unknown,  without  the  influence  of  friends  or  fortune, 
his  sole  dependence  being  on  his  own  energies.  But,  in  a  short  time,  he  stood 
forth  before  all  observers  as  a  youth  of  uncommon  promise,  and,  in  his  earliest 
professional  efforts,  he  displayed  powers  of  reasoning,  of  research  and  of  eloquence 
that  drew  upon  him  the  admiration  and  esteem  of  the  whole  community.  As  a 
reasoner,  his  powers  were  remarkable,  clear,  discriminating  and  logical ;  in  debate, 
he  had  few  equals  and  no  superiors.  His  style  of  speech  was  of  the  conversa- 
tional order — plain  and  concise — he  was  always  understood  ;  and  those  who  heard 
him,  felt  that  they  were  taking  part  in  unravelling  the  propositions  which  he 
sought  to  make  manifest.  He  seldom  turned  aside  from  his  subject,  unless  to 
relieve  the  mind  from  the  tenseness  of  the  argument;  and  when  this  was  neces- 
sary, he  never  lacked  a  playful  sally  or  happy  illustration  to  suit  his  purpose. 
Without  any  thing  like  redundancy,  he  never  hesitated  for  a  word,  and  was 
strictly  fluent  from  the  force  of  his  own  thought,  and  he  never  became  excited  that 
he  had  not  a  convinced  and  sympathising  auditory. 

At  the  earliest  period  permissible  by  the  constitution,  he  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  Kentucky  legislature,  and  on  the  political  theatre  displayed  talents  of  such 


312  FKANKLIN    COUNTY. 

rare  order  that,  at  twenty-four  years  of  age,  he  might  have  been  considered  one 
of  the  first  public  men  in  Kentucky.  He  was  again  and  again  honored  by  a  seat 
in  the  legislature,  until,  by  the  general  voice  of  the  district  in  which  he  Jived,  he 
•was  transferred  to  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  and  for  two  successive 
terms,  embracing  the  most  interesting  period  of  the  administration  of  Mr.  Madi- 
son, he  occupied  the  very  front  rank  among  the  most  eminent  politicians  of  that 
day.  He  was  the  room  mate  and  intimate  friend  of  the  Hon.  John  C.  Calhoun, 
of  South  Carolina  ;  and  stood  side  by  side  with  him,  in  the  support  of  the  admin- 
istration of  Mr.  Madison.  The  high  estimation  in  which  he  was  held  by  that 
distinguished  statesman,  is  attested  by  his  having  been  heard  to  declare,  more 
than  once,  that  "  he  was  the  ablest  man  of  his  age  that  had  ever  crossed  the 
mountains." 

Enticing  as  were  these  early  political  honors  to  a  youth  of  honorable  ambition, 
and  holding  out,  as  they  did,  the  prospect  of  still  further  advancement.  Col. 
Sharp  relinquished  them  all  with  cheerfulness,  in  order  that  he  might  devote 
himself  with  more  assiduity  to  the  labors  of  his  profession.  Having  married  the 
daughter  of  Colonel  John  M.  Scott,  of  Frankfort,  and  his  reputation  as  a  lawyer 
being  commensurate  with  the  State,  he  determined  to  remove  to  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment, where  the  supreme  court  of  the  State,  and  the  federal  court  of  the  dis- 
trict of  Kentucky  held  their  sessions.  Before  these  two  distinguished  tribunals 
— distinguished  for  the  great  learning  of  the  presiding  justices,  and  the  unsur- 
passed ability  of  the  lawyers  who  practiced  before  them.  Colonel  Sharp  was  the 
acknowledged  equal  of  the  most  eminent,  and  acquired  a  practice  as  extensive 
and  lucrative  as  any  practitioner  at  the  bar,  and  the  docket  of  the  court  of  appeals 
of  that  day,  shows  his  name  to  almost  every  litigated  case,  from  the  first  day  of 
his  location  in  Frankfort. 

He  was  selected  by  Governor  Adair  as  peculiarly  qualified  for  the  important 
office  of  attorney  general,  and  he  discharged  its  duties  to  the  perfect  satisfaction 
of  the  country.  This  was  the  highest  honor  of  the  legal  profession  that  a  prac- 
titioner could  enjoy,  and  there  was  but  one  step  more  for  legal  ambition,  and  that 
was  a  seat  upon  the  bench.  He  did  not  attain  the  age  when  lawyers,  in  full 
practice,  are  willing  to  retire  and  leave  the  field  of  active  and  profitable  labor  to 
younger  competitors  ;  but  there  is  no  question,  judging  of  the  future  from  the  past, 
that  he  would  have  been  called  to  occupy  a  distinguished  place  in  the  highest 
courts  of  judicature,  at  a  little  later  period. 

It  was  in  the  midst  of  a  career  like  this,  fruitful  of  honors,  of  public  useful- 
ness and  domestic  happiness,  that  he  fell  by  the  hand  of  an  assassin,  on  the  night 
of  the  —  November,  1825,  in  the  thirty-eighth  year  of  his  age.  The  peculiar 
atrocity  of  the  deed  created  a  thrill  of  horror  throughout  the  land,  for  it  was  at- 
tended with  circumstances  of  most  fiend-like  barbarity.  The  legislature,  of  which 
Colonel  Sharp  was  at  that  time  a  member,  being  in  session,  otfered  a  reward  of 
three  thousand  dollars  for  the  detection  and  apprehension  of  the  murderer,  and 
passed  resolutions  testifying  the  public  condolence  and  sympathy  with  the  afflic- 
ted family,  and  the  great  loss  the  State  had  sustained  in  his  untimely  death. 

IsHAM  Talbot  was  born  in  the  county  of  Bedford,  and  State  of  Virginia,  in  the 
year  1773.  While  quite  a  youth,  his  father  emigrated  with  his  family  to  Ken- 
tucky, and  settled  near  Harrodsburg,  in  Mercer  county.  The  means  of  acqui- 
ring an  education,  at  that  early  day,  were  necessarily  limited,  and  each  individual 
in  the  pursuit  of  knowledge,  had  to  rely,  in  a  great  degree,  on  the  resources  of 
his  own  intellect  and  will.  Young  Talbot  was  sent  to  the  best  schools  of  Har- 
rodsburg; but  he  acquired,  without  the  aid  of  teachers,  a  respectable  knowledge 
of  the  ancient  and  some  of  the  modern  languages. 

On  arriving  at  manhood,  he  studied  law  with  Colonel  George  Nicholas,  and 
commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  the  town  of  Versailles,  in  Woodford 
county.  He  soon  afterwards  removed  to  Frankfort,  and  entered  the  lists  when 
Clay,  and  Daveiss,  and  Bibb,  and  Bledsoe,  and  Rowan  adorned  the  bar;  and 
public  opinion  of  that  day  and  this,  has  regarded  Mr.  Talbot  as  one  of  the  bright- 
est in  that  galaxy  of  illustrious  names. 

In  1812,  he  was  elected  to  the  senate  of  Kentucky  from  the  county  of  Frank- 
lin, which  office  he  continued  to  hold  until  his  election,  in  1815,  to  the  senate  of 
the  United  States,  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  resignation  of  Jesse  Bled- 


HARRY  INNES.  313 

soe.  In  1820,  he  was  re-elected  to  the  senate,  and  served  in  that  body  till  the 
4th  of  March,  1825.  Mr.  Talbot's  career  in  the  senate  is  a  part  of  the  history 
of  our  common  country,  and  the  reports  of  the  debates  of  that  body  bear  ample 
proofs  of  his  eloquence  and  patriotism.  He  died  at  Melrose,  his  residence  near 
Frankfort,  on  the  21st  of  September,  1837. 

Hon.  Harry  Innes.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  1752,  in  Caroline 
county,  Virginia.  His  father,  the  Rev.  Robert  Innes,  of  the  Episcopal  church, 
was  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  married  Catharine  Richards,  of  Va.,  by  whom  he 
had  three  sons,  Robert,  Harry,  and  James.  The  eldest  was  a  physician,  and  Harry 
and  James  read  law  with  Mr.  Rose,  of  Va.  Harry  was  a  schoolmate  of  the  late 
President  Madison.  James  was  attorney  general  of  Virginia,  and  one  of  the 
most  eloquent  debaters  in  the  convention  which  adopted  the  present  constitution 
of  the  United  States.  During  the  administration  of  President  Washington,  he 
was  deputed  to  Kentucky  as  a  special  envoy  to  explain  to  Governor  Shelby  and 
the  legislature,  the  measures  in  progress  by  the  government  of  the  United  States 
to  secure  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi. 

In  1776-7,  whilst  the  lead  mines  became  objects  of  national  solicitude  and  pub- 
lic care  for  procuring  a  supply  necessary  to  the  revolutionary  contest,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch  was  employed  by  the  committee  of  public  safety  in  Virginia,  to 
superintend  the  working  of  Chipil's  mines.  His  ability,  zeal  and  fidelity  in  that 
employment,  commanded  the  thanks  of  that  committee.  In  1779,  he  was  elected 
by  the  legislature  of  Virginia  a  commissioner  to  hear  and  determine  the  claims  to 
unpatented  lands  in  the  district  including  Abingdon.  That  duty  he  performed  to 
public  satisfaction.  In  1783,  he  was  elected  by  the  legislature  of  Virginia,  one 
of  the  judges  of  the  supreme  court  for  the  district  of  Kentucky,  and  on  the  third 
day  of  November  of  that  year,  he  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  commission  at 
Crow's  station,  near  Danville,  in  conjunction  with  the  Hon.  Caleb  Wallace  and 
Samuel  M'Dowell.  In  1787,  he  was  elected  by  the  legislature  of  Virginia,  at- 
torney general  for  the  district  of  Kentucky,  in  the  place  of  Walker  Daniel,  who 
fell  a  victim  to  the  savage  foe.  In  1785,  he  entered  upon  the  duties  of  that  office, 
in  which  he  continued  until  he  was  appointed,  in  1787,  judge  of  the  court  of  the 
United  States  for  the  Kentucky  district,  the  duties  of  which  he  discharged  until 
his  death,  September,  1816. 

Upon  the  erection  of  Kentucky  into  an  independent  state  in  1792,  he  was 
offered,  but  declined,  the  office  of  chief  justice.  He  was  president  of  the  first 
electoral  college  for  the  choice  of  governor  and  lieutenant  governor  under  the 
first  constitution.  In  April,  1790,  he  was  authorized  by  the  secretary  of  war, 
(General  Knox,)  to  call  out  the  scouts  for  the  protection  of  the  frontier;  and,  in 
1791,  he  was  associated  with  Scott,  Shelby,  Logan  and  Brown,  as  a  local  board 
of  war  for  the  western  country,  to  call  out  the  militia  on  expeditions  against  the 
Indians,  in  conjunction  with  the  commanding  officer  of  the  United  Stales,  and 
to  apportion  scouts  through  the  exposed  parts  of  the  district.  In  all  these 
responsible  capacities  the  conduct  of  Judge  Innes  was  without  reproach,  and 
raised  him,  most  deservedly  high,  in  the  public  esteem,  and  received  the  repeated 
thanks  of  General  Washington  for  the  discharge  of  high  trusts.  As  a  judge,  he 
was  patient  to  hear,  diligent  to  investigate  and  impartial  to  decide.  These  quali- 
ties were  especially  requisite  in  his  position  as  the  sole  judge,  until  1807,  of  the 
court  of  the  United  States  for  the  district  of  Kentucky,  whose  decisions  were 
final,  unless  reversed  by  the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States. 

As  a  neighbor,  as  an  agriculturist,  and  as  a  polished  gentleman  in  all  the  rela- 
tions of  private  and  social  life  he  was  a  model  of  his  day  and  generation  :  and 
although  his  public  career  in  the  west,  amidst  its  earliest  difficulties,  had  always 
been  one  of  high  trust  and  confidence  under  all  the  changes  of  government,  his 
conduct  in  reference  to  the  efforts  to  secure  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi, 
was  the  subject  of  envenomed  calumny  at  a  subsequent  period,  when  the  peculiar 
condition  of  affairs  in  the  early  transactions  in  Kentucky  was  not  fully  appreci- 
ated. The  proudest  refutation  of  these  misrepresentations,  is  found,  however,  in 
the  repeated  evidence  of  the  approbation  of  Washington  ;  and  the  after  intrigues 
attempted  by  Powers,  as  agent  of  the  Spanish  governor,  but  so  promptly  rejected 
by  Innes  and  Nicholas,  did  not  impair  the  public  confidence  in  their  devotion  to 
the  freedom  and  happiness  of  their  country,  of  which  a  satisfactory  proof  is  affor- 


314  FRANKLIN    COUNTY. 

ded  in  the  refusal  of  Congress  in  1808  to  institute  any  measures  for  the  impeachment 
of  Judge  Innes.  The  negotiations  proposed  by  tlie  Spanish  agents,  and  listened  to 
by  the  early  patriots  of  Kentucky,  had  reference  solely  to  commercial  arrange- 
ments between  the  people  occupying  the  same  great  valley.  They  occurred  at  a 
time  when  the  Kentucky  pioneers  had,  by  personal  exertion  and  peril,  without 
aid  from  the  mother  state,  conquered  the  forest  and  the  roaming  savage  ;  when 
neither  Virginia  nor  the  general  government  afforded  them  adequate  protection, 
nor  permitted  them  to  exert  their  strength;  and,  yet,  no  serious  design  was  ever 
entertained  in  Kentucky  of  separating  from  the  Union  or  accepting  the  protec- 
tion of  Spain.  The  favorable  progress  of  the  subsequent  negotiations  entered 
into  by  the  general  government,  rendering  private  efforts  to  secure  the  navigation 
of  the  Mississippi  unnecessary,  a  corresponding  reply  by  Innes  and  Nicholas 
was  sent  to  Powers,  and  particularly  rejecting  the  tempting  monied  offers  made 
by  that  agent.  In  the  language  of  Judge  Hall,  one  of  the  most  profound  and 
polished  writers  of  the  west:  "The  motives  of  these  early  patriots  stand  unim- 
peached.  They  were  actuated  only  by  a  zeal  for  the  public  good,  and  their  names 
will  hereafter  stand  recorded  in  history  among  those  which  Kentucky  will  be 
proud  to  honor.  She  has  reared  many  illustrious  patriots,  but  none  who  have 
served  her  more  faithfully  through  a  period  of  extraordinary  embarrassment  and 
peril,  than  Brown,  Innes  and  Nicholas." 

Judge  Innes  married,  in  early  life,  a  daughter  of  Colonel  Calloway,  of  Bed- 
ford county,  Virginia,  by  whom  he  had  four  daughters,  two  of  whom  survive. 
Shortly  after  his  removal  to  Kentucky,  (having  lost  his  first  wife),  he  intermar- 
ried with  Mrs.  Shields,  by  whom  he  had  one  child,  the  present  Mrs.  Crittenden, 
wife  of  the  Hon.  John  J.  Crittenden.  The  venerable  relict  of  Judge  Innes  sur- 
vives, at  the  age  of  eighty-seven — a  noble  specimen  of  the  old  school,  in  digni- 
fied courtesy  and  varied  intelligence. 

The  Hon.  Thomas  Todd,  formerly  chief  justice  of  the  State  of  Kentucky,  and 
late  one  of  the  associate  justices  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States,  was 
the  youngest  son  of  Richard  Todd.  He  was  born  on  the  23d  of  January,  1765, 
in  the  county  of  King  and  Queen,  on  York  river,  in  the  State  of  Virginia.  His 
father  was  descended  from  one  of  the  most  respectable  families  in  the  colony,  his 
ancestors  being  among  the  early  emigrants  from  England.  His  mother  was  Eliz- 
abeth Richards.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  months,  his  father  died,  leaving  a  con- 
siderable estate,  which,  by  the  laws  of  primogeniture  of  that  day,  descended  to 
the  eldest  son,  William,  afterwards  high  sheriff  of  Pittsylvania  county  in  that 
State.  This  event  rendered  it  necessary  that  his  mother  should  exert  herself  to 
provide  for  the  support  and  education  of  her  orphan  son.  She  repaired,  for  this 
purpose,  to  Manchester,  opposite  to  Richmond,  and,  by  the  proceeds  of  a  board- 
ing house  under  her  care  and  management,  she  was  enabled  to  give,  at  her  death 
in  1776,  a  handsome  patrimony  to  her  son,  in  the  care  of  his  guardian  and  her 
executor.  Dr.  McKenzie,  of  that  place.  By  the  aid  of  his  friends,  Thomas  Todd 
received  a  good  English  education,  and  advanced  considerably  in  a  knowledge 
of  the  Latin  language,  when  his  prospects  were  clouded  by  the  unexpected  em- 
barrassments of  his  guardian,  which  terminated  in  the  loss  of  the  patrimony  b&- 
queathed  him  by  his  mother. 

At  a  tender  and  unprotected  age,  he  was  again  thrown  upon  the  world  to  de- 
pend for  his  support,  education  and  character,  upon  his  own  efforts.  To  these 
contingencies,  which  seemed  at  the  time  to  be  remediless  misfortunes,  may  be 
traced  that  energy  and  enterprise  which  afterwards  signalized  his  character.  Du- 
ring the  latter  period  of  the  revolutionary  war,  he  served  a  tour  of  duty  for  six 
months  as  a  substitute  ;  and  often,  in  after  life,  referred  to  the  incident  as  being 
the  first  money  he  ever  earned.  He  was  afterwards  a  member  of  the  Manchester 
troop  of  cavalry,  during  the  invasion  of  Virginia  by  Arnold  and  Philips.  He 
was  shortly  afterwards  invited  by  his  relative,  the  late  Harry  Innes, of  Kentucky, 
who  was  a  cousin  of  his  mother,  to  reside  in  his  family,  then  in  Bedford  county. 
By  his  friendship  at  that  early  period — a  friendship  cemented  by  forty  years  of 
affectionate  intercourse  through  life — he  obtained  a  knowledge  of  surveying,  and 
of  the  duties  of  a  clerk.  In  1785,  Judge  Innes  visited  Kentucky  ;  and  having 
resolved  to  remove  his  family  the  following  year,  committed  them  to  the  care  of 
his  young  friend,  who  arrived  at  Danville  in  the  spring  of  1786.     Mr.  Todd's 


THOMAS  TODD.  315 

pecuniary  means  were  so  limited,  that,  whilst  residing  in  the  family  of  Judge 
Innis  at  Danville,  he  was  engaged  during  the  day  in  teaching  the  daughters  of 
his  friend,  and  at  night  prosecuting  the  study  of  the  law  by  tire-light. 

This  was  an  interesting  period  in  the  history  of  Kentucky.  The  people  were 
actively  engaged  in  measures  to  procure  a  separation  from  the  parent  State ;  and 
such  was  the  opinion  entertained  of  his  character  for  business,  that  he  was  cho- 
sen clerk  of  all  the  conventions  held  from  that  period  until  1792,  for  the  purpose 
of  erecting  the  former  into  an  independent  member  of  the  Union. 

He  commenced  the  practice  of  law  very  soon  after  he  came  to  the  State,  and 
made  his  first  effort  at  Madison  old  court-house.  His  horse,  saddle  and  bridle, 
and  thirty-seven  and  a  half  cents  in  money,  constituted  his  whole  means  at  the 
commencement  of  the  court :  at  the  close  of  the  term,  he  had  made  enough  to 
meet  his  current  expenses,  and  returned  to  Danville  with  the  bonds  for  two  cows 
and  calves,  the  ordinary  fees  of  that  day.  The  high  judicial  stations  he  after- 
wards occupied  with  such  reputation  to  himself,  and  such  benefit  to  the  country, 
are  a  proud  commentary  on  the  spirit  of  our  institutions ;  and  form  the  noblest 
incentives  to  industry  and  perseverance  in  the  prosecution  of  a  profession. 

Mr.  Todd  was  appointed  clerk  of  the  federal  court  for  the  district  of  Kentucky, 
the  duties  of  which  he  performed  until  the  separation  from  Virginia,  when  he 
was  appointed  clerk  of  the  court  of  appeals,  under  the  new  constitution.  He 
held  this  office  until  December,  1801,  when  he  was  appointed  by  Governor  Gar- 
rard fourth  judge  of  the  court  of  appeals  ;  an  oflUce  created,  it  is  believed,  with 
the  special  object  of  adding  some  younger  man  to  the  bench,  already  filled  by 
judges  far  advanced  in  life.  In  this  station  he  continued  until  the  resignation  of 
Judge  Muter,  in  1806,  when  he  was  appointed,  during  the  administration  of  Go- 
vernor Greenup,  to  be  chief  justice.  During  the  session  of  Congress  of  1806-7, 
the  increase  of  business  and  of  population  in  the  western  States,  and  the  neces- 
sity of  bringing  into  the  supreme  court  some  individual  versed  in  the  peculiar 
land  law  of  those  States,  induced  Congress  to  extend  the  judiciary  system,  by 
constituting  Kentucky,  Tennessee  and  Ohio  as  the  seventh  circuit,  and  adding 
another  member  to  the  supreme  court.  In  filling  this  new  office,  Mr.  Jeflferson 
adopted  a  mode  somewhat  different  from  that  pursued  in  latter  times.  He  re- 
quested each  delegate  from  the  States  composing  the  circuit  to  communicate  to 
him  a  nomination  of  their  first  and  second  choice.  Judge  Todd  was  the  first  or 
second  upon  the  nomination  of  every  delegate,  although  to  some  of  them  he  was 
personally  unknown.  His  appointment  was  the  first  intimation  to  him  that  he 
had  been  thought  of  for  the  office.  In  this  high  and  arduous  station  he  continued 
until  his  death,  February  7th,  1826. 

In  1788,  he  married  Elizabeth  Harris,  a  niece  of  William  Stewart,  from  Penn- 
sylvania, an  early  adventurer  to  Kentucky,  who  fell  in  the  battle  of  the  Blue 
Licks.  Five  of  their  offspring,  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  arrived  to  maturity  ; 
only  two  survived  him,  the  youngest  daughter  and  the  second  son,  Colonel  C.  S. 
Todd,  advantageously  known  as  an  officer  of  the  late  war,  and  as  the  first  public 
agent  of  the  United  States  in  Colombia,  South  America.  In  1811,  Mrs.  Todd 
died,  and  in  1812,  Judge  Todd  married  the  widow  of  Major  George  Washington, 
a  nephew  of  General  Washington,  and  the  youngest  sister  of  Mrs.  Madison,  wife 
of  the  late  president.     He  left  one  daughter  and  two  sons  by  this  marriage. 

Mr.  Todd  possessed,  in  an  eminent  degree,  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  friends. 
His  stability  and  dignity  of  character,  united  with  manners  peculiarly  amiable, 
left  a  deep  impression  on  all  with  whom  he  had  intercourse.  His  deportment  on 
the  bench,  as  well  as  in  the  social  circle,  secured  him  universal  veneration.  The 
benevolence  of  his  character  was  manifested  in  the  patronage  and  support  he 
extended  to  many  indigent  young  friends  and  near  relations,  whole  families  of 
whom  he  advanced  in  life  by  his  friendly  influence  and  means.  There  is  one 
incident  of  this  sort,  which,  being  connected  in  some  degree  with  his  official  career, 
deserves  to  be  mentioned. 

In  1805-6,  some  influential  members  of  the  legislature  of  Kentucky  prevailed 
on  chief  justice  Muter  to  resign,  upon  an  assurance  of  being  allowed  a  pension 
during  life.  He  had  devoted  his  property  and  the  prime  of  his  days  to  his  country 
in  the  revolutionary  war,  and  was  now  in  indigent  circumstances  and  far  advanced 
in  life.  The  pension  was  granted  by  the  legislature  at  the  next  session,  but 
repealed  at  the  second  session  after  the  grant.     In  the  mean  time  Judge  Todd  had 


316  FRANKLIN  COUNTY. 

succeeded  his  old  friend  as  chief  justice ;  and  about  the  time  the  legislature 
repealed  the  pension,  he  was  appointed  a  judge  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  Uni- 
ted States,  with  a  salary  more  than  double  that  of  the  chief  justice  of  Kentucky. 
He  proposed  to  his  friend  Muter  to  come  and  reside  with  him,  especially  as  a 
better  adverse  claim  had  deprived  Muter  of  his  home.  The  offer  was  accepted; 
and  Muter,  who  had  commanded  a  ship  of  war  during  the  revolution,  with  the 
rank  of  Colonel ;  and  who  had,  without  reproach,  presided  in  the  civil  tribunals 
of  the  State  from  its  early  settlement,  spent  tiie  remainder  of  his  days  upon  the 
bounty  of  judge  Todd.  As  a  testimony  of  his  gratitude  and  affection,  Muter  hav- 
ing no  family,  made  Todd  his  heir  and  residuary  legatee,  though  at  the  time  his 
debts  greatly  exceeded  his  available  means.  But,  as  though  heaven  had  decreed 
that  an  act  so  generous  in  an  individual,  when  contrasted  with  the  ingratitude  oi 
the  Slate,  should  not  go  unrewarded  even  in  this  world,  the  revolutionary  claims 
of  Judge  Muter  have  been  acknowledged  by  congress,  and  the  proceeds  have 
descended  to  the  widow  and  younger  children  of  Judge  Todd. 

The  land  law  of  Kentucky,  originally  an  act  of  the  assembly  of  Virginia  of 
1789,  forms  a  peculiar  system,  and  has  been  established  chiefly  upon  principles 
of  law  and  equity  contained  in  decisions  of  the  appellate  court.  To  this  result 
the  labors  of  Judge  Todd  eminently  contributed,  as  well  in  the  state  court  as  in 
the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States.  His  opinions  had  a  prevailing  influence 
in  the  decisions  of  the  state  authorities  ;  and  his  decisions  on  the  circuit  were 
rarely  reversed  in  the  supreme  court  at  Washington — an  exalted  tribunal,  whose 
character  is  illustrated  by  the  genius  and  attainments  of  Marshall,  Story,  Wash- 
ington and  Trimble.  He  was  cherished  with  peculiar  regard  by  his  associates  in 
the  state  and  national  tribunals ;  his  judgment  and  acquaintance  with  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  land  law  having,  in  one  instance  in  particular,  (the  Holland  com- 
pany of  New  York,)  rescued  the  reputation  of  the  supreme  court  from  the  effects 
of  an  erroneous  decision,  which,  at  one  time,  nearly  all  of  the  judges  would  have 
pronounced,  against  his  advice. 

Mr.  Todd  entered  upon  the  duties  of  judge  of  the  supreme  court  at  the  age  of 
forty-two ;  the  station  required  an  experienced  head  upon  a  younger  man's  shoul- 
ders. He  possessed  at  that  time,  the  abilities  to  act  under  the  system  which 
made  it  the  duty  of  the  judge  to  sit  twice  a  year  in  the  three  western  states,  and 
once  a  year  at  Washington ;  but  no  constitution  could  long  survive  under  the 
operation  of  this  incongruous  system ;  and  the  last  years  of  Judge  Todd  were 
worn  down  with  the  duties  of  his  office.  A  dyspepsia,  which  impaired  his  gen- 
eral health,  gradually  reduced  his  strength  ;  and  for  the  last  two  years  of  his  life 
he  rarely  attended  court. 

Judge  Todd's  person  was  finely  proportioned,  and  his  face  a  model  of  beauty 
and  intelligence.  The  soundness  of  his  judgment,  the  dignity  of  his  manners, 
and  the  probity  of  his  conduct,  made  him  the  esteemed  associate  of  Shelby  and 
other  patriotic  statesmen  who  adorned  the  early  annals  of  the  state  ;  as  well  as  of 
those  who,  in  latter  days,  have  shed  imperishable  lustre  on  the  genius  and  char- 
acter of  the  first  republic  in  the  wilderness  of  the  great  west.  Posterity  will 
long  venerate  the  name  of  a  citizen,  who,  among  such  contemporaries,  by  the 
force  of  his  talents  and  the  integrity  of  his  heart,  rose  to  the  first  offices  of  his 
country. 

"  Mr.  Justice  Todd  possessed  many  qualities  admirably  fitted  for  the  proper  dis- 
charge of  judicial  functions.  He  had  uncommon  patience  and  candor  in  investi- 
gation ;  great  clearness  and  sagacity  of  judgment;  a  cautious  but  steady  energy  ; 
a  well  balanced  independence  ;  a  just  respect  for  authority ;  and,  at  the  same 
time,  an  unflinching  adherence  to  his  own  deliberate  opinions  of  the  law.  His 
modesty  imparted  a  grace  to  an  integrity  and  singleness  of  heart,  which  won  for 
him  the  general  confidence  of  all  who  knew  him.  He  was  not  ambitious  of  inno- 
vations upon  the  settled  principles  of  the  law  ;  but  was  content  with  the  more 
unostentatious  character  of  walking  in  the  trodden  paths  of  jurisprudence — super 
antiquas  mas  legis.  From  his  diffident  and  retiring  habits,  it  required  a  long  ac- 
quaintance with  him  justly  to  appreciate  his  judicial  as  well  as  his  personal  mer- 
its. His  learning  was  of  a  useful  and  solid  cast;  not  perhaps  as  various  or  as 
comprehensive  as  that  of  some  men;  but  accurate  and  transparent,  and  applica- 
ble to  the  daily  purposes  of  the  business  of  human  life.  In  his  knowledge  of 
the  local  law  of  Kentucky,  he  was  excelled  by  few ;  and  his  brethren  drew 


HUMPHREY  MARSHALL.  317 

largely  upon  his  resources  to  administer  that  law,  in  the  numerous  cases  which 
then  crowded  the  docket  of  the  supreme  court  from  that  judicial  circuit.  What 
he  did  not  know,  he  never  affected  to  possess;  but  sedulously  sought  to  acquire. 
He  was  content  to  learn  without  assuming  to  dogmatise.  Hence  he  listened  to 
arguments  for  the  purpose  of  instruction,  and  securing  examination  ;  and  not 
merely  for  that  of  confutation,  or  debate.  Among  his  associates  he  enjoyed  an 
enviable  respect,  which  was  constantly  increasing  as  he  became  more  familiarly 
known  to  them.  His  death  was  deemed  by  them  a  great  public  calamity  ;  and  in 
the  memory  of  those  who  survived  him,  his  name  has  ever  been  cherished  with  a 
warm  and  affectionate  remembrance." 

No  man  ever  clung  to  the  constitution  of  the  United  States  with  a  more  strong 
and  resolute  attachment.  And  in  the  grave  cases  which  were  agitated  in  the 
supreme  court  of  the  United  States  during  his  judicial  life,  he  steadfastly  sup- 
ported the  constitutional  doctrines  which  Mr.  Chief  Justice  Marshall  promulga- 
ted in  the  name  of  the  court.  It  is  to  his  honor,  and  it  should  be  spoken,  that, 
though  bred  in  a  different  political  school  from  that  of  the  chief  justice,  he  never 
failed  to  sustain  those  great  principles  of  constitutional  law  on  which  the  secu- 
rity of  the  Union  depends.  He  never  gave  up  to  party,  what  he  thought  belonged 
to  the  country. 

For  some  years  before  his  death,  he  was  sensible  that  his  health  was  declining, 
and  that  he  might  soon  leave  the  bench,  to  whose  true  honor  and  support  he  had 
been  so  long  and  zealously  devoted.  To  one  of  his  brethren,  who  had  the  satis- 
faction of  possessing  his  unreserved  confidence,  he  often  communicated  his  ear- 
nest hope  that  Mr.  Justice  Trimble  might  be  his  successor,  and  he  bore  a  willing 
testimony  to  the  extraordinary  ability  of  that  eminent  judge.  It  affords  a  stri- 
king proof  of  his  sagacity  and  foresight ;  and  the  event  fully  justified  the  wis- 
dom of  his  choice.  Although  Mr.  Justice  Trimble  occupied  his  station  on  the 
bench  of  the  supreme  court  for  a  brief  period  only,  yet  he  has  left  on  the  records 
of  the  court  enduring  monuments  of  talents  and  learning  fully  adequate  to  all  the 
exigencies  of  the  judicial  office.  To  both  these  distinguished  men,  under  such 
circumstances,  we  may  well  apply  the  touching  panegyric  of  the  poet : 

"  Fortunati  ambo ! 
Nulla  dies  unquam  memori  vos  eximet  ffivo." 

Humphrey  Marshall,  Esq.,  the  father  of  the  present  Thomas  A.  Marshall  of 
the  court  of  appeals,  and  of  the  late  John  J.  Marshall,  of  Louisville,  was  one  of 
the  early  pioneers  of  Kentucky,  and  for  many  years  was  a  distinguished  citizen 
of  Franklin  county.  He  came  to  Kentucky  about  the  year  1780,  and  from  his 
undisputed  talents  soon  assumed  a  high  rank  and  a  conspicuous  position  among 
the  public  men  of  the  State.  For  many  years  no  man  was  more  actively  engaged 
in  the  contests  which  agitated  the  political  circles  of  Kentucky ;  and  however 
great  the  prejudice  excited  against  him  in  the  breasts  of  some,  by  party  feeling, 
he  was  never  denied  the  possession  of  brilliant  talents  and  commanding  force  of 
character.  He  was  a  member  of  the  convention  of  1787  which  assembled  at 
Danville,  preliminary  to  the  formation  of  a  constitution  for  the  state.  He  was  a 
prominent  and  influential  member  of  the  legislature  for  many  years,  and  in  1795 
he  was  elected  to  the  senate  of  the  United  States,  for  the  term  of  six  years,  end- 
ing on  the  4th  of  March,  1801.  Mr.  Marshall  was  a  federalist,  and  held  to  all 
the  principles  and  measures  of  that  party  in  their  fullest  extent.  In  1824,  he  pub- 
lished a  history  of  Kentucky,  the  first  ever  published.  This  work  bears  evident 
marks  of  high  talent,  and  although  occasionally  marred  by  the  introduction  of  the 
personal  prejudices  of  the  author,  is  a  most  delightful  and  entertaining  produc- 
tion. He  died  a  few  years  ago,  at  an  advanced  age,  at  the  residence  of  his  son 
Thomas  A.  Marshall,  in  Lexington. 

Benjamin  Franklin,  from  whom  Franklin  county  received  its  name,  one  of 
the  most  eminent  philosophers  of  modern  times,  and  a  distinguished  statesman  of 
the  revolution,  was  born  in  the  city  of  Boston  on  the  17th  of  January,  1706.  His 
father  was  a  tallow  chandler  and  soap  boiler,  one  of  those  English  non-conform- 
ists who  emigrated  to  the  wilderness  of  America  to  enjoy  religious  freedom. 
Benjamin  was  the  fifteenth  of  seventeen  children;  and  being  intended  for  the 
ministry,  was  sent  to  a  common  grammar  school  at  the  age  of  eight  years.    The 


318  FULTON    COUNTS'. 

design,  however,  of  educating  him  for  the  ministry  his  father  was  compelled,  by 
his  straitened  circumstances,  to  abandon.  Young  Benjamin  was  taken  from 
school  and  employed  in  cutting  wicks,  filling  moulds,  and  running  errands.  Dis- 
gusted with  this  occupation,  he  was  soon  after  placed  with  his  brother  to  learn 
the  printing  business.  His  apprenticeship  does  not  appear  to  have  been  pleasant, 
and  after  he  had  been  with  his  brother  some  time,  he  availed  himself  of  an  op- 
portunity which  presented  itself  to  terminate  the  connection  between  them,  and 
went  to  Philadelphia.  Here  he  obtained  employment  as  a  compositor,  and  hav- 
ing attracted  the  notice  of  Sir  William  Keith,  the  governor  of  Pennsylvania,  was 
induced  by  his  promises  to  go  to  England  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  types  to 
establish  himself  in  business.  Deceived  in  the  promises  of  Sir  William  Keith, 
he  found  himself  in  London  without  money,  friends,  or  employment.  But  he 
soon  succeeded  in  getting  business,  and  became  a  model  of  industry  and  temper- 
ance. While  in  London  he  continued  to  devote  his  leisure  hours  to  study.  After 
a  residence  of  eighteen  months  in  London,  he  returned  to  Philadelphia,  in  the 
capacity  of  clerk  in  a  dry  goods  shop ;  but  he  soon  returned  to  his  trade,  and  in 
a  short  time  formed  an  establishment  in  connection  with  a  person  who  supplied 
the  necessary  capital.  They  printed  a  newspaper,  which  was  managed  with 
much  ability,  and  acquired  Franklin  much  reputation.  It  is  impossible  to  trace 
all  the  steps  of  his  progress  to  distinction.  His  industry,  frugality,  temperance, 
activity,  intelligence;  his  plans  for  improving  the  condition  of  the  province  ;  and 
his  municipal  services,  made  him  an  object  of  attention  to  the  whole  community. 
His  advice  was  asked  by  the  governor  and  council  on  all  important  occasions,  and 
he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  provincial  assembly.  He  engaged  actively  in 
various  literary  pursuits,  and  was  the  founder  of  the  university  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  of  the  American  philosophical  society,  and  one  of  the  chief  promoters  of  the 
Pennsylvania  hospital.  In  the  scientific  world  he  is  highly  distinguished  for  his 
experiments  and  discoveries  in  electricity.  In  1751  he  was  appointed  deputy 
post  master  general.  In  1757,  the  disputes  with  the  mother  country  occasioned 
him  to  be  sent  to  Great  Britain  as  the  agent  of  the  province  of  Pennsylvania. 
While  in  Great  Britain,  Oxford  and  the  Scotch  universities  conferred  on  him  the 
degree  of  LL.  D.,  and  the  royal  society  elected  him  a  fellow.  In  1762,  he  re- 
turned to  America  ;  but  in  1764  was  again  sent  to  England  as  a  representative, 
not  of  a  single  province,  but  of  the  whole  colonies.  On  the  3d  of  February, 
1766,  he  was  examined  before  the  house  of  commons  in  relation  to  the  stamp 
act.  In  1775  he  returned  to  America,  and  was  immediately  elected  to  Congress. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  committee  appointed  to  prepare  the  declaration  of  inde- 
pendence, and  his  name  is  attached  to  that  instrument  as  one  of  the  signers.  In 
1776  he  was  sent  as  minister  to  France.  He  remained  in  France  until  the  close 
of  the  war,  and  was  one  of  the  commissioners  to  negotiate  a  treaty  of  peace  with 
Great  Britain.  In  1785  he  returned  to  the  United  States.  On  his  return  to  his 
native  country,  before  he  was  permitted  to  retire  to  the  bosom  of  his  family,  he 
filled  the  ofiice  of  governor  of  Pennsylvania,  and  served  as  a  delegate  in  the  con- 
vention of  1787,  which  formed  the  federal  constitution.  He  died  April  17th, 
1790,  with  his  faculties  unimpaired,  and  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  all  his  powers, 
after  a  career  of  usefulness  and  honor  which  it  has  fallen  to  the  lot  of  few  men 
to  run. 


FULTON    COUNTY. 

Fulton  county  was  formed  in  1845,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Robert  Fulton.  It  is  situated  in  the  extreme  south-west  corner 
of  the  State,  lying  on  the  Mississippi  river — bounded  on  the  north 
by  Hickman,  east  by  Graves,  south  by  the  Tennessee  line,  and 
west  by  the  Mississippi  river.  Hickman,  formerly  Mills'  Point,  is 
the  county  seat.     The  face  of  the  countr}^  east  and  south  of 


ROBERT  FULTON.  319 

Hickman  is  level  and  fertile;  while  in  the  south-west  it  is  broken 
and  only  tolerably  fertile.  In  the  west,  the  land  is  low,  and  sub- 
ject to  inundation  for  a  distance  of  twenty-five  miles  along  the 
river  bank — but  is  very  rich  and,  in  dry  seasons  particularly,  re- 
markably productive.  The  staples  of  the  county  are  corn,  hay 
and  tobacco,  the  latter  cultivated  to  great  perfection — the  exports 
are  tobacco,  cotton,  corn,  wheat,  horses,  mules,  cattle,  hogs,  sheep, 
turkies,  &c. 

The  taxable  property  of  Fulton  in  1846  was  valued  at  $758,- 
603 ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  87,177 ;  average  value 
of  lands  per  acre,  $3,97;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  624  ;  number  of  children  between  six  and  fifteen 
years  old,  764. 

Hickman,  the  county  seat,  and  only  town  of  Fulton,  has  a  pop- 
ulation of  five  hundred  inhabitants,  is  situated  on  the  Missis- 
sippi river,  thirty-five  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  and 
320  miles  from  Frankfort — contains  two  churches,  (one  Episco- 
pal and  one  free  for  all  denominations),  twelve  stores,  including 
several  forwarding  and  commission  houses,  two  drug  stores,  two 
taverns,  four  physicians,  two  dentists,  six  lawyers,  one  rectifying 
house,  one  tan  yard,  one  plough  factory,  twenty  other  mechanical 
shops,  and  one  newspaper  (the  Commercial  Standard).  This 
place  was  established  by  act  of  the  Legislature  in  1834 — then 
called  "Mills'  Point" — and  changed  to  its  present  name  in  1837, 
in  honor  of  Colonel  Hickman,  who  fell  at  the  river  Raisin.  It 
was  originally  settled  by  Mr.  Mills  in  1819.  The  exports  of  Hick- 
man in  1845,  as  furnished  by  an  intelligent  citizen,  were — 
three  thousand  hogsheads  of  tobacco,  two  thousand  bales  of  cot- 
ton, two  hundred  thousand  bushels  of  corn,  fifty  thousand  bush- 
els wheat,  thirty  thousand  dozen  chickens  and  turkies ;  also,  a 
great  number  of  horses,  mules,  cattle,  sheep,  and  hogs. 

Fulton  county  received  its  name  in  honor  of  Robert  Fulton,  the  celebrated 
engineer.  He  was  born  in  Little  Britain,  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  in  1765. 
In  his  infancy  he  was  put  to  school  in  Lancaster,  where  he  acquired  the  rudiments 
of  a  common  English  education.  Here  his  peculiar  genius  manifested  itself  at  a 
very  early  age.  All  his  hours  of  recreation  were  passed  in  the  shops  of  mechan- 
ics, or  in  the  employment  of  his  pencil.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  he  went 
to  Philadelphia,  and  entered  under  a  portrait  and  landscape  painter,  where  he 
remained  until  he  was  twenty-one.  In  his  twenty-second  year,  he  went  to  Eng- 
land, where  he  was  received  with  great  kindness  by  his  celebrated  countryman, 
Benjamin  West,  who  was  so  pleased  with  his  promising  genius  and  his  amiable 
qualities,  that  he  took  him  into  his  house,  where  he  continued  an  inmate  for  sev- 
eral years,  devoting  his  time  to  painting.  At  this  period  he  formed  many  valua- 
ble acquaintances,  among  others  with  the  Duke  of  Bridgewater,  so  famous  for 
his  canals,  and  Lord  Stanhope,  a  nobleman  celebrated  for  his  love  of  science,  and 
particularly  for  his  attachment  to  the  mechanic  arts.  Even  at  that  early  period, 
he  had  conceived  the  idea  of  propelling  vessels  by  steam,  and  he  speaks  in  some 
of  his  manuscripts  of  its  practicability.  In  May,  1794,  he  obtained  from  the 
British  government  a  patent  for  a  double  inclined  plane,  to  be  used  for  transpor- 
tation ;  and  in  the  same  year  he  submitted  to  the  British  society  for  the  promo- 
tion of  arts  and  commerce,  an  improvement  of  his  invention  on  mills  for  sawing 
marble,  for  which  he  received  the  thanks  of  the  society,  and  an  honorary  medal. 
In  1797  he  went  to  Paris,  where  he  lived  seven  years  in  the  family  of  .Toel  Bar- 
low, during  which  time  he  studied  the  higher  mathematics,  physics,  chemistry, 


320  GALLATIN    COUNTY. 

and  perspective.  While  there,  he  projected  the  first  panorama  that  was  exhibited 
in  Paris.  He  returned  to  America  in  1806.  At  what  time  Fulton's  attention  was 
first  directed  to  the  subject  of  steam  navigation  is  not  known;  but  in  1793  he 
had  matured  a  plan  in  which  he  had  great  confidence.  While  in  Paris,  he,  in 
conjunction  with  others,  built  a  small  boat  on  the  Seine,  which  was  perfectly  suc- 
cessful. On  his  arrival  at  New  York  in  1806,  he  and  Robert  Livingston  en- 
gaged in  building  a  boat  of  what  was  then  deemed  very  considerable  dimensions. 
This  boat  began  to  navigate  the  Hudson  in  1807;  its  progress  through  the  water 
was  at  the  rate  of  five  miles  an  hour.  In  1811  and  1812,  two  steam  boats  were 
built  under  Fulton's  directions,  as  ferry  boats  for  crossing  the  Hudson  river,  and 
soon  after  one  on  the  East  river,  of  the  same  description.  We  have  not  space  for 
the  details  of  Fulton's  connection  with  the  project  of  the  grand  Erie  canal;  of 
his  plans  and  experiments  relative  to  submarine  warfare — of  the  construction  of 
the  steam  frigate  which  bore  his  name — of  the  modifications  of  his  submarine 
boat;  of  his  vexatious  and  ruinous  lawsuits  and  controversies  with  those  who 
interfered  with  his  patent  rights  and  exclusive  grants.  He  died  February  24th, 
1815.  In  person  he  was  about  six  feet  high,  slender,  but  well  proportioned,  with 
large  dark  eyes,  and  a  projecting  brow.  His  manners  were  easy  and  unaffected. 
His  temper  was  mild,  and  his  disposition  lively.  He  was  fond  of  society.  He 
expressed  himself  with  energy,  fluency,  and  correctness,  and  as  he  owed  more  to 
experience  and  reflection  than  to  books,  his  sentiments  were  often  interesting  from 
their  originality.  In  all  his  domestic  and  social  relations,  he  was  zealous,  kind, 
generous,  liberal,  and  affectionate.  He  knew  of  no  use  for  money  but  as  it  was 
subservient  to  charity,  hospitality,  and  the  sciences.  But  the  most  conspicuous 
trait  in  his  character  was  his  calm  constancy  in  his  industry,  and  that  indefatiga- 
ble patience  and  perseverance,  which  always  enabled  him  to  overcome  diflicultiea. 


GALLATIN    COUNTY. 

Gallatin  county  was  formed  in  1798,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Albert  Gallatin.  It  is  situated  in  the  northern  part  of  the  state, 
and  lies  on  the  Ohio  river — bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Ohio 
river ;  east  by  Boone  and  Grant ;  south  by  Owen,  and  west  by 
Carroll.  Eagle  is  the  principal  creek  of  the  county.  The  surface 
of  the  county  is  generally  hilly,  but  well  timbered — the  growth 
being  principally  poplar,  walnut,  ash,  beech,  sugar-tree,  oak  and 
hickory.  The  soil  is  generally  productive, — corn,  wheat  and  to- 
bacco are  the  staples. 

The  taxable  property  of  Gallatin  in  1846,  was  valued  at  $1,024,- 
232 ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county  59,231  ;  average  value 
of  lands  in  1846,  $9,71  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  827 ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen 
years  old,  886.     Population  in  1840,  4,003. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are  Warsaw  and  Napoleon.  Warsaw, 
the  county  seat,  is  situated  on  a  beautiful  bottom,  four  miles  long 
and  one  mile  wide,  and  distant  fifty-seven  miles  from  Frankfort; 
contains  a  large  court  house  and  the  requisite  public  ofiices,  one 
Baptist  and  one  Reformed  church,  seven  stores,  five  groceries,  two 
taverns,  five  lawyers,  four  physicians,  one  newspaper  printing 
office,  (the  Warsaw  Herald,)  three  schools,  two  pork-houses,  one 
tobacco  factory,  a  large  flouring  mill  and  steam  distillery,  and 
twenty  mechanical  shops.     Population  700.     Established  in  1831, 


ALBERT   GALLATIN.  321 

and  formerly  known  by  the  name  of  Fredericksbm-g.  Warsaw  is 
a  healthy  location,  and  enjoys  a  large  trade — the  exports  exceed- 
ing $150,000  per  annum.  Napoleon  is  a  small  village,  seven  miles 
east  of  Warsaw,  and  contains  a  Baptist  church,  a  tavern,  a  store 
and  two  doctors.     Population  60. 

Albert  Gallatin  was  born  at  Geneva,  in  Switzerland,  on  the  29th  of  January, 
176L  In  his  infancy  he  was  left  an  orphan;  but  under  the  kind  protection  of  a 
female  relative  of  his  mother,  received  a  thorough  education,  and  graduated  at  the 
University  of  Geneva,  in  1779.  His  family  were  wealthy  and  highly  respectable. 
Without  the  knowledge  or  consent  of  his  family,  Albert  when  only  nineteen,  with 
a  young  comrade,  left  home  to  seek  glory  and  fortune,  and  freedom  of  thought,  in 
the  infant  republic  of  America.  He  was  recommended  by  a  friend  to  the  patronage 
of  Dr.  Franklin,  then  in  Paris.  He  arrived  in  Boston  in  July  1780,  and  soon  after 
proceeded  to  Maine,  where  he  purchased  land,  and  resided  there  until  the  close 
of  1781.  While  here  he  served  as  a  volunteer  under  Colonel  John  Allen,  and 
made  advances  from  his  private  purse  for  the  support  of  the  garrison.  In  the 
spring  of  1782,  he  was  appointed  instructor  in  the  French  language  at  Harvard 
University,  where  he  remained  about  a  year.  Going  to  Virginia  in  1783  to  attend 
to  the  claims  of  a  European  house  for  advances  to  that  State,  he  fell  in  with  Pat- 
rick Henry,  who  treated  him  with  marked  kindness  and  respect,  and  under  whose 
advice  he  sought  his  fortune  in  the  new  and  wild  country  then  just  opening  on 
the  Ohio.  In  December  1785  he  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land  in  Fayette  county, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  made  his  residence.  His  talents  for  public  life  soon 
became  extensively  known,  and  in  1789,  he  was  elected  to  a  seat  in  the  conven- 
tion to  amend  the  constitution  of  Pennsylvania.  In  1793,  he  was  elected  to  the 
United  ^States'  senate  ;  but  lost  his  seat  on  the  ground  that  he  had  not  been  nine 
years  a  legally  naturalized  citizen  of  the  United  States.  He  soon  after  married 
a  daughter  of  Commodore  Nicholson.  In  1794  he  was  elected  to  congress. 
While  in  congress,  where  he  continued  three  terms,  he  was  distinguished  as  a 
leader  of  the  democratic  party.  In  1801  Mr.  Jefferson  appointed  him  secretary 
of  the  treasury,  which  post  he  filled  with  pre-eminent  ability  for  several  years. 
In  1813  he  was  made  one  of  the  commissioners  to  negotiate  the  treaty  of  Ghent ; 
and  was  afterwards  associated  with  Messrs.  Clay  and  Adams  at  London,  in  nego- 
tiating the  commercial  treaty  with  Great  Britain.  He  continued  in  Europe  as 
ambassador  at  Paris  until  1823,  when  he  returned  to  America.  In  1826,  he  was 
appointed  a  minister  to  England.  On  his  return,  he  made  his  residence  in  New 
York,  where  he  still  lives.  His  career  has  been  alike  honorable  to  himself,  to 
his  adopted  county,  and  to  his  native  land. 


GARRARD    COUNTY. 

Garrard  county  was  formed  in  the  year  1796,  and  named  for 
Governor  James  Garrard.  It  is  situated  in  the  middle  section  of 
the  State,  and  lies  on  the  east  side  of  Dick's  river :  bounded  on 
the  north  by  the  Kentucky  river,  which  separates  it  from  Jessa- 
mine ;  east  bj'  Madison  ;  south  by  Lincoln  ;  and  west  by  Boyle 
and  Mercer.  The  face  of  the  country  is  diversified — gently  un- 
dulating or  hilly — but  all  productive  for  grains  or  grasses.  The 
staple  products  are,  corn,  wheat,  rye  and  oats — the  principal  ex- 
ports, horses,  mules,  cattle,  hogs  and  sheep. 

The  taxable  property  of  the  county  in  1846,  was  valued  at 
$3,445,820  ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county  140,190  ;  av- 
21 


322  GARRARD    COUNTY. 

erage  value  of  lands  per  acre,  $12,40 ;  number  of  free  white 
males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  1596;  number  of  children 
between  five  and  sixteen  years  old,  1956.  Population  in  1840, 
10,480. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are  Lancaster,  Bryantsville,  Tetersville 
and  Fitchport.  Lancaster,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  situated  two  and 
one  half  miles  from  Dick's  river,  and  about  fifty  miles  from  Frank- 
fort— contains  a  fine  court-house  and  jail,  four  churches,  (Metho- 
dist, Baptist,  Presbyterian  and  Reformed,)  two  taverns,  one  sem- 
inary, one  female  academy,  eight  physicians,  ten  lawyers,  eight 
stores,  one  drug  and  book  store,  twenty  mechanic  shops,  one 
carding  and  bagging  factory,  and  700  inhabitants  :  established  in 
1798.  Bri/antsville  and  Fitckport  are  small  villages,  situated  on 
the  Lexington  turnpike  road,  the  one  nine  and  the  other  twelve 
miles  west  of  north  from  Lancaster.  Tetersville  is  also  a  small 
village,  and  lies  six  miles  east  of  north  from  Lancaster. 

About  twelve  miles  east  of  Lancaster,  on  Paint  Lick  creek, 
there  is  an  area  of  ground,  embracing  about  ten  acres,  which 
bears  the  name  of  "  White  Lick.''''  The  ground  is  deeply  indented 
with  ravines,  and  marks  resembling  the  tracks  of  wagon  wheels, 
newly  made,  are  now  plainly  visible,  and  have  been  visible  since 
the  settlement  of  the  country  some  sixty  years  since.  After  a 
heavy  rain,  the  water  which  Hows  into  the  creek  from  this  area 
gives  the  stream  a  white  appearance,  resembling  milk,  for  sev- 
eral miles. 

James  Garrard  (in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its  name)  was  born  on 

the of 17 — ,  in  the  county  of  Staiford,  in  the  (then)  colony  of  V'irginia. 

At  a  very  early  period  in  the  revolutionary  struggle,  he  engaged  in  the  public 
service,  and  in  the  capacity  of  a  militia  officer,  shared  in  the  dangers  and  honors 
of  that  memorable  war.  While  in  service,  he  was  called  by  the  voice  of  his  fel- 
low citizens  to  a  seat  in  the  Virginia  legislature,  where  he  contributed,  by  his 
zeal  and  prudence,  as  much,  or  perhaps  more  than  any  other  individual,  to  the 
passage  of  the  famous  act  securing  universal  religious  liberty. 

He  was  an  early  emigrant  to  Kentucky,  and  was  exposed  to  all  the  perils  and 
dangers  incident  to  the  settlement  and  occupation  of  the  country.  He  was  re- 
peatedly called  by  the  voice  of  his  fellow  citizens  to  represent  their  interests  in 
the  legislature  of  the  state  :  and  finally,  by  two  successive  elections,  was  elected 
to  the  chief  magistracy  of  the  commonwealth,  a  trust  which,  for  eight  years,  he 
discharged  with  wisdom,  prudence  and  vigor. 

As  a  man,  Governor  Garrard  had  few  equals ;  and  in  the  various  scenes  and  dif- 
ferent stations  of  life,  he  acted  with  firmness,  prudence  and  decision.  At  an 
early  age,  he  embraced  and  professed  the  religion  of  Christ,  giving  it,  through 
life,  the  preference  over  all  sublunary  things.  In  the  private  circle  he  was  a 
man  of  great  practical  usefulness,  and  discharged  with  fidelity  and  tenderness 
the  social  and  relative  duties  of  husband,  parent,  neighbor  and  master.  He  died 
on  the  19th  of  .lanuary,  182'2,  at  his  residence,  Mount  Lebanon,  in  Bourbon 
county,  in  the  seventy-fourth  year  of  his  age. 

George  Robertson,  (late  chief  justice  of  Kentucky). — Alexander  Robert- 
son, the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  brief  memoir,  was  descended  from  a  paren- 
tage that  emigrated  from  the  north  of  Ireland  to  Virginia  about  the  year  1737. 
Mrs.  Margaret  Robertson,  the  wife  of  Alexander,  was  the  daughter  of  William 
Robinson,  who  also  emigrated,  a  few  years  later,  from  the  north  of  Ireland  to 
the  same  colony.  They  were  early  emigrants  to  the  wilderness  of  Kentucky, 
then  infested  by  savages,  arriving  at  Gordon's  station  December  21,  1779,  during 
*'//ie  hard  winter."     Near  this  spot  Mr.  Robertson  permanently  settled  himself, 


GEORGE  ROBERTSON.  323 

where  he  built  "  the  first  fine  house  in  Kentucky."  He  was  a  man  of  strong 
mind,  sterling  moral  qualities,  and  popular  wiili  his  fellow  citizens.  He  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  Virginia  federal  convention,  which  he  attended  at  Rich- 
mond, June,  1788,  and  having  been  also  elected  a  member  of  the  Virginia  legis- 
lature, he  remained  there  the  ensuing  winter,  in  discharge  of  his  legislative  du- 
ties. In  1792,  he  was  elected  by  the  people  the  first  sheriff  of  Mercer  county, 
under  the  original  constitution  of  Kentucky.  He  died  in  1802.  Mrs.  Robertson 
was  a  woman  of  extraordinary  strength  of  intellect,  of  most  exemplary  charac- 
ter, illustrating  in  practical  life  all  the  social  and  christian  virtues.  iShe  died  at 
the  residence  of  her  son-in-law,  ex-governor  Letcher,  in  Frankfort,  in  1846,  at  a 
very  advanced  age. 

George  Robertson,  the  youngest  son  of  these  parents,  was  born  in  1790.  Af- 
ter attaining  a  good  English  education,  he  was  placed  (August,  1804)  under  the 
tuition  of  Joshua  Fry,  through  whose  instruction  he  acquired  a  knowledge  of  the 
Latin  and  French  languages  and  geography.  He  next  entered  Transylvania, 
(November,  1805),  where  he  remained  till  August,  1806,  when  he  quitted  that 
institution  with  the  purpose  of  graduating  at  Princeton  ;  but  his  plan  was  frustra- 
ted by  the  failure  of  friends  to  furnish  expected  funds.  He  then  devoted  about 
six  months  to  learning  with  Rev.  ISanuiel  Finley,  who  conducted  a  classical 
school  at  Lancaster,  and  about  six  months  more  to  assisting  him  in  teaching. 
The  winter  of  1807—8  was  employed  in  miscellaneous  reading,  chiefiy  historical. 
In  the  spring  of  1808,  he  went  to  Lancaster  to  study  law  under  the  direction  of 
Martin  D.  Hardin ;  but  failing  to  procure  eligible  boarding,  he  returned  immediately 
and  resided  with  his  brother-in-law,  Samuel  McKee,  then  and  afterwards  an  emi- 
nent member  of  Congress.  Here  he  read  law  till  September,  1809,  when  Judges 
Boyle  and  Wallace,  of  the  court  of  appeals,  granted  him  licence  to  practice.  In 
November  of  the  same  year,  he  married  Eleanor,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Bainbridge, 
of  Lancaster,  being  then  but  a  few  days  over  nineteen  years  of  age,  and  she  less 
than  sixteen.  They  commenced  the  world  very  poor ;  but  being  patient  and  pru- 
dent, and  refusing  to  go  in  debt,  though  they  sutfered  much  privation  and  anxiety, 
were  happy.  After  about  two  years,  he  attained  a  fine  practice,  and  it  has  been 
said  that  the  most  he  acquired  had  been  earned  when,  at  the  age  of  twenty-six, 
(1816),  he  was  elected  a  representative  to  Congress,  against  formidable  opposi- 
tion. He  was  re-elected  twice  afterwards,  without  opposition  ;  though  he  served 
but  two  terms  (four  years)  of  the  three,  resigning  the  last  without  taking  his 
seat,  in  order,  by  resuming  his  practice,  to  complete  the  independence  of  his 
family. 

During  his  service,  he  was  chairman  of  the  land  committee,  and  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  judiciary  and  internal  improvement  committees.  He  drew  and  intro- 
duced the  bill  to  establish  a  territorial  government  in  Arkansas.  On  that  bill, 
the  question  of  interdicting  slavery  was  introduced  and  elaborately  discussed. 
The  restriction  was  carried  by  one  vote.  A  reconsideration  was  had,  and  the  bill 
finally  passed,  divested  of  the  restriction,  by  the  casting  vote  of  the  speaker,  Mr. 
Clay. 

He  was  the  author  of  the  present  system  of  selling  public  lands,  in  lieu  of  the 
old  system  and  two  dollars  minimum  ;  his  object  being  to  redeem  the  west,  then 
owing  $20,000,000,  from  subjugation — by  cash  payments,  to  prevent  monopolies 
in  the  hands  of  speculators — by  reducing  the  quantity  which  might  be  entered  to 
eighty  acres,  to  enable  poor  men  to  buy  and  cultivate — and  thus  to  destroy  a  pes- 
tilent debt  system  and  promote  the  settlement  and  independence  of  the  west. 
Upon  considerations  of  expediency,  the  bill,  though  projected  and  drafted  by  him, 
was  first  carried  through  the  senate. 

Shortly  after  his  retirement  from  Congress,  Governor  Adair  tendered  him,  suc- 
cessively, the  appointments  of  attorney  general  of  Kentucky  and  judge  of  the 
Fayette,  &c.,  circuit  court,  which,  as  also  that  of  a  law  professorship  in  Transyl- 
vania University,  tendered  about  the  same  time  by  the  authorities,  were  respec- 
tively declined,  his  purpose  being  strongly  fixed  to  pursue  his  profession  vigor- 
ously a  few  years,  to  secure  a  competence  for  his  family. 

But  in  1822,  the  people  of  Garrard  elected  him,  nolens  vo/ens,  a  representative  in 
the  general  assembly,  in  view  of  the  agitating  relief  questions,  which  produced 
such  political  convulsions  throughout  the  State.  Having  embarked,  he  felt  bound 
to  ride  out  the  storm,  and  he  remained  in  the  legislature  until  that  fearful  contest 


324  GARRARD   COUNTY. 

was  settled  in  1826-7.  He  was  elected  speaker  of  the  house  of  representatives 
in  1823,  and  was  re-elected  every  session  afterwards  while  he  remained  in  the 
legislature,  except  the  revolutionary  session  of  1824.  During  all  this  memorable 
period  in  the  annals  of  Kentucky,  his  time  was  principally  devoted  to  writincr 
and  speaking  on  the  great  questions  involved,  of  course  neglecting  his  profes- 
sional interests.  Sundry  of  his  speeches  were  extensively  publislied,  and  are 
regarded  as  powerful  productions  of  a  masterly  intellect,  being  often  quoted  for 
sound  principles  and  conclusive  reasoning. 

He  wrote  the  celebrated  protest  of  1824,  signed  by  the  anti-relief  party  in  the 
legislature,  to  the  effect  of  which  the  final  triumph  of  that  party  has  been,  in  a 
great  degree,  not  unjustly  ascribed  ;  for  it  is  certain  that  it  prevented  their  dis- 
bandment  at  the  time,  electrified  the  people,  and  furnished  the  text  themes  on 
which  they  were  rallied  to  the  rescue  of  the  constitution.  He  was  also  the  au- 
thor of  the  manifesto  signed  by  the  majority  in  1825-6. 

During  his  service  in  the  legislature,  he  delivered  speeches  on  several  impor- 
tant questions,  distinguished  for  depth  of  thought,  force  of  argument,  and  pro- 
found knowledge  of  the  principles  of  the  constitution  and  laws. 

Of  his  anonymous  productions  of  that  period,  those  under  the  signature  of 
"  P/eieean,"  may  now  be  avowed. 

Though  he  never  sought  an  office,  appointments  were  frequently  tendered  him. 
President  Monroe  offered  him  that  of  governor  of  Arkansas,  and  afterwards,  in 
July,  1824,  Richard  C.  Anderson,  then  minister  at  Bogota,  having  expressed  a 
desire  to  return  home  if  Mr.  Robertson  would  take  iiis  place,  the  mission  to  Co- 
lombia was  offered  him,  which  being  declined,  Mr.  Anderson  determined  to  re- 
main. In  1828,  President  Adams  tendered  him  the  mission  to  Peru,  which  was 
not  accepted. 

On  the  election  of  Thomas  Metcalfe  as  governor  of  Kentucky,  he  provisionally 
accepted  the  appointment  of  secretary  of  state,  the  duties  of  which  he  discharged 
for  a  short  time. 

After  the  rejection  of  the  nomination  of  Judges  Mills  and  Owsly  to  the  bench 
of  the  court  of  appeals,  he  was  confirmed  as  a  judge  of  that  court,  and  subse- 
quently commissioned  chief  justice,  which  elevated  station  he  held  until  the  first 
of  April,  1843,  when  he  resigned  it,  again  returning  to  the  bar. 

Of  his  Herculean  labors  on  the  bench  and  his  judicial  abilities,  the  authorized 
reports  of  the  decisions  furnish  the  amplest  testimonials. 

He  still  retains  the  professorship  of  conslituiional  law,  which  he  has  held  for 
many  years,  in  Transylvania  university;  and  in  this  connexion  it  may  not  be  in- 
appropriate to  mention  that  the  honorary  degree  of  LL.  D.  has  been  conferred  on 
him  by  two  colleges — Centre  and  Augusta. 

Of  his  miscellaneous  writings,  speeches,  addresses,  &c.  as  well  as  his  profes- 
sional lectures,  affording  evidences  as  they  do,  of  profound  investigation  of  the 
most  important  and  difficult  principles,  with  which  the  greatest  intellects  alone 
can  successfully  grapple,  it  should  be  presumed  that  an  authorized  collection  will 
be  published,  at  no  distant  day,  for  the  instruction  and  gratification  of  his  coun- 
tj^^men. 

On  the  character  of  the  man  and  his  works,  the  writer  of  this  meagre  sketch 
hereby  regrets  that  the  circumscribed  limits  allotted  to  personal  biography  in  this 
book,  precludes  any  enlargement.  One  remark,  at  least,  w  ill  however  be  indulged ; 
Jind  that  is,  that  the  life,  labors  and  character  of  George  Robertson,  present  an 
emulous  example  to  his  young  countrymen,  whether  regarded  as  citizen,  jurist, 
professor  or  statesman. 

The  following  romantic  incident  is  related  by  Judge  Robertson,  in  his  anniver- 
sary address,  at  Camp  Madison,  in  Franklin  county,  on  the  4th  of  July,  1843  : 

"  On  the  long  roll  of  that  day's  reported  slain  [the  fatal  battle  of  the  Blue  Licks,] 
were  the  names  of  a  few  who  had,  in  fact,  been  captured,  and,  after  surviving  the 
ordeal  of  the  gauntlet,  had  been  permitted  to  live  as  captives.  Among  these 
was  an  excellent  husband  and  father  who,  with  eleven  other  captives,  had  been 
taken  by  a  tribe  and  painted  black  as  the  signal  of  torture  and  death  to  all.  The 
night  after  the  battle,  these  twelve  prisoners  were  stripped  and  placed  in  a  line 
on  a  log — he  to  whom  we  have  specially  alluded  being  at  one  extremity  of  the 
devoted  row.     The  cruel  captors,  then  beginning  at  the  other  end,  slaughtered 


GRANT    COUNTY.  325 

eleven,  one  by  one  ;  but  when  they  came  to  the  only  survivor,  though  they  raised 
him  up,  also,  and  drew  their  bloody  knives  to  strike  under  each  uplifted  arm, 
they  paused,  and  after  a  long  pow-wow,  spared  his  life — why,  he  never  knew. 
For  about  a  year  none  of  his  friends,  excepting  his  faithful  wife,  doubted  his 
death.  She,  hoping  against  reason,  still  insisted  that  he  lived  and  would  yet 
return  to  her.  Wooed  by  another,  she,  from  time  to  time,  postponed  the  nup- 
tials, declaring  that  she  could  not  divest  herself  of  the  belief  that  her  husband 
survived.  Her  expostulating  friends  finally  succeeding  in  their  efforts  to  stifle 
her  affectionate  instinct,  she  reluctantly  yielded,  and  the  nuptial  day  was  fixed. 
But,  just  before  it  dawned,  the  crack  of  a  rifle  was  heard  near  her  lonely  cabin — 
at  the  familiar  sound,  she  leaped  out,  like  a  liberated  fawn,  ejaculating  as  she 
sprang — " /Aa/'s  John' s  gun ! "  It  was  John's  gun,  sure  enough;  and,  in  an 
instant,  she  was,  once  more,  in  her  lost  husband's  arms.  But,  nine  years  after- 
wards, that  same  husband  fell  in  "  St.  Clair's  defeat," — and  the  same  disappointed, 
but  persevering  lover,  renewed  his  suit — and,  at  last,  the  widow  became  his 
wife.  The  scene  of  these  romantic  incidents  was  within  gun-shot  of  my  natal 
homestead  ;*  and  with  that  noble  wife  and  matron  I  was  myself  well  acquainted." 


GRANT    COUN  TY. 

Grant  county  was  formed  in  1820,  and  named  for  Colonel  John 
Grant.  It  is  situated  in  the  northern  part,  and  watered  by  Eagle 
creek — bounded  on  the  north  by  Boone  ;  east  by  Pendleton  ;  west 
by  Gallatin  and  Owen  ;  and  south  by  Owen.  Grant  was  stricken 
off  the  western  portion  of  Pendleton,  called  the  "  Dry  Ridge,"  and 
forms  a  parallelogram  twenty-two  by  twenty-two  and  a  half 
miles.  The  face  of  the  country,  generally,  is  undulating;  the 
north  portion  very  rich  ;  the  south  rather  thin  land,  but  well  tim- 
bered. The  staple  products  of  the  county  are,  wheat,  corn,  tobacco 
and  sugar — hogs  are  exported  in  great  numbers. 

The  taxable  property  of  Grant  in  1846,  was  valued  at  $928,191 ; 
number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  155,260;  average  value 
of  land  per  acre,  $4,60;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  1,016  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen 
years  old,  1,405.     Population  in  1840,  4,192. 

The  towns  of  Grant,  are  Williamstovvn,  Crittenden  and  Down- 
ingville.  Williamstown,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  situated  on  the 
turnpike  road  from  Covington  to  Lexington,  fifty-six  miles  from 
Frankfort — contains  a  brick  court-house,  four  churches,  Methodist, 
Baptist,  Presbyterian  and  Reformed,  two  hotels,  four  stores,  four 
lawyers,  four  doctors,  one  masonic  lodge,  and  twenty  mechanics' 
shops.  Established  in  1825.  Population  350.  Crittenden,  {colXedi 
for  the  Hon.  John  J.  Crittenden,)  lies  ten  miles  north  of  Williams- 
town,  on  the  same  road,  and  has  three  churches,  (Methodist,  Re- 
formed and  Presbyterian,)  one  hotel,  five  stores,  three  doctors  and 
eight  mechanics'  shops.  Established  in  1831.  Population  250. 
DoicningvWc  is  a  small  village,  situated  ten  miles  west  from  Wil- 
liamstown, and  contains  one  tavern,  one  doctor,  one  lawyer,  one 
store,  a  school,  a  few  mechanics,  and  thirty  inhabitants, 

*In  Garrard  county,  Kentucky. 


826  GRAVES   COUNTY. 

The  dry  ridge  which  runs  through  the  county,  is  a  rib  of  the 
great  Cumberland  mountain,  and  divides  the  waters  of  Licking 
from  those  of  the  Kentucky  river,  the  terminus  of  which  is  at 
Co^dngton,  not  a  break  intercepting  its  course.  Near  the  line  of 
Pendleton,  about  seven  miles  from  Williamstown,  there  are  some 
fine  mineral  springs,  the  waters  of  which  are  composed  of  iron, 
magnesia  and  salts. 

A  remarkable  occurrence  took  place  in  Grant  county,  in  the  year  1841.  Smith 
Mayes  and  Lyman  Crouch  had  been  apprehended  and  committed  to  jail  for  the  rob- 
bery and  murder  of  William  S.  Utterback,  a  short  distance  from  Williamstown, 
on  the  Paris  road.  On  the  10th  of  July,  in  the  year  named,  about  three  hundred 
and  fifty  persons,  from  neighboring  counties,  came  to  the  jail,  forced  it  open,  took 
out  the  prisoners,  run  them  off  to  the  place  where  the  murder  was  committed,  and 
hung  them  till  they  were  dead  on  a  gallows  erected  for  the  purpose.  Mayes  and 
Crouch,  after  being  pronounced  dead,  were  cut  down  and  buried  under  the  gal- 
lows.* 

Mr.  John  M'Gill,  who  published  a  small  gazetteer  of  Kentucky  in  1832,  states 
that  this  county  was  named  in  honor  of  Colonel  John  Grant,  who  was  born  and 
raised  near  the  Shallow  ford  of  the  Yadkin  river.  North  Carolina.  He  came  to 
Kentucky  in  the  year  1779,  and  settled  a  station  within  five  miles  of  Bryant's 
station,  in  the  direction  where  Paris  now  stands.  When  the  Indians  captured 
Martin's  and  Ruddell's  stations,  he  removed  back  to  North  Carolina,  and  thence 
to  Virginia.  In  the  year  1784,  he  again  moved  to  Kentucky,  and  settled  at  his 
old  station.  He  erected  salt  works  on  Licking  river;  but  moved  from  that  place 
to  the  United  States'  saline,  in  Illinois.  He  afterwards  returned  to  his  residence 
on  the  Licking,  where  he  remained  until  he  died.  He  served  his  country  faith- 
fully and  ably  in  the  field  and  council. 

On  the  other  hand,  J.  Worthing  McCann,  Esq.,  a  very  intelligent  citizen  of 
Grant,  and  a  resident  at  the  time  the  county  was  organized,  states  that  Grant  was 
named  after  Samuel  Grant,  who  was  killed  by  the  Indians  near  the  Ohio  river, 
in  the  present  State  of  Indiana,  in  the  year  1794.  This  gentleman, Mr,  M'Cann, 
further  states,  that  Samuel  Grant  was  a  brother  of  General  Squire  and  Colonel 
John  Grant.  Major  William  K.  Wall,  of  Harrison,  who  has  been  a  practitioner 
at  the  Grant  bar  ever  since  the  formation  of  the  county,  concurs  in  the  opinion  of 
Mr.  McCann,  that  the  county  was  named  in  honor  of  Samuel  Grant,  and  not 
Colonel  John  Grant,  his  brother,  as  stated  by  Mr.  McGill. 


GRAVES    COUNTY. 

Graves  county  was  formed  in  1823,  and  named  after  Major 
Benjamin  Graves.  It  is  situated  in  the  south-west  part  of  the 
State.  Bounded  on  the  north  by  M'Cracken,  east  by  Calloway 
and  Marshall,  south  by  Tennessee,  and  west  by  Ballard  and  Hick- 
man.    Staple  products,  corn,  tobacco,  and  live  stock. 

The  taxable  property  of  the  county  in  1840,  was  valued  at 
$1,136,400;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county  339,194; 
average  value  of  land  per  acre  $1,90  ;  number  of  white  males 
over  21  years  of  age,  1,570  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and 
sixteen  years  old,  2,582.     Population  in  1840,  7,405. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are  Mayfield  and  Farmngton — the 
former  the  seat  of  justice,  284  miles  from  Frankfort,  containing 

*  Mr.  Utterback  recovered  of  his  wounds,  and  is  still  alive. 


GRAYSON   COUNTY.  327 

a  court  house,  five  lawyers,  four  doctors,  four  stores,  several  me- 
chanics' shops,  and  about  one  hundred  inhabitants.  Farmington 
has  two  doctors,  three  stores,  and  a  number  of  mechanics — pop- 
ulation not  given. 

Major  Benjamin  Graves,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its  name, 
was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  emigrated  to  Kentucky  when  quite  young.  He  re- 
sided in  Fayette  county,  and  was  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  He  was  an 
amiable,  shrewd,  and  intelligent  man,  and  represented  Fayette  county  for  several 
years  in  the  legislature  of  the  State.  In  181-2,  when  war  was  declared  by  the 
United  States  against  Great  Britain,  he  was  among  the  first  to  volunteer  his  ser- 
vices in  defence  of  his  country's  rights.  He  received  the  appointment  of  Major 
in  Colonel  Lewis'  regiment,  and  proved  himself  an  active,  vigilant,  and  gallant 
officer.  He  was  killed  in  the  ever  memorable  battle  of  Raisin,  where  his  blood 
mingled  with  much  of  the  best  blood  of  Kentucky. 


GRAYSON    COUNTY . 

The  county  of  Grayson  was  formed  in  1810,  and  named  in 
honor  of  Colonel  William  Grayson.  It  is  situated  in  the  west 
middle  part  of  the  State,  and  is  bounded  by  Breckinridge  and 
Hardin  counties  on  the  north  ;  east  by  Hart ;  south  by  Edmon- 
son ;  and  west  by  Ohio  county.  The  face  of  the  county  is  gen- 
erally level  and  the  land  about  second  rate.  Wheat,  corn,  oats, 
grass  and  tobacco,  are  the  principal  productions. 

The  total  value  of  taxable  property  in  this  county  in  1846, 
was  $539,165;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  130,222 — 
average  value  of  land  per  acre,  $1,33;  number  of  white  males 
over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  1013  ;  number  of  children  between 
five  and  sixteen  years  of  age,  1,506:  population  in  1840  was 
4,461. 

The  principal  water  courses  are  Rock  creek.  Big  and  Little 
Clifty  creeks.  Pleasant  Run,  Cave  creek,  Bear  creek  and  Caney 
creek.  On  the  two  last  named  creeks  the  bottoms  are  rich  and 
fertile. 

Like  most  of  the  counties  of  Kentucky,  this  abounds  in  min- 
eral waters.  There  are  an  immense  number  of  white  sulphur 
springs,  about  one  hundred  of  which  are  included  in  a  small  tract 
of  land  not  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  acre  in  extent.  These 
springs  are  situated  within  four  miles  of  Litchfield,  and  are  said 
to  be  more  strongly  impregnated  with  sulphur  than  any  in  the 
United  States.  Some  of  these  springs  are  very  cold,  and  some 
very  warm,  and  it  is  said  that  many  remarkable  cures  have  been 
effected  by  the  use  of  the  waters. 

The  principal  towns  are  Litchfield  and  Millerstown.  Litchfield 
is  the  seat  of  justice,  and  is  distant  110  miles  from  Frankfort.  It 
contains  a  court  house  and  other  public  buildings,  one  school, 
three  stores,  one  grocery,  two  taverns,  two  doctors,  two  lawyers, 
one  saddler,  one  gunsmith,  one  blacksmith,  one  shoemaker,  one 


328  GREENE   COUNTY. 

tannery  :  population  130.  The  town  was  named  after  David 
Leitch,  who  patented  the  land  on  which  it  stands.  MUlcrstown  is 
a  small  village,  containing  a  population  of  50  inhabitants. 

Colonel  William  Grayson,  for  whom  this  county  was  named,  was  a  native  of 
Virginia.  Ha  was  first  elected  a  member  of  Congress  in  1784.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Virginia  convention  which  was  called  to  ratify  the  constitution  of  the 
United  States.  In  this  illustrious  assembly  his  talents  rendered  him  conspicuous. 
He  opposed  the  adoption  of  the  constitution.  After  the  adoption  of  the  constitu- 
tion he  was  elected  in  conjunction  with  Richard  H.  Lee  to  represent  his  native 
State  in  the  senate  of  the  United  States.  He  died  March  12th,  1790,  while  on 
his  way  to  Congress. 


GREENE   COUNTY. 

Greene  county  was  formed  in  the  year  1792,  and  named  in  honor 
of  General  Nathaniel  Greene,  of  revolutionary  memory.  It  is  sit- 
uated in  the  middle  section  of  the  State,  and  lies  on  the  waters 
of  Greene  river — bounded  north  by  Marion  ;  east  and  south  by 
Adair  ;  and  west  by  Hart.  The  principal  creeks  are — Robinson's, 
Meadow,  Pittman's,  Bush  and  Russell.  The  surface  of  the  coun- 
try is  generally  undulating ;  in  some  places  quite  broken  and 
hilly.  The  soil  is  based  on  red  clay  and  limestone.  Tobacco  is 
the  principal  staple  of  the  county  ;  but  horses,  mules,  cattle  and 
hogs  are  exported  to  some  extent.  There  are  two  salt  works, 
manufacturing  a  considerable  quantity  of  salt,  and  one  extensive 
iron  foundry  in  operation  in  the  county. 

The  taxable  property  of  the  county  in  1846  was  valued  at 
$3,122,570;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  281,957 — 
average  value  of  land  per  acre,  $3,96  ;  number  of  white  males 
over  twenty-one  years  old,  2,331  ;  number  of  children  between 
five  and  sixteen  years  old,  3,193  :  population  in  1840,  14,212. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are  Greensburg,  Campbellsville,  Sa- 
loma  and  Somerville.  Greensburo  is  the  principal  town  and  seat 
of  justice.  It  is  situated  on  the  northern  bank  of  Greene  river, 
about  ninety  miles  from  Frankfort  :  contains  a  court  house  and 
other  public  buildings  ;  Methodist,  Presbyterian  and  Baptist 
churches,  one  school,  ten  stores  and  groceries,  two  taverns,  twelve 
lawyers,  six  physicians,  one  tannery,  and  about  thirty  mechanics' 
shops  :  established  in  1795 — population  about  700. 

Caiiipbcllsvillc  is  about  twelve  miles  north-east  of  Greensburg — 
contains  a  Methodist,  a  Baptist  and  a  Reformed  church,  five  stores, 
one  tavern,  two  lawyers,  four  physicians,  and  thirty  mechanics' 
shops  ;  established  in  1817.  Snloina  is  situated  fourteen  miles 
north  of  Greensburg — contains  two  stores,  one  tavern,  two  doc- 
tors and  twelve  mechanics'  shops.  Somerville  is  a  small  village 
six  miles  west  of  Greensburg — contains  one  tavern,  one  lawyer, 
one  store  and  three  mechanics'  shops  :  established  in  1817. 


BIG  JOE    LOGSTON.  329 

Major  General  Nathaniel  Gkeene,  for  whom  this  county  was  named,  was  born 
May  the  2'2d,  1742,  in  the  town  of  Warwick,  Rhode  Island.  His  father  was 
an  anchor  smith,  and  at  the  same  time  a  Quaker  preacher,  whose  ignorance,  com- 
bined with  the  fanaticism  of  the  times,  made  him  pay  little  attention  to  the 
worldly  learning  of  his  children,  though  he  was  very  careful  of  their  moral  and 
religious  instruction.  The  fondness  for  knowledge,  however,  of  the  young  Greene, 
was  such  that  he  devoted  all  the  time  he  could  spare  to  its  acquisition,  and  em- 
ployed all  his  trifling  gains  in  purchasing  books.  His  propensity  for  the  life  of 
a  soldier  was  early  evinced  by  his  predilection  for  works  on  military  subjects. 
He  made  considerable  proficiency  in  the  exact  sciences  ;  and  after  he  had  attained 
his  twentieth  year,  he  added  a  tolerable  stock  of  legal  knowledge  to  his  other 
acquirements.  In  1770,  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  State  legislature,  and  in 
1774  enrolled  himself  as  a  private  in  a  company  called  the  Kentish  guards.  Af- 
ter the  battle  of  Lexington,  Rhode  Island  raised  what  was  termed  an  army  of  ob- 
servation, and  chose  Greene  as  commander,  with  the  title  of  major  general.  This 
sudden  elevation  from  the  ranks  to  an  important  command,  may  give  some  idea 
of  the  estimation  in  which  his  military  talents  were  held.  He  accepted  a  com- 
mission from  Congress  as  brigadier  general,  although  under  the  State  he  held 
that  of  major  general,  preferring  the  former,  as  it  promised  a  larger  sphere  of 
action,  and  the  pleasure  of  serving  under  the  immediate  command  of  Washing- 
ton. When  the  American  army  went  to  New  York,  the  division  posted  on  Long 
Island  was  under  Greene's  command  ;  but  at  the  time  of  the  unfortunate  affair 
with  the  enemy,  he  was  suffering  under  severe  sickness,  and  General  Sullivan 
was  in  command.  When  he  had  recovered  his  health,  he  joined  the  retreating 
army,  having  been  previously  raised  to  the  rank  of  major  general,  and  was  ap- 
pointed to  command  the  troops  in  New  Jersey,  destined  to  watch  the  movements 
of  a  strong  detachment  of  the  British,  which  had  been  left  on  Staten  island,  De- 
cember 26th,  1776.  When  Washington  surprised  the  English  at  Trenton,  Greene 
commanded  the  left  wing  of  the  American  forces.  In  the  battle  of  Brandywine, 
Greene  commanded  the  vanguard,  together  with  Sullivan,  and  it  became  his  duty 
to  cover  the  retreat,  in  which  he  fully  succeeded.  He  commanded  the  left 
wing  of  the  American  forces  in  the  disastrous  attempt  on  Germantown.  At  the 
battle  of  Monmouth,  he  led  the  right  of  the  second  line,  and  mainly  contributed 
to  the  partial  success  of  the  Americans.  When  General  Washington,  alarmed 
for  the  safety  of  the  garrisons  on  the  North  river,  repaired  to  West  Point,  he  left 
Greene  in  command  of  the  army  in  New  Jersey.  On  the  23d  of  June,  he  was 
attacked  by  Clinton,  but  the  enemy  were  repulsed  with  loss.  October  6th  he 
was  appointed  to  the  command  of  West  Point.  On  the  14th  of  the  same  month 
he  was  appointed  to  succeed  General  Gates  in  the  chief  command  of  the  southern 
army.  The  ability,  prudence  and  firmness  which  he  here  displayed,  have  caused 
him  to  be  ranked  in  the  scale  of  our  revolutionary  generals,  second  only  to 
W^ashington.  In  this  command  he  continued  till  the  close  of  the  war.  When 
peace  released  him  from  his  duties,  he  returned  to  Rhode  Island  ;  and  his  jour- 
ney thither,  almost  at  every  step,  was  marked  by  some  private  or  public  testimo- 
nial of  regard.  He  died  June  19lh,  1786,  in  his  forty-fourth  year,  in  consequence 
of  an  inflammation  of  the  brain,  contracted  by  exposure  to  the  rays  of  an  intense 
sun. 

"  Big  Joe  Logston." — About  the  year  1790,  an  individual,  known  as  "  Big 
Joe  Logston,"  removed  from  near  the  source  of  the  north  branch  of  the  Potomac 
to  Kentucky,  and  resided  many  years  in  the  family  of  Andrew  Barnett,  in  Greene 
county.  He  subsequently  removed  to  Illinois.  Big  Joe  seems  to  have  been  a 
rare  chap.  Mr.  Felix  Renick  has  given  some  anecdotes  of  him  in  the  Western 
Pioneer,  in  which  he  says — "  No  Kentuckian  could  ever,  with  greater  propriety 
than  he,  have  said,  'I  can  out-run,  out-hop,  out-jump,  throw  down,  drag  out,  and 
whip  any  man  in  the  country.'"  The  following  account  is  given  by  ?»Ir.  Renick 
of  a  desperate  fight  between  Joe  and  two  Indians  : 

"  The  Indians  made  a  sudden  attack,  and  all  that  escaped  were  driven  into  a  rude  fort  for 
preservation,  iuid,  tliouijh  reluctantly,  Joe  was  one.  This  was  a  new  hfe  to  him,  and  did 
not  at  all  suit  his  taste.  He  soon  liecame  very  restless,  and  every  day  insisted  on  going  out 
with  others  to  hunt  up  the  cattle.  Knowing  the  danger  belter,  or  fearing  it  more,  all  persisted 
in  their  refusal  to  go  with  liiin.     To  indulge  his  taste  for  the  woodman's  life,  he  turned  out 


330  GREENE    COUNTY. 

alone,  and  rode  till  the  after  part  of  the  day  without  finding  any  cattle.  What  the  Indians 
had  not  killed,  were  seared  ofT.  He  concluded  to  return  to  the  fort.  Riding  along  a  path 
which  led  in,  he  came  to  a  fine  vine  of  grapes.  He  turned  into  the  path  and  rode  carelessly 
along,  eating  his  grapes,  and  the  first  intimation  he  had  of  danger,  was  the  crack  of  two 
rifles,  one  from  each  side  of  the  road.  One  of  these  balls  passed  through  the  paps  of  his 
breasts,  which,  for  a  male,  were  remarkably  prominent,  almost  as  much  so  as  that  of  many 
nurses.  The  ball  just  grazed  the  skin  between  the  paps,  but  did  not  injure  the  breast  bone. 
The  other  ball  struck  his  horse  behind  the  saddle,  and  he  sunk  in  his  tracks.  Thus  was  Joe 
eased  ofT  his  horse  in  a  manner  more  rare  than  welcome.  Still  he  was  on  his  feet  in  an 
instant,  with  his  rifle  in  his  hands,  and  might  have  taken  to  his  heels ;  and  I  will  venture  the 
opinion,  that  no  Indian  could  have  caught  him.  That,  he  said,  was  not  his  sort.  He  had 
never  left  a  battle  ground  without  leaving  his  mark,  and  he  was  resolved  that  that  should 
not  be  the  first.  The  moment  the  guns  fired,  one  very  athletic  Indian  sprang  towards  hira 
with  tomahawk  in  hand.  His  eye  was  on  him,  and  his  gun  to  his  eye,  ready,  as  soon  as 
he  approached  near  enough  to  make  a  sure  shot,  to  let  him  have  it.  As  soon  as  the  Indian 
discovered  this,  he  jumped  behind  two  pretty  large  saplings,  some  small  distance  apart,  neither 
of  which  were  large  enough  to  cover  his  body,  and  to  save  himself  as  well  as  he  could,  he 
kept  springing  from  one  to  the  other. 

"  Joe,  knowing  he  had  two  enemies  on  the  ground,  kept  a  look  out  for  the  other  by  a  quick 
glance  of  the  eye.  He  presently  discovered  him  behind  a  tree  loading  his  gun.  The  tree 
was  not  quite  large  enough  to  hide  him.  When  in  the  act  of  pushing  down  his  bullet,  he 
exposed  pretty  fairly  his  hips.  Joe,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  wheeled  and  let  him  have  his 
load  in  the  part  so  exposed.  The  big  Indian  then,  with  a  mighty  "  ugh  !"  rushed  towards  him 
with  his  raised  tomahawk.  Here  were  two  warriors  met,  each  determined  to  conquer  or  die 
— each  the  Goliah  of  his  nation.  The  Indian  had  rather  the  advantage  in  size  of  ft'aine,  but 
Joe  in  weight  and  muscular  strength.  The  Indian  made  a  halt  at  the  distance  of  fifteen  or 
twenty  feet,  and  threw  his  tomahawk  with  all  his  force,  but  Joe  had  his  eye  on  him,  and 
dodged  it.  It  flew  quite  out  of  the  reach  of  either  of  them.  Joe  then  clubbed  his  gun,  and 
made  at  the  Indian,  thinking  to  knock  him  down.  The  Indian  sprang  into  some  brush  or 
saplings,  to  avoid  his  blows.  The  Indian  depended  entirely  on  dodging,  with  the  help  of  the 
saplings.  At  length  Joe,  thinking  he  had  a  pretty  fair  chance,  made  a  side  blow  with  such 
force,  that,  missing  the  dodging  Indian,  the  gun,  now  reduced  to  the  naked  barrel,  was  drawn 
quite  out  of  his  hands,  and  flew  entirely  out  of  reach.  The  Indian  now  gave  an  exulting  "ugh!" 
and  sprang  at  him  with  all  the  savage  fury  he  was  master  of.  Neither  of  them  had  a  weapon 
in  his  hands,  and  the  Indian,  seeing  Logston  bleeding  freely,  thought  he  could  throw  him 
down  and  dispatch  him.  In  this  he  was  mistaken.  They  seized  each  other,  and  a  desper- 
ate struggle  ensued.  Joe  could  throw  him  down,  but  could  not  hold  him  there.  The  Indian 
being  naked,  with  his  hide  oiled,  had  greatly  the  advantage  in  a  ground  scufile,  and  would 
still  slip  out  of  Joe's  grasp  and  rise.  After  throwing  him  five  or  six  times,  Joe  found  that, 
between  loss  of  blood  and  violent  exertions,  his  wind  was  leaving  him,  and  that  he  must 
change  the  mode  of  warfare,  or  lose  his  scalp,  which  he  was  not  yet  willing  to  spare.  He 
threw  the  Indian  again,  and  without  attempting  to  hold  him,  jumped  from  him,  and  as  he 
rose,  aimed  a  fist  blow  at  his  head,  which  caused  him  to  fall  back,  and  as  he  would  rise,  Joe 
gave  him  several  blows  in  succession,  the  Indian  rising  slower  each  time.  He  at  length  suc- 
ceeded in  giving  him  a  pretty  fair  blow  in  the  burr  of  the  ear,  with  all  his  force,  and  he  fell, 
as  Joe  thought,  pretty  near  dead.  Joe  jumped  on  him,  and  thinking  he  could  dispatch  him 
by  choking,  grasped  his  neck  with  his  left  hand,  keeping  his  right  free  for  contingencies. 
Joe  soon  found  that  the  Indian  was  not  so  dead  as  he  thought,  and  that  he  was  making 
some  use  of  his  right  arm,  which  lay  across  his  body,  and  on  casting  his  eye  down,  discov- 
ered the  Indian  was  making  an  eflort  to  unsheath  a  knife  which  was  hanging  at  his  belt. 
The  knife  was  short,  and  so  sunk  in  the  sheath,  that  it  was  necessary  to  force  it  up  by  prcws- 
ing  against  the  point.  This  the  Indian  was  trying  to  eflect,  and  with  good  success.  Joe  kept 
his  eye  on  it,  and  let  the  Indian  work  the  handle  out,  when  he  suddenly  grabbed  it,  jerked  it 
out  of  the  sheath,  and  sunk  it  up  to  the  handle  into  the  Indian's  breast,  who  gave  a  death 
groan  and  expired. 

"Joe  now  thought  of  the  other  Indian,  and  not  knowing  how  far  he  had  succeeded  in  kill- 
ing or  crippling  him,  sprang  to  his  feet.  He  found  the  cripjiled  Indian  had  crawled  some 
distance  towards  them,  and  had  prop|)ed  his  broken  buck  against  a  log  and  was  trying  to 
raise  his  gun  to  shoot  him,  but  in  attempting  to  do  which  be  would  fall  forward  and  had  to 
push  against  his  gun  to  raise  himself  again.  Joe  seeing  that  he  was  safe,  concluded  that 
he  had  fought  long  enough  for  healthy  exercise  that  day,  iind  not  liking  to  be  killed  by  a 
crippled  Indian,  he  made  for  the  fort.  He  got  in  about  nightfall,  and  a  hard  looking  case 
he  was — blood  and  dirt  from  the  crown  of  his  head  to  the  sole  of  his  foot,  no  horse,  no  hat, 
no  gun,  with  an  account  of  the  battle  that  some  of  his  conira<les  could  scarce  believe  to  be 
much  else  than  one  of  his  big  storit^s,  hi  which  he  would  sometimes  indulge.  He  told  them 
they  must  go  and  judge  for  themselves. 


GREENUP   COUNTY.  331 

'•Next  morning  a  company  vvas  made  up  to  go  to  Joe's  battle  ground.  When  they  ap- 
proached it,  Joe's  accusers  became  more  confirmed,  as  there  was  no  appearance  of  dead 
Indians,  and  nothing  Joe  had  talked  of  but  the  dead  horse.  They  however  found  a  trail  as 
if  something  had  been  dragged  away.  On  pursuing  it  they  found  the  big  Indian,  at  a  httle 
distance,  beside  a  log,  covered  up  with  leaves.  Still  pursuing  the  trail,  though  not  so  plain, 
some  hundred  yards  farther,  they  found  the  broken  backed  Indian,  lying  on  bis  back  with 
his  own  knife  sticking  up  to  the  hilt  in  his  body,  just  below  the  breast  bone,  evidently  to 
show  that  he  had  killed  himself,  and  that  he  had  not  come  to  his  end  by  the  hand  of  an  enemy. 
They  had  a  long  search  before  they  found  the  knife  with  which  Joe  killed  the  big  Indian. 
They  at  last  found  it  forced  down  into  the  ground  below  the  surface,  apparently  by  the 
weight  of  a  person's  heel.  This  had  been  done  by  the  crippled  Indian.  The  great  efforts 
he  must  have  made,  alone,  in  that  condition,  show,  among  thousands  of  other  instances,  what 
Indians  are  capable  of  under  the  greatest  extremities.'' 

The  concluding  paragraph  of  Mr.  Renick's  sketch  of  Logston,  must  have  refer- 
ence to  the  frontier  of  Illinois,  and  not  of  Kentucky,  as  we  have  the  best  authority 
for  saying-  that  Joe  left  Greene  county  for  the  then  territory  of  Illinois.  The  fol- 
lowing is  the  paragraph ; 

"  Some  years  after  the  above  took  place,  peace  with  the  Indians  was  restored.  That  frontier, 
like  many  others,  became  infested  with  a  gang  of  outlaws,  who  commenced  stealing  horses 
and  committing  various  depredations.  To  counteract  which,  a  company  of  regulators,  as 
they  were  called,  was  raised.  In  a  contest  between  these  and  the  depredators,  Big  Joe  Log- 
ston lost  his  life,  which  would  not  be  highly  esteemed  in  civil  society.  But  in  frontier  settle- 
ments, which  he  always  occupied,  where  savages  and  beasts  were  to  be  contested  with  for 
the  right  of  soil,  the  use  of  such  a  man  is  very  conspicuous.  Without  such,  the  country 
could  never  have  been  cleared  of  its  natural  rudeness,  so  as  to  admit  of  the  more  brilliant  and 
ornamental  exercises  of  arts,  sciences  and  civilization." 


GREENUP    COUNTY. 

Greenup  county  was  formed  in  1803,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Governor  Christopher  Greenup.  It  is  situated  in  the  north-east 
corner  of  the  State,  and  lies  on  the  waters  of  the  Ohio,  and  the 
Big  and  Little  Sandy  rivers  :  Bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Ohio 
river ;  east  by  Virginia,  south  by  Carter,  and  west  by  Lewis 
county.  Greenup  is  rich  in  mineral  resomxes — her  iron  ore  be- 
ing of  a  very  superior  character,  and  the  supply  inexhaustible, 
while  coal  is  found  in  great  abundance.  There  are  ten  blast  fur- 
naces now  in  the  county,  in  successful  operation,  employing  a 
heavy  capital  and  a  large  number  of  hands.  The  water  power 
of  the  county  is  not  excelled  in  the  State. 

The  taxable  property  of  Greenup  in  1846,  was  valued  at 
$l,031,t)01  ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  256,027  ; 
average  value  of  land  per  acre  $2,20 ;  number  of  white  males 
over  twenty-one  years  old,  1,404;  number  of  children  between 
five  and  sixteen  years  of  age,  1,012.  Population  in  1830,5,853; 
do.  in  1840,  6,297. 

The  towns  of  Greenup  are,  Greenupsburg,  Catlettsburg,  Linn 
and  Springville.  Greenupsburg,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  one  hundred 
and  thirfy-two  miles  from  Frankfort — situated  on  the  Ohio  river, 
immediately  above  the  mouth  of  Little  Sandy  river,  on  an  ele- 
vated and  beautiful  bottom  :  contains  a  large  brick  court-house 
and  other  public  buildings,  one  church,  one  school,  three  physi- 
cians, four  lawj^ers,  eight  stores,  six  groceries   and  sixteen   me- 


332 


CHRISTOPHER  GREENUP. 


chanics'  shops  :  population  250  :  established  in  1818.  Caticlts- 
hu7-g  is  a  small  village  situated  immediately  below  the  mouth  of 
Big  Sandy,  on  the  Ohio  river,  containing  a  tavern,  post-otiice  and 
store,  and  some  four  or  five  families.  Linn  is  a  small  manufac- 
turing village,  and  contains  two  churches,  two  stores,  two  tan- 
yards,  and  a  large  number  of  shoe-makers,  which  fact  induced 
the  change  of  its  name  from  Liberty  to  Linn.  Springvillc  is  a 
small  village  on  the  Ohio,  in  the  lower  part  of  the  county — con- 
tains a  foundry  and  bedstead  manufactory,  gun  shop,  Venetian 
blind  manufactory,  plow  factory,  tan  yard  and  post  office  :  Pop- 
ulation, 130. 

On  a  beautiful  bottom  of  the  Ohio,  in  this  county,  and  between  the  river  and  a 
spur  of  the  adjacent  cliff,  is  an  old  fortification — embracing,  within  the  enclo- 
sure, about  ten  acres  of  land,  in  a  square  form,  with  two  wings — one  about  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile  long,  extending  to  the  Ohio  river  on  the  north  ;  the  other  about 
half  a  mile  long,  and  extending  to  a  tributary  on  the  south.  The  following  dia- 
gram will  enable  the  reader  to  comprehend  the  above  description  more  fully  : 

The  walls  around  the  ten  acres 
are  constructed  of  earth — the 
breadth  on  top  is  twelve  feet,  at 
bottom  thirty,  and  in  height  ten 
feet.  The  openings  are  twelve 
feet  wide;  the  wings  about  six 
feet  high.  The  ground  within  is 
a  level  plain,  and  covered  with 
trees  of  the  largest  class — beech, 
sugar-tree,  poplar,  &c.  Tiie  walls 
are  covered  wiiii  trees  also.  When  or  by  whom  this  fortification  was  construc- 
ted, must  forever  remain  a  mystery. 

Governor  Christopher  Greenup  was  born  about  the  year  1750,  in  the  then 
colony  of  Virginia.  When  the  American  revolution  occurred,  he  was  in  the  prime 
of  youth.  It  was  not  in  his  nature  to  see  his  country  engaged  in  such  a  strug- 
gle, without  engaging  in  it  himself.  He  accordingly  devoted  his  youth  to  her 
cause,  and  was  one  of  the  soldiers  and  heroes  of  that  great  conflict ;  and  passed 
through  its  scenes  of  trial  and  hardship,  acting  well  his  part,  and  winning  no 
small  share  of  that  honor  which  crowned  the  triumph  of  the  American  arms.  In 
the  bloody  war  which  took  place  between  the  pioneers  of  the  west  and  the  In- 
dian tribes,  he  also  bore  a  part,  and  brought  into  active  service  against  that  for- 
midable foe,  the  skill  which  he  had  acquired  during  the  revolution.  To  the  dan- 
gers of  such  a  warfare  he  freely  exposed  his  life,  and  risked,  with  a  manly  and 
brave  heart,  all  its  perils.  After  thus  gaining  for  himself  considerable  distinc- 
tion in  arms,  he  settled  in  Kentucky,  and  on  the  4th  of  March,  1783,  was  sworn 
in  as  an  attorney  at  law  in  the  old  court  for  the  district  of  Kentucky,  established 
by  an  act  of  the  Virginia  legislature.  On  the  18th  day  of  March,  1785,  he  was 
appointed  the  clerk  of  that  court,  which  office  he  held  during  the  existence  of  the 
court.  In  1792,  he  was  elected  a  member  of  Congress,  and  served  as  such  until 
the  year  1797.  After  this  he  filled  the  office  of  clerk  of  the  senate  of  Kentucky 
to  within  a  short  time  of  his  election  as  governor,  which  occurred  in  August, 
1804.  For  four  years,  he  discharged  the  duties  of  this  office  with  high  honor 
and  credit  both  to  himself  and  the  State  over  which  he  presided.  At  the  expira- 
tion of  his  gubernatorial  term,  he  was  elected  to  the  legislature  from  the  county 
of  Franklin.  In  1812,  he  acted  as  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  the  same  county. 
He  served  also  many  years  as  a  director  in  the  old  bank  of  Kentucky  :  and,  after 
a  long  life  of  public  service  to  his  country,  he  died  on  the  27th  of  April,  1818,  in 
the  69th  year  of  his  age. 

Whilst  he  filled  the  highest  executive  office  of  the  State,  it  may  be  said  of  him 
that  no  one  ever  discharged  its  duties  with  a  more  scrupulous  regard  for  the  pub- 


HANCOCK   COUNTY.  333 

lie  good.  Prompt,  assiduous  and  faitliful  in  the  labors  which  claimed  his  own 
personal  attention  as  ojovernor,  he  required  the  same  of  ail  who  were  under  his 
immediate  control  and  influence.  In  his  appointments  to  office,  he  always  re- 
served and  exercised  the  right  to  select  those  only  whom  he  knew  to  be  qualified, 
and  in  whom  he  himself  reposed  confidence.  In  this  he  was  never  ifoverned  or 
swayed  by  the  number  or  character  of  the  petitioning  friends  of  an  applicant  for 
office.  It  was  to  the  man  himself  he  looked,  and  that,  too,  through  liis  own  and 
not  the  eyes  of  another.  His  great  object  in  making  choice  of  public  officers 
having  been  always  to  promote  those  only  who  were  the  most  worthy  and  the 
best  qualified,  it  was  a  source  of  the  highest  gratification  to  him  afterwards,  to 
know  himself,  and  to  see  all  convinced,  that  he  had  accomplished  it.  Often  has 
he  been  lieard  in  conversation  to  dwell,  with  pride,  on  the  appointments  of  men 
to  office,  who  afterwards  proved  themselves,  by  their  public  services,  to  have  been 
worthy  of  them.  And  it  may  not  be  improper  to  say,  that  of  none  did  he  speak 
more  frequently,  and  with  a  prouder  satisfaction,  than  of  his  appointment  of  Wil- 
liam M'Cluiig  as  judge  of  the  Mason  circuit  court,  of  Robert  Trimble  as  judge 
of  the  court  of  appeals,  and  of  Robert  Alexander  as  president  of  the  bank  of 
Kentucky.  In  consequence  of  Judge  M'Clung's  connection  with  a  family  in  Ken- 
tucky who  were  looked  upon  as  leading  federalists  in  the  State,  his  aj)pointment 
to  office  WIS  at  first  unpopular.  Time,  however,  convinced  the  community,  as 
they  acknowledged  to  the  governor,  that  he  had  appointed  a  man  of  the  highest 
integrity,  firmness  and  capacity. 

A  circumstance  occurred  while  he  was  in  office,  calculated  to  illustrate  very 
forcibly  the  character  of  Governor  Greenup  as  a  man  of  high  sense  of  justice, 
and  who  felt  always  the  full  force  of  moral  obligations  in  the  administration  of 
civil  government.  Before  the  resignation  of  Judge  Muter  as  one  oi'  the  judges 
of  the  court  of  appeals,  it  was  known  that,  although  a  correct  and  honest  man, 
who  performed  the  duties  of  his  office  to  the  best  of  his  abilities,  he  had  become 
superannuated;  and  owing  to  this  fact,  he  was  induced  to  resign  his  seat,  with  a 
promise  that  a  pension  should  be  allowed  him  during  the  remainder  of  his  life,  in 
consideration  of  his  public  services.  The  legislature  accordingly  passed  an  act, 
shortly  after  his  resignation,  allowing  him  a  small  pension.  Some  time  after- 
tervvards,  however,  an  effort  was  made  in  the  legislature  to  repeal  this  act,  which 
ultimately  proved  successful.  Governor  Greenup,  however,  esteeming  it  an  act 
of  injustice,  and  a  breach  of  the  public  faith,  with  a  degree  of  decision  and  high 
moral  courage  worthy  of  himself  and  his  fame,  interposed  his  constitutional  pre- 
rogative, and  vetoed  the  bill. 


HANCOCK    COUNTY. 

Hancock  county  was  formed  in  1829,  and  called  after  John  Han- 
cock, president  of  the  continental  Congress.  It  is  situated  in  the 
west  middle  part  of  the  State,  and  lies  on  the  Ohio  river — boun- 
ded on  the  north  by  the  Ohio,  east  by  Breckinridge,  west  by  Da- 
veiss,  and  south  by  Grayson  and  Ohio  counties.  The  surface  of 
the  county  is  diversified.  Along  the  Ohio  river,  the  bottom  varies 
in  width  from  one  to  seven  miles,  and  the  lands  are  level  and  re- 
markably rich  and  productive.  The  face  of  the  country  back  of 
the  river  hills  is  undulating,  and  the  lands  second  rate.  The 
staple  y)roducts  are  \vheat,  corn,  oats,  tobacco,  &c.  The  hills 
abound  in  coal  of  a  fine  quality,  and  the  article  must  ultimately 
become  one  of  extensive  export. 

The  taxable  property  of  Hancock  in  1846,  was  valued  at  $633,- 
972;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  67,458;  average  value 


334  HANCOCK    COUNTY. 

of  land  per  acre,  $3,69;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 
years  old,  543  ;  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years,  705. 
Population  in  1840,  2,581. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are  Hawcsville  and  Lewisport 
Havvesville,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  situated  on  the  Ohio  river, 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  Frankfort.  It  contains 
the  usual  public  buildings,  a  Baptist  and  a  Methodist  church,  a 
public  and  a  private  school,  five  lawyers,  five  physicians,  ten 
stores,  one  tavern,  thirty  mechanics'  shops,  and  thirty  coal  dig> 
gers.  Population  500.  There  are  three  coal  banks  worked  here, 
which  supply  the  town  and  steam  boats  with  fuel.  Named  after 
the  late  Richard  Hawes,  who  was  the  original  proprietor.  Leio- 
isport  is  a  small  village  on  the  Ohio  river,  containing  one  school, 
one  tavern,  three  stores  and  two  doctors,  with  a  population  of  200. 

About  four  miles  above  Hawesville,  and  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  from  the 
Ohio  river,  there  is  a  natural  curiosity  which  is  worthy  of  note — it  is  a  natural 
FORTIFICATION,  beinjr  a  circular  table  of  land,  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  a  cliff 
of  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  in  height,  generally  projecting 
at  the  top,  and  impossible  of  ascent,  except  in  one  place,  where  it  seems  to  have 
slided  over  and  formed  an  inclined  plane.  A  string  of  fence  of  twenty  poles, 
renders  it  impossible  of  ingress  or  egress  to  stock,  and  makes  it  a  fine  park  for 
deer.  By  a  little  work  in  digging,  it  might  be  rendered  impregnable;  and  if  it 
were  so  situated  as  to  command  some  water  course  or  strait,  or  exposed  point  on 
the  frontier,  might  be  made  valuable  to  the  country.  Where  located,  it  is  thought 
to  be  a  favorable  site  for  an  armory  or  garrison,  as  a  communication  could  be 
easily  opened  to  the  Ohio  river,  by  a  rail  road  three-quarters  of  a  mile  long. 

On  the  Ohio  river,  some  five  miles  above  Hawesville,  there  is  a  mound  or 
general  burial  ])lace  of  the  dead.  The  site  is  one  of  romantic  and  picturesque 
beauty,  beneath  an  overhanging  cliff  of  considerable  height,  which  almost  en- 
tirely shelters  this  repository  of  bones.  The  thick  timber  and  undergrowth  sur- 
rounding it,  gives  a  sombre  and  melancholy  appearance  to  the  scene,  well  befitting 
the  resting  place  of  the  unknown  dead.  The  bodies  seem  not  to  have  been  deeply 
interred,  for  the  surface  is  covered  with  bones ;  and  with  a  stick  they  may  be  dis- 
interred in  numbers,  or  kicked  up  with  the  foot.  The  mound  has  never  been 
explored,  but  in  the  external  examinations,  no  other  bones  have  been  discovered 
but  those  of  human  beings. 

About  one  hundred  yards  from  the  mound,  there  is  a  spring,  issuing  from  a 
ledge  of  rock,  from  which  is  discharged  a  bituminous  matter,  similar  in  smell 
and  consistency  to  common  tar.  This  spring  is  some  seven  or  eight  miles  from 
the  "  Tar  Spring  "  in  Breckinridge  county,  and  is  supposed  to  be  a  continuation 
of  the  same  stream. 

John  Hancock,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its  name,  was  born  at 
Quincy,  near  Boston,  and  graduated  at  Harvard  University  in  1754.  On  the  sud 
den  demise  of  an  uncle  in  17(J4,  he  succeeded  to  his  large  fortune  and  business, 
both  of  which  he  managed  with  great  judgment  and  munificence.  As  a  membei 
of  the  provincial  legislature,  his  zeal  and  resolution  against  the  royal  governor 
and  the  British  ministry,  rendered  him  so  obnoxious  to  them,  that,  in  the  procla- 
mation of  General  Gage,  after  the  Ijattle  of  Lexington,  and  before  that  of  Bunker 
Hill,  offering  pardon  to  the  rebels,  he  and  Samuel  Adams  were  specially  excepted, 
their  offences  being  "of  too  flagitious  a  nature  to  admit  of  any  other  consideration 
than  that  of  condign  punishment."  This  circumstance  gave  additional  celebrity 
to  these  two  patriots.  Mr.  Hancock  was  president  of  the  provincial  Congress  of 
Massachusetts,  until  he  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  general  Congress  at  Phila- 
delphia in  1775.  Soon  after  his  arrival  there,  he  was  chosen  to  succeed  Peyton 
Randolph  as  president,  and  was  the  first  to  affix  his  signature  to  the  declaration 
of  independence.  He  continued  to  fill  the  chair  until  1779,  when  he  was  com- 
pelled by  disease  to  retire  from  Congress.     He  was  then  elected  governor  of  Maa- 


HARDIN  COUNTY.  .  .  335 

sachusetts,  and  was  annually  chosen  from  1780  to  1785.  After  an  interval  of 
two  years,  he  was  again  re-elected,  and  continued  to  hold  the  office  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  on  the  8th  of  October  1793,  at  the  age  of  fifty-six  years 
In  the  interval,  he  acted  as  president  of  the  state  convention  for  the  adoption  of 
the  federal  constitution,  for  which  he  finally  voted.  His  talents  were  rather  use- 
ful than  brilliant.  He  seldom  spoke,  but  his  knowledge  of  business,  and  keen 
insight  into  the  characters  of  men,  rendered  him  a  superior  presiding  officer.  In 
private  life,  he  was  eminent  for  his  hospitality  and  beneficence. 


HARDIN    COUNTY. 

Hardin  county  was  formed  in  1792,  and  named  after  Colonel 
JoH\  Hardin.  It  is  situated  in  the  west  middle  part  of  the  State, 
and  lies  on  the  waters  of  Salt  river — bounded  on  the  north  by 
Bullitt  and  Meade  ;  east  by  Nelson  and  Larue  ;  south  by  Grayson, 
and  west  by  Breckinridge.  It  presents  the  different  varieties  of 
surface,  viz  :  rolling,  hilly  and  flat.  In  its  northern  and  western 
portions,  being  hilly  and  thin  land ;  in  its  eastern  and  southern 
portions,  it  is  rolling,  with  rich  alluvial  soil ;  and  in  its  central 
portion,  presents  a  flat  and  sandy  surface,  which,  in  the  common 
parlance  of  the  country,  is  called  "  6arre7W."  The  staple  products 
are  corn  and  tobacco. 

The  taxable  property  of  Hardin  in  1846  was  valued  at  $2,781,- 
397;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  314,604;  average  value 
of  land  per  acre,  $3,69;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  2,278 ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen 
years  old,  3,062.     Population  in  1840,  16,357. 

There  are  five  towns  in  Hardin,  viz :  Elizabethtown  (the  county 
seat,)  West  Point,  Stephensburg,  Red  Mill  and  Big  Spring ;  the 
latter  place  located  in  the  corner  of  three  counties — Breckinridge, 
Meade  and  Hardin.  Elizabethtown  was  laid  off  fifty  odd  years 
ago,  by  Mr.  Hynes  (the  same  gentleman  who  laid  off  Bardstown) 
and  was  so  called  from  the  christian  name  of  his  wife.  It  is  pleas- 
antly situated  on  Valley  creek,  immediately  on  the  great  thorough- 
fare from  Nashville  to  Louisville.  It  has  a  population  of  twelve 
hundred  inhabitants,  the  houses  generally  of  brick,  and  hand- 
somely constructed  ;  contains  a  Methodist,  Presbyterian  and  Bap- 
tist church,  six  physicians,  eight  lawyers,  six  mercantile  houses,  a 
male  and  female  seminar}^,  and  twelve  mechanics'  shops.  Dis- 
tance from  Frankfort,  seventy-five  miles.  West  Point  is  situated 
at  the  mouth  of  Salt  river,  twenty-four  miles  from  Elizabethtown. 
Located  here,  are  four  physicians,  four  mercantile  houses,  and 
recently  there  has  been  an  extensive  boatyard  established,  which 
is  doing  a  flourishing  business. 

About  the  year  1781,  a  band  of  Indians  came  into  Hardin  county,  and  after 
committing  numerous  depredations  and  killing  some  women  and  children,  were 
pursued  by  the  whites.  During  the  pursuit  a  portion  of  the  Indians,  who  were 
on  stolen  horses,  took  a  southerly  direction  so  as  to  strike  the  Ohio  about  where 
Brandenburg  is  now  situated;  while  the  other  party,  who  were  on  foot,  attempted 


A^ 


336  HARDIN    COUNTY. 

to  cross  the  Ohio  at  the  mouth  of  Salt  river.  The  whites  pursued  each  party,  the 
larger  portion  following  the  trail  of  the  horses — the  smaller  the  foot  party. 
Among  the  latter  was  the  hero  of  this  sketch,  Peter  Kennedy.  Young  Kennedy 
was  noted  for  his  fleetness  of  foot,  strength  of  hody  and  wary  daring.  He  was 
selected  as  their  leader.  They  pursued  the  Indians  to  within  a  mile  of  the  river, 
the  Indians  awaiting  liiem  in  ambush.  The  Indians  were  ten  in  number,  the 
whites  six.  As  they  were  led  on  by  their  daring  leader  in  an  effort  to  overtake 
them  before  they  could  reach  the  river,  all  of  his  comrades  were  shot  down,  and 
he  was  left  to  contend  single  handed  with  ten  fierce  and  savage  Indians,  Tiiis 
was  an  odds  calculated  to  make  the  bravest  tremble ;  but  young  Kennedy 
was  determined  to  sell  his  life  as  dearly  as  possible.  With  one  bound  he  reaclieii 
a  tree,  and  awaited  his  opportunity  to  wreak  vengeance  upon  the  savage  foe. 
The  savages,  with  their  usual  wariness,  kept  their  cover  ;  but  at  last  one,  more 
impatient  than  the  remainder,  showed  his  head  from  behind  a  tree.  As  quick  as 
thought,  Kennedy  buried  a  rifle  ball  in  his  forehead,  and  instantly  turned  to  flee; 
but  no  sooner  did  he  abandon  his  cover,  than  nine  deadly  rifles  were  levelled  at 
him  and  instantly  fired,  and  with  the  fire  a  simultaneous  whoop  of  triumph,  for 
the  brave  Kennedy  fell,  pierced  through  the  right  hip  with  a  ball.  Disabled  by 
the  wound,  and  unable  to  make  further  resistance,  he  was  taken  prisoner  and  im- 
mediately borne  off  to  the  Wabash,  where  the  tribe  of  the  victorious  party  belonged. 

The  wound  of  Kennedy  was  severe,  and  the  jiain  which  he  suffered  from  it, 
was  greatly  aggravated  by  the  rapid  movement  of  the  Indians.  The  arrival  of 
the  party  was  hailed  with  the  usual  demonstrations  of  Indian  triumph — but  Ken- 
nedy, owing  to  his  feeble  and  suff'ering  condition,  was  treated  with  kindness. 
His  wound  gradually  healed,  and  as  he  again  found  himself  a  well  man,  he  felt 
an  irrepressible  desire  for  freedom.  He  determined  to  make  his  escape,  but  how 
to  effect  it  was  the  question.  In  this  state  of  suspense,  he  remained  for  two 
years;  well  knowing  that,  however  kindly  the  Indians  might  treat  a  prisoner 
when  first  captured,  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  escape  would  be  followed  by  the 
infliction  of  death,  and  that,  too,  by  the  stake.  But  still  Kennedy  was  willing  to 
run  this  risk,  to  regain  that  most  inestimable  of  gifts — freedom.  The  vigilance  of 
the  Indians  ultimately  relaxed,  and  Kennedy  seized  the  opportunity,  and  made 
good  his  escape  to  this  side  of  the  Ohio. 

Hitherto  Kennedy  had  rapidly  pressed  forward  without  rest  or  nourishment, 
for  he  knew  the  character  of  the  savages,  and  anticipated  a  rapid  pursuit.  Hun- 
gry and  exhausted,  he  was  tempted  to  shoot  a  deer  which  crossed  his  path,  from 
which  he  cut  a  steak,  cooked  it,  and  had  nearly  completed  his  meal,  when  he 
heard  the  shrill  crack  of  an  Indian  rifle,  and  felt  that  he  was  again  wounded,  but 
fortunately  not  disabled.  He  grasped  his  gun  and  bounded  forward  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Gooden's  station,  distant  nearly  thirty  miles.  Fortunately,  he  was  ac- 
quainted with  the  localities,  which  aided  him  greatly  in  his  flight.  The  chase 
soon  became  intensely  exciting.  The  fierce  whoop  of  the  Indians  was  met  with 
a  shout  of  defiance  from  Kennedy.  For  a  few  minutes  at  the  outset  of  the  chase, 
the  Indians  appeared  to  gain  on  him  ;  but  he  redoubled  his  efforts,  and  gradual- 
ly widened  the  distance  between  the  pursuers  and  himself.  But  there  was  no 
abatement  of  eff"ort  on  either  side — both  the  pursuers  and  pursued  put  forward  all 
their  energies.  The  yell  of  the  savages  as  the  distance  widened,  became  faintei 
and  fainter — Kennedy  had  descended  in  safety  the  tall  cliff"  on  the  Rolling  fork, 
and  found  himself,  as  the  Indians  reached  the  summit,  a  mile  in  advance. 

Here  the  loud  yell  of  the  savages  reverberated  along  the  vallies  of  that 
stream,  but  so  far  from  damping,  infused  new  energy  into  the  flight  of  Kennedy. 
The  race  continued,  Kennedy  still  widening  the  distance,  to  within  a  short  dis 
tance  of  Gooden's  station,  when  the  Indians,  in  despair,  gave  up  the  chase.  Ken- 
nedy arrived  safely  at  the  station,  but  in  an  exhausted  state.  His  tale  was  soon 
told.  The  men  in  the  station  instantly  grasped  their  rifles,  and  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Kennedy,  sallied  forth  to  encounter  the  savages.  The  scene  was  now 
changed.  The  pursuers  became  the  pursued.  The  Indians,  exhausted  by  their 
long  continued  chase,  were  speedily  overtaken,  and  7wt  une  returned  to  their  Irilie 
to  tell  of  the  fruitless  pursuit  of  Kennedy!  Kennedy  lived  in  Hardin  to  a  very  old 
age,  and  left  a  numerous  and  clever  progeny. 

About  the  middle  of  September,  1782,  a  roving  band  of  Indians  made  their  ap- 


A  BRAVE   YOUTH.  337 

pearance  in  Hardin  county,  and  committed  several  depredations.  Silas  Hart, 
whose  keen  penetration  and  skill  as  an  Indian  fighter,  had  extorted  from  them  the 
name  of  Sharp-Eye,  with  other  settlers,  pursued  them  ;  and  in  the  pursuit,  Hart 
shot  their  cliief,  while  several  others  of  the  party  were  also  killed.  Only  two  of 
the  Indians  made  good  their  escape.  These  conveyed  to  the  trihe  the  intelligence 
of  the  chieftain's  death.  Vengeance  was  denounced  by  them  against  Sharp-Eye 
and  his  family,  for  the  death  of  the  fallen  chief,  and  speedily  did  the  execution 
follow  the  threat!  A  short  time  thereafter,  a  band  of  Indians,  led  by  a  brother 
of  the  slain  chieftain,  secretly  and  silently  made  their  way  into  the  neighborhood 
of  Elizabetbtown,  where  they  emerged  from  their  hiding  places,  and  commenced 
their  outrages.  The  neighborhood  was  instantly  aroused,  and  Hart,  always  ready 
to  assist  in  repelling  the  savage  foe,  was  the  first  upon  their  trail.  The  whites 
followed  in  rapid  pursuit  for  a  whole  day,  but  were  unable  to  overtake  them.  As 
soon  as  they  had  turned  towards  their  homes,  the  Indians,  who  must  have  closely 
watched  their  movements,  turned  upon  their  trail,  and  followed  them  back  to  the 
settlements.  Hart  arrived  at  his  home  (five  miles  from  Elizabetbtown)  about 
dark  in  the  evening,  and  slept  soundly  through  the  night,  for  he  had  no  apprehen- 
sion of  further  Indian  depredations.  On  the  succeeding  morning,  just  as  the  fam- 
ily were  seating  themselves  to  partake  of  their  frugal  meal,  the  band  of  Indians, 
who  had  been  prowling  round  the  house  all  night,  suddenly  appeared  at  the 
door,  and  the  brother  of  the  fallen  chief  shot  Hart  dead  !  The  son  of  Hart,  a 
brave  youth  only  twelve  years  old,  the  instant  he  saw  his  father  fall,  grasped  his 
rifle,  and  before  the  savage  could  enter  the  door,  sent  a  ball  through  his  heart — 
thus  avengfing,  almost  as  quick  as  thought,  a  beloved  parent's  death.  The  Indians 
then  rushed  to  the  door  in  a  body,  but  the  first  who  entered  the  threshhold,  had 
the  hunting  knife  of  the  gallant  boy  plunged  to  the  hilt  in  his  breast,  and  fell  by 
the  side  of  his  leader.  A  contest  so  unequal,  could  not,  however,  he  maintained. 
The  youth,  with  his  mother  and  sister,  were  overpowered  and  hurried  off  to  the 
Wabash  as  captives.  The  sister,  from  the  feebleness  of  her  constitution,  was 
unable  to  bear  the  fatigue  of  a  forced  march,  and  the  Indians  dispatched  her  after 
proceeding  a  few  miles.  The  mother  and  son  were  intended  for  a  more  painful 
and  revolting  death. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  the  party  at  the  Wabash  towns,  preparations  were  made 
for  the  sacrifice,  but  an  influential  squaw,  in  pity  for  the  tender  years,  and  in  ad- 
miration of  the  heroism  of  the  youth,  interposed  and  saved  his  life.  The  mother 
was  also  saved  from  the  stake,  by  the  interposition  of  a  chief,  who  desired  to 
make  her  his  wife.  The  mother  and  son  were  ultimately  redeemed  by  traders, 
and  returned  to  their  desolate  home.  Mrs.  Hart  (who  has  often  been  heard  to 
declare,  that  she  would  have  preferred  the  stake  to  a  union  with  the  Indian  chief) 
subsequently  married  a  man  named  Cmintryman,  and  lived  in  Hardin  to  a  very 
advanced  age,  having  died  but  a  few  years  since.  Young  Hart,  now  well  stricken 
in  years,  is  believed  to  be  an  inhabitant  of  the  State  of  Missouri. 

In  the  year  1790,  Mr.  Frederick  Bough  arrived  in  Kentucky,  and  being  on  the 
13th  of  October  in  that  year,  in  company  with  a  young  man  of  his  acquaintance, 
near  .Tacob  Vanmeter's  fort,  in  Hardin  county,  fell  in  with  a  party  of  Indians. 
As  they  approached,  he  observed  to  his  companion  that  he  thought  he  saw  an  In- 
dian; hut  the  young  man  ridiculed  the  idea,  and  coolly  replying,  "  you  are  a  fool 
for  having  such  thoughts,"  kept  on  his  way.  They  soon  discovered  a  party  of 
Indians  within  ten  yards  of  them.  The  young  man,  exclaiming,  "  Good  (lod  ! 
there  they  are  I  "  fled  with  the  utmost  precipitation,  but  taking  the  (Vuf^ctinnfrom- 
the  fort,  was  soon  caught  by  one  of  the  savages,  and  barbarously  killed.  Mr. 
Bough,  in  running  towards  the  fort,  was  fired  at  by  the  whole  party  in  pursuit, 
which  consisted  of  four,  and  was  hit  by  three  of  them.  One  ball  struck  him  in 
the  left  arm,  another  on  the  right  thigh,  and  the  third,  passing  through  his  waist- 
coat and  shirt,  grazed  the  skin  of  his  left  side.  He  was  still,  however,  able  to 
run,  but,  in  attempting  to  cross  a  creek  on  bis  way  to  the  fort,  he  stuck  in  the 
mud,  when  one  of  the  Indians  caught  him,  pulled  him  out,  and  felt  of  his  arm  to 
see  if  it  was  broken.  Finding  it  was  not,  he  pulled  out  a  strap  with  a  loop  at 
the  end,  for  the  purpose  of  confining  Mr.  Bough;  but  he,  suddenly  jerking 
away  his  hand,  gave  the  savage  a  blow  on  the  side  of  the  head,  which  knocked 
him  down.  By  this  time  two  other  Indians  came  up,  the  fourth  having  gone  in' 
22 


338  HARDIN    COUNTY. 

pursuit  of  the  horses.  Mr.  Bough  kicked  at  the  one  he  had  knocked  down,  but 
missed  him.  Just  at  that  moment  one  of  the  other  Indians  aimed  a  blow  at  his 
head  with  a  tomahawk,  but  in  his  eagerness  struck  too  far  over,  and  hit  only  with 
the  handle,  which,  however,  nearly  felled  Mr.  Bough  to  the  ground  ;  but  he,  in- 
stantly recovering  himself,  struck  at  the  tomahawk  and  knocked  it  out  of  his 
antagonist's  hand.  They  both  grasped  at  it,  but  the  Indian  being  quickest, 
picked  it  up,  and  entered  into  conversation  with  his  companion.  The  latter  then 
struck  Mr.  Bough  with  a  stick,  and  as  he  stepped  forward  to  return  the  blow, 
they  all  retreated,  (probably  fearing  an  attack  by  a  party  from  the  fort),  and  sud- 
denly went  off,  leaving  one  of  their  blankets  and  a  kettle,  which  Mr.  Bough  took 
Avith  him  to  the  fort.  [The  foregoing  particulars  were  communicated  to  the  edi- 
tor of  the  Western  Review,  in  1821,  by  Mr.  Bough  himself,  then  residing  in 
Bath  county.] 

Colonel  John  Hardin  was  born  in  Fauquier  county,  Virginia,  October  1st,  1753. 
His  parents  were  poor,  and  compelled  to  labor  for  their  livelihood.  Martin  Har 
din,  the  father,  removed  from  Fauquier  county  to  George's  creek,  on  the  Monon 
gahela,  when  John  was  about  twelve  years  of  age.  He  had  already  learned  the 
use  of  the  rifle.  The  new  settlement  was  quite  a  frontier.  Old  Mr.  Hardin 
thought  it  was  in  Virginia  ;  but  it  turned  out,  when  the  line  was  settled  and  run, 
that  he  was  in  Pennsylvania.  In  their  new  situation,  hunting  was  an  occupation 
of  necessity  ;  and  it  was  not  long  before  Indian  hostilities  commenced,  and  war 
was  added  to  the  former  motive  for  carrying  the  rifle.  Young  Hardin,  finding 
even  in  the  first  of  these,  scope  for  the  exercise  of  his  active,  enterprising  dispo- 
sition, and  not  being  called  to  any  literary  occupation,  for  there  were  no  schools, 
hunting  became  his  sole  pursuit  and  chief  delight.  With  his  rifle  he  traversed 
the  vales,  or  crossed  the  hills,  or  clambered  the  mountains,  in  search  of  game, 
insensible  of  fatigue,  until  he  became  one  of  the  most  expert  of  the  craft.  The 
rapidity  and  exactness  with  which  he  pointed  his  rifle,  made  him  what  is  called 
a  "dead  shot." 

In  the  expediton  conducted  by  Gov.  Dunmore  against  the  Indians  in  1774, 
young  Hardin  served  in  the  capacity  of  ensign  in  a  militia  company.  In  the  en- 
suing August,  he  volunteered  with  Captain  Zack  Morgan,  and  during  an  engage- 
ment with  the  savages,  was  wounded  while  in  the  act  of  aiming  his  rifle  at  the 
enemy.  The  better  to  support  his  gun,  he  had  sunk  on  one  knee,  and  whilst  in 
this  position,  the  ball  struck  his  thigh,  on  the  outer  side,  ranged  up  it  about  seven 
inches,  and  lodged  near  the  groin,  whence  it  never  was  extracted.  The  enemy 
were  beaten  and  fled.  Before  he  had  recovered  from  his  wound,  or  could  dispense 
with  his  crutches,  he  joined  Dunmore  on  his  march  to  the  Indian  towns.  Soon 
after  the  peace  which  ensued,  Hardin  turned  his  attention  towards  Kentucky,  as 
to  a  scene  for  new  adventure ;  and  had  actually  prepared  for  a  journey  hither,  but 
this  was  abandoned,  probably  on  account  of  the  increasing  rumors  of  an  approach- 
ing war  with  Great  Britain.  The  American  Congress  having  determined  to  raise 
a  military  force,  Hardin  applied  himself  to  the  business  of  recruiting,  and  Avith 
such  success  that  he  was  soon  enabled  to  join  the  continental  army  with  the  com- 
mand of  a  second  lieutenant.  He  was  afterwards  attached  to  Morgan's  rifle  corps, 
which  was  generally  on  the  lines  ;  and  with  which  he  served  until  his  resignation 
of  his  commission  as  first  lieutenant,  in  December  1779.  In  the  meantime  he 
acquired  and  held  a  high  place  in  the  esteem  of  General  Daniel  Morgan,  by  whom 
he  was  often  selected  for  enterprises  of  peril,  which  required  discretion  and  intre- 
pidity to  ensure  success.  A  few  anecdotes  have  been  preserved,  which  illustrate 
very  forcibly  the  coolness,  courage,  and  eminent  military  talents  of  Hardin,  and 
which  are  for  that  reason  related.  While  with  the  northern  army,  he  was  sent 
out  on  a  reconnoitering  excursion  with  orders  to  capture  a  prisoner,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  obtaining  information.  Marching  silently  in  advance  of  his  party,  he 
found  himself  on  rising  the  abrupt  summit  of  a  hill,  in  the  presence  of  three  British 
soldiers  and  a  Mohawk  Indian.  The  moment  was  critical,  but  without  manifest- 
ing the  slightest  hesitation  he  presented  his  rille  and  ordered  them  to  surrender. 
The  British  immediately  threw  down  tboir  arms — the  Indian  clubbed  his  gun. 
They  remained  motionless,  while  he  continued  to  advance  on  them;  but  none  of 
his  men  having  come  up  to  his  assistance,  he  turned  his  head  a  little  to  one  side 
and  called  to  them  to  come  on.     At  this  time  the  Indian  warrior  observing  his 


HARLAN   COUNTY.  339 

eye  withdrawn  from  him,  reversed  his  gun  with  a  rapid  motion,  with  the  inten- 
tion of  shooting.  Hardin  caught  the  gleam  of  light  which  was  reflected  from  the 
polished  barrel  of  the  gun,  and  readily  devising  its  meaning,  brought  his  own 
rifle  to  a  level,  and  without  raising  his  piece  to  his  face,  gained  the  first  fire,  and 
gave  the  Indian  a  mortal  wound,  who  however  was  only  an  instant  too  late,  send- 
ing his  ball  through  Hardin's  hair.  The  rest  of  the  party  were  marched  into 
camp,  and  Hardin  received  the  thanks  of  General  Gates.  Before  he  left  the  army 
he  was  oflfered  a  Major's  commission  in  a  regiment  about  to  be  raised;  but  he 
declined,  alleging  that  he  could  be  of  more  service  where  he  then  was.  In  1779 
he  resigned  and  returned  home.  It  appears  that  in  1780,  the  year  after  leaving 
the  army,  he  was  in  Kentucky,  and  located  lands  on  treasury  warrants,  for  him- 
self and  some  of  his  friends.  In  April  1786,  he  removed  his  wife  and  family  to 
Nelson,  afterwards  Washington  county,  in  Kentucky.  In  the  same  year  he  vol- 
unteered under  General  Clark  for  the  Wabash  expedition,  and  was  appointed 
quartermaster.  In  1789,  among  other  depredations,  a  considerable  party  of  Indians 
stole  all  his  horses,  without  leaving  him  one  for  the  plow.  They  were  pursued, 
but  escaped,  by  crossing  the  Ohio.  In  the  course  of  this  year  he  was  appointed 
county  lieutenant  with  the  rank  of  colonel,  which  gave  him  the  command  of  the 
militia  of  the  county.  As  the  summer  advanced  he  determined  to  cross  the  Ohio, 
and  scour  the  country  for  some  miles  out  in  order  to  break  up  any  bands  of  Indians 
that  might  be  lurking  in  the  neighborhood.  With  two  hundred  mounted  men  he 
proceeded  across  the  river,  and  on  one  of  the  branches  of  the  Wabash,  fell  on  a 
camp  of  about  thirty  Shawanees,  whom  he  attacked  and  defeated,  with  a  loss  of 
two  killed  and  nine  wounded.  Two  of  the  whites  were  wounded — none  killed 
or  taken.  From  these  Indians  Colonel  Hardin  recovered  two  of  the  horses  and 
some  colts  which  had  been  stolen  in  the  spring;  and  it  is  worthy  of  remark,  that 
no  more  horses  were  stolen  from  that  neighborhood  during  the  war.  There  was 
no  expedition  into  the  Indian  country,  after  Hardin  settled  in  Kentucky,  that  he 
was  not  engaged  in ;  except  that  of  General  St.  Clair,  which  he  was  prevented 
from  joining  by  an  accidental  wound  received  while  using  a  carpenter's  adze.  In 
the  spring  of  the  year  179-2,  he  was  sent  by  General  Wilkinson  with  overtures 
of  peace  to  the  Indians.  He  arrived  on  his  route  towards  the  Miami  villages 
attended  by  his  interpreter,  at  an  Indian  camp  about  a  day's  journey  from  the  spot 
where  Fort  Defiance  was  afterwards  built.  Here  he  encamped  with  the  Indians 
during  the  night,  but  in  the  morning  they  shot  him  to  death.  He  was  a  man  of 
unassuming  manners  and  great  gentleness  of  deportment ;  yet  of  singular  firm- 
ness and  inflexibility.  For  several  years  previous  to  his  death  he  had  been  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church. 

In  March,  1791,  a  party  of  Indians  made  an  incursion  into  Hardin  county,  and 
stole  a  number  of  horses.  Captain  William  Hardin,  with  his  usual  alacrity, 
raised  a  small  company  and  pursued  them.  The  marauders  were  overtaken,  and 
in  the  skirmish  which  ensued,  Captain  Hardin  was  wounded,  but  the  Indians 
dispersed  and  the  horses  were  recovered. 


HARLAN    COUNTY. 

Harlan  county  was  formed  in  1819,  and  named  after  Major 
Silas  Harlan.  It  is  situated  in  the  extreme  south-eastern  part  of 
the  state,  and  lies  on  the  head  waters  of  Cumberland  river.  It 
is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Perry ;  east  and  south  by  Virginia ; 
and  west  and  northwest  by  Knox  county.  Harlan  is  a  high,  rugged 
and  mountainous  county.  On  the  southern  border  lies  the  great 
Stone  or  Cumberland  mountain,  surmounted  by  a  stupendous 
rock,  one  mile  long,  and  600  feet  high.  On  the  northern  border 
lies  the  Pine  mountain,  ranging  nearly  east  and  west,  and  sepa- 


340  HARRISON   COUNTY. 

rates  this  from  Letcher,  Perry  and  Owsley  counties.  In  the  eas- 
tern part  of  the  county  lies  the  Black  mountain,  which  is  prob- 
ably an  arm  of  the  Cumberland. 

The  taxable  property  of  Harlan  in  184G,  was  assessed  at 
$302,245  ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  214,990  ;  aver- 
age value  per  acre,  $1.98  ;  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  593  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years 
old,  1,000  :  population  in  1840,  3,040. 

Mount  Pleasant  is  the  county  seat  and  only  town  of  Harlan — 
one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  miles  from  Frankfort.  It  contains  a 
court  house  and  other  public  buildings, — (preaching  occasionally 
in  the  court-house  by  the  Baptists  and  Methodists), — a  tailor, 
hatter,  blacksmith,  and  a  tavern  :  population  about  50.  Jt 
received  its  name  from  the  high  mound  or  Indian  grave  yard  on 
which  it  is  built.  From  this  mound  have  been  taken  a  large 
quantity  of  human  bones,  pots  curiously  made  of  blue  earth  and 
muscle  shells,  and  dried  in  the  sun. 

Major  Silas  Harlan,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its  name,  was 
born  in  Berkley  county,  Virginia,  near  the  town  of  Martinsburg.  He  came  to 
Kentucky  in  1774,  and  took  a  very  active  part  in  the  battles  and  skirmishes  with 
the  Indians.  He  commanded  a  company  of  spies  under  General  George  Rogers 
Clark,  in  the  Illinois  campaigns  in  1779,  and  proved  himself  a  most  active,  ener- 
getic and  efficient  officer.  General  Clark  said  of  him,  that  "he  was  one  of  the 
bravest  and  most  accomplished  soldiers  that  ever  fought  by  his  side."  About  the 
year  1778,  he  built  a  stockade  fort  on  vSalt  river,  7  miles  above  Harrodsburg, 
which  was  called  "  Harlan's  station."  He  was  a  major  at  the  battle  of  the  Blue 
Licks,  and  fell  in  that  memorable  contest  at  the  head  of  the  detachment  com- 
manded by  him.  He  was  never  married.  In  stature  he  was  about  six  feet  two 
inches  high,  of  fine  personal  appearance,  and  was  about  thirty  years  old  when  he 
was  killed.  He  was  universally  regarded  as  a  brave,  generous  and  active  man 
— beloved  by  his  associates,  and  all  who  knew  him. 


HARRISON    COUNTY. 

Harrison  county  was  formed  in  1793,  and  named  after  Colonel 
Benjamin  Harrison.  It  is  situated  in  the  north  middle  section  of 
the  State,  lies  on  both  sides  of  South  Licking  river,  and  is  boun- 
ded on  the  north  by  Pendleton  ;  east  by  Nicholas  ;  south  by  Bour- 
bon ;  and  west  by  Scott  county.  Main  Licking  river  runs  through 
the  northern  portion  of  the  county  ;  and  tlie  principal  creeks  are, 
Cedar,  West,  Beaver  and  Richland,  emptying  into  Main  Licking; 
Indian,  Lilas,  Mill,  Twin  and  Raven,  which  put  into  South  Lick- 
ing. The  face  of  the  country  is  irregular.  About  one  half  of 
the  county  is  gently  undulating,  rich  and  very  productive — the 
other  portion  hilly  and  less  productive — but  the  whole  well  adap- 
ted for  grazing.  Soil  based  on  red  clay,  with  limestone  foun- 
dation. The  principal  productions  are,  hemp,  corn,  wheat,  and 
live  stock,  consisting  of  horses,  mules,  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs. 

The    taxable   property  of   Harrison  in   1846,  was  valued  at 


CAPTURE  OF  RUDDELL'S  STATION.  341 

$4,576,526 ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  202,601 ; 
average  value  of  land  per  acre,  $12.80;  number  of  white  males 
over  twenty-one  years  old,  2,034;  number  of  children  between 
five  and  sixteen  years  old,  2,533.  Population  in  1830,  13,180 — 
in  1840,  12,472. 

The  towns  and  villages  of  the  county  are  Cynthiana,  Broad- 
well,  Claysville,  Colemansville,  Havelandville  and  Leesburg. 
Cynthiana,  the  county  seat  and  chief  town,  is  situated  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  south  fork  of  Licking,  thirty-seven  miles  from 
Frankfort.     It  contains  the  usual  county  buildings,  three  churches, 

(Methodist,  Presbyterian  and ),  five  phj^sicians,  ten  lawyers, 

thirteen  stores,  six  groceries,  two  taverns,  one  academy,  two 
common  schools,  one  drug  store,  one  auction  store,  one  rope 
walk  and  bagging  factory,  one  wool  factory,  one  job  printing 
office,  two  tanneries,  one  masonic  lodge,  30  mechanics'  shops, 
market  house,  &c..  Population  about  1,000.  Incorporated  in 
1802,  and  named  after  Cynthia  and  Anna^  two  daughters  of  Mr. 
Robert  Harrison,  the  original  proprietor. 

Claysville  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  Beaver  creek,  on  Main 
Licking — contains  a  Republican  church,  two  taverns,  one  physi- 
cian, three  stores,  one  merchant  mill,  three  tobacco  factories,  one 
woolen  factory  and  fulling  mill,  two  warehouses,  and  about  fifty 
inhabitants.  Formerly  called  Marysville,  but  changed  in  1821  to 
its  present  name,  in  honor  of  Henry  Clay.  Colemansville  is  thir- 
teen miles  north-west  of  Cynthiana — contains  four  stores  and  gro- 
ceries, one  church,  one  tavern,  four  physicians,  eight  mechanics' 
shops,  and  about  one  hundred  inhabitants.  Incorporated  in  1831, 
and  called  after  Robert  Coleman,  the  original  proprietor.  Have- 
landville is  a  small  manufacturing  town,  owned  by  a  gentleman 
named  Haveland,  containing  a  cotton  mill,  and  a  large  number 
of  small  residences.  Leesburg  is  situated  ten  miles  west  of  Cyn- 
thiana,  and  contains  three  churches  (Episcopal, Reformed,  and  Re- 
publican), five  stores  and  groceries,  one  tavern,  one  wool  factory, 
seven  mechanics'  shops,  and  one  bagging  factory  and  rope  walk. 

In  the  summer  of  1780,  a  formidable  military  force,  consisting  of  six  hundred 
Indians  and  Canadians,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Byrd,  an  officer  of  the 
British  army,  accompanied  by  six  pieces  of  artillery,  made  an  incursion  into  Ken- 
tucky. The  artillery  was  brought  down  the  Big  Miami,  and  thence  up  Licking 
as  far  as  the  present  town  of  Falmouth,  at  the  forks  of  Licking,  where,  with  the 
stores  and  baggage,  it  was  landed,  and  where  Colonel  Byrd  ordered  some  huts  to 
be  constructed,  to  shelter  them  from  the  weather.  From  this  point  Colonel  Byrd 
took  up  his  line  of  march  for  Ruddell's  station,  with  one  thousand  men.  Such  a 
force,  accompanied  by  artillery,  was  resistless  to  the  stockades  of  Kentucky, 
which  were  altogether  destitute  of  ordnance.  The  approach  of  the  enemy  was 
totally  undiscovered  by  our  people  until,  on  the  22d  of  June,  1780,  the  report  of 
one  of  the  field  pieces  announced  their  arrival  before  the  station.  This  is  the 
more  extraordinary,  as  the  British  party  were  twelve  days  in  marching  from  the 
Ohio  river  to  Ruddell's  station,  and  had  cleared  a  wagon  road  the  greater  part  of 
the  way.  This  station  had  been  settled  the  previous  year,  on  the  easterly  bank 
of  the  south  fork  of  Licking  river,  three  miles  below  the  junction  of  Hinkston  and 
Stoner's  branches  of  the  same  stream.  A  summons  to  surrender  at  discretion 
to  his  Britannic  majesty's  arms,  was  immediately  made  by  Col.  Byrd — to  which 
demand  Captain  Ruddell  answered,  that  he  could  not  consent  to  surrender  but  on 


342  HARRISON    COUNTS. 

certain  conditions,  one  of  which  was,  that  the  prisoners  should  be  under  the  pro- 
tection of  the  British,  and  not  sulfered  to  be  prisoners  to  the  Indians.  To  these 
terms  Colonel  Byrd  consented,  and  immediately  the  gates  were  opened  to  him. 
No  sooner  were  the  gates  opened,  than  the  Indians  rushed  into  the  station,  and 
each  Indian  seized  the  first  person  they  could  lay  their  hands  on,  and  claimed 
them  as  their  own  prisoner.  In  this  way  the  members  of  every  family  were  sep- 
arated from  each  other;  the  husband  from  the  wife,  and  the  parents  from  their 
children.  The  piercing  screams  of  the  children  when  torn  from  their  moth- 
ers— the  distracted  throes  of  the  mothers  when  forced  from  their  tender  offspring, 
are  indescribable.  Ruddell  remonstrated  with  the  colonel  against  this  barbarous 
conduct  of  the  Indians,  but  to  no  effect.  He  confessed  that  it  was  out  of  his 
power  to  restrain  them,  their  numbers  being  so  much  greater  than  that  of  the 
troops  over  which  he  had  control,  that  he  himself  was  completely  in  their  power. 

After  the  people  were  entirely  stripped  of  all  their  property,  and  the  prisoners 
divided  among  their  captors,  the  Indians  proposed  to  Colonel  Byrd  to  march  to 
and  take  Martin's  station,  which  was  about  five  miles  from  Ruddell's;  but  Col. 
Byrd  was  so  affected  by  the  conduct  of  the  Indians  to  the  prisoners  taken,  that 
he  peremptorily  refused,  unless  the  chiefs  would  pledge  themselves  in  behalf  of 
the  Indians,  that  all  the  prisoners  taken  should  be  entirely  under  his  control,  and 
that  the  Indians  should  only  be  entitled  to  the  plunder.  Upon  these  propositions 
being  agreed  to  by  the  chiefs,  the  army  marched  to  Martin's  station,  and  took  it 
without  opposition.  The  Indians  divided  the  spoils  among  themselves,  and 
Colonel  Byrd  took  charge  of  the  prisoners. 

The  ease  with  which  these  two  stations  were  taken,  so  animated  the  Indians, 
that  they  pressed  Colonel  Byrd  to  go  forward  and  assist  them  to  take  Bryant's 
station  and  Lexington.  Byrd  declined  going,  and  urged  as  a  reason,  the  improb- 
ability of  success;  and  besides,  the  impossibility  of  procuring  {)rovisions  to  sup- 
port the  prisoners  they  already  had,  also  the  iinpracticubiiity  of  transporting  their 
artillery  by  land,  to  any  part  of  the  Ohio  river — therefore  the  necessity  of  de- 
scending Licking  before  the  waters  fell,  which  might  be  expected  to  take  place  in 
a  very  few  days. 

Immediately  after  it  was  decided  not  to  go  forward  to  Bryant's  station,  the 
army  commenced  their  retreat  to  the  forks  of  Licking,  where  they  had  left  their 
boats,  and  with  all  possible  dispatch  got  their  artillery  and  military  stores  on 
board  and  moved  off.  At  this  place  the  Indians  separated  from  Byrd,  and  took 
with  them  the  whole  of  the  prisoners  taken  at  Ruddell's  station.  Among  the  pri- 
soners was  Captain  John  Hinkston,  a  brave  man  and  an  experienced  woodsman. 
The  second  night  after  leaving  the  forks  of  Licking,  the  Indians  encamped  near 
the  river;  every  thing  was  very  wet,  in  consi^qnence  of  which  it  was  difficult  to 
kindle  a  fire,  and  before  a  fire  could  be  made  it  was  quite  dark.  A  guard  was 
placed  over  the  prisoners,  and  whilst  part  of  them  were  employed  in  kindling  the 
fire,  Hinkston  sprang  from  among  them  and  was  immediately  out  of  sight.  An 
alarm  was  instantly  given,  and  the  Indians  ran  in  every  direction,  not  being  able 
to  ascertain  the  course  he  had  taken.  Hinkston  ran  but  a  short  distance  before 
he  lay  down  by  the  side  of  a  log  under  the  dark  shade  of  a  large  beech  tree, 
where  he  remained  until  the  stir  occasioned  by  his  escape  had  subsided,  when  he 
moved  off  as  silently  as  possible.  The  night  was  cloudy,  and  very  dark,  so  that 
he  had  no  mark  to  steer  by,  and  after  traveling  some  time  towards  Lexington,  as 
he  thought,  he  found  himself  close  to  the  camp  from  which  he  had  just  before 
made  his  escape.  In  this  dilemma  he  was  obliged  to  tax  his  skill  as  a  woods- 
man, to  devise  a  method  by  which  he  should  be  enabled  to  steer  his  course  with- 
out light  enough  to  see  the  moss  on  the  trees,  or  without  the  aid  of  sun,  moon, 
or  stars.  Captain  Hinkston  ultimately  adopted  this  method  :  he  dipped  his  hand 
in  the  water,  (which  almost  covered  the  whole  country),  and  holding  it  u})wards 
above  his  head,  he  instantly  felt  one  side  of  his  hand  cold  ;  be  immediately  knew 
that  from  that  point  the  wind  came — he  therefore  steered  the  balance  of  the  night 
to  the  cold  side  of  his  hand,  that  being  from  the  west  he  knew',  and  the  course 
best  suited  to  bis  purpose.  After  traveling  several  hours,  he  sat  down  at  the 
root  of  a  tree  and  fell  asleep. 

A  few  hours  before  day,  there  came  on  a  very  heavy  dense  fog,  so  that  a  man 
could  not  be  seen  at  twenty  yards  distance.  This  circumstance  was  of  infinite 
advantage  to  Hinkston,  for  as  soon  as  daylight  appeared,  the  howling  of  wolves, 


HIGGINS'  BLOCK-HOUSE.  343 

the  gobbling  of  turkej'S,  the  bleating  of  fawns,  the  cry  of  owls,  and  every  other 
wild  animal,  was  heard  in  almost  every  direction.  Hinkston  was  too  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  customs  of  the  Indians,  not  to  know  that  it  was  Indians,  and 
not  beasts  and  birds  that  made  these  sounds — he  therefore  avoided  approaching 
the  places  where  he  heard  them,  and  notwithstanding  he  was  several  times  within 
a  few  yards  of  them,  with  the  aid  of  the  fog  he  escaped,  and  arrived  safe  at  Lex- 
ington, and  brought  the  first  news  of  that  event. 

The  Indians  not  only  collected  all  the  horses  belonging  to  Ruddell's  and  Mar- 
tin's stations,  but  a  great  many  from  Bryant's  station  and  Lexington,  and  with 
their  booty  crossed  the  Ohio  river  near  the  mouth  of  Licking,  and  there  dispersed. 
The  British  descended  Licking  river  to  the  Ohio,  down  the  Ohio  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Big  Miami,  and  up  the  Miami  as  far  as  it  was  then  navigable  for  their  boats, 
where  they  hid  their  artillery,  and  marched  by  land  to  Detroit.  The  rains  having 
ceased,  and  the  weather  being  exceeding  hot,  the  waters  fell  so  low%  that  they 
were  able  to  ascend  the  Miami  but  a  short  distance  by  water. 

The  following  account  of  an  adventure  at  Higgins'  block-house,  near  Cynthi- 
ana,  is  from  the  notes  of  Mr.  E.  E.  Williams,  of  Covington,  Ky.,  an  actor  in 
the  events  which  he  records  : 

After  the  battle  of  the  Blue  Licks,  and  in  1786,  our  family  removed  to  Hig- 
gins' block-house  on  Licking  river,  one  and  a  half  miles  above  Cynthiana.  Be- 
tween those  periods  my  father  had  been  shot  by  the  Indians,  and  my  mother  mar- 
ried Samuel  Van  Hook,  who  had  been  one  of  the  party  engaged  in  the  defence  at 
Ruddell's  station  in  1780,  and  on  its  surrender  was  carried  with  the  rest  of  the 
prisoners  to  Detroit. 

Higgins'  fort,  or  block-house,  had  been  built  at  the  bank  of  Licking,  on  pre- 
cipitous rocks,  at  least  thirty  feet  high,  which  served  to  protect  us  on  every  side 
but  one.  On  the  morning  of  the  12th  of  June,  at  day  light,  the  fort,  which  con- 
sisted of  six  or  seven  houses,  was  attacked  by  a  party  of  Indians,  fifteen  or 
twenty  in  number.  There  was  a  cabin  outside,  below  the  fort,  where  William 
M'Combs  resided,  although  absent  at  that  time.  His  son  Andrew,  and  a  man 
hired  in  the  family,  named  Joseph  McFall,  on  making  their  appearance  at  the 
door  to  wash  themselves,  were  both  shot  down — M'Combs  through  the  knee,  and 
McFall  in  the  pit  of  the  stomach.  McFall  ran  to  the  block-house,  and  INI'Combs 
fell,  unable  to  support  himself  longer,  just  after  opening  the  door  of  his  cabin, 
and  was  dragged  in  by  his  sisters,  who  barricaded  the  door  instantly.  On  the 
level  and  onlj'  accessible  side,  there  was  a  corn-field,  and  the  season  being  favor- 
able, and  the  soil  rich  as  well  as  new,  the  corn  was  more  than  breast  high.  Here 
the  main  body  of  the  Indians  lay  concealed,  while  three  or  four  who  made  the  at- 
tack attempted  thereby  to  decoy  the  whites  outside  of  the  defences.  Failing  in 
this,  they  set  fire  to  an  old  fence  and  corn-crib,  and  two  stables,  both  long  enough 
built  to  be  thoroughly  combustible.  These  had  previously  protected  their  ap- 
proach in  that  direction.  Captain  Asa  Reese  was  in  command  of  our  little  fort. 
"Boys,"  said  he,  "some  of  you  must  run  over  to  Hinkston's  or  Harrison's." 
These  were  one  and  a  half  and  two  miles  off,  but  in  different  directions.  Every 
man  declined.  I  objected,  alleging  as  my  reason,  that  he  would  give  up  the  fort 
before  I  could  bring  relief;  but  on  his  assurance  that  he  would  hold  out,  I  agreed 
to  go.  I  jumped  off  the  bank  through  the  thicket  of  trees,  which  broke  my  fall, 
while  they  scratched  my  face  and  limbs.  I  got  to  the  ground  with  a  limb  clenched 
in  my  hands,  which  I  had  grasped  unawares  in  getting  through.  I  recovered 
from  the  jar  in  less  than  a  minute,  crossed  the  Licking,  and  ran  up  a  cow-path  on 
the  opposite  side,  which  the  cows  from  one  of  those  forts  had  beat  down  in  their 
visits  for  water.  As  soon  as  I  had  gained  the  bank,  I  sliouted,  to  assure  my 
friends  of  my  safety,  and  to  discourage  the  enemy.  In  loss  than  an  hour,  I  was 
back,  with  a  relief  of  ten  horsemen,  well  armed,  and  driving  in  full  chase  after 
the  Indians.  But  they  had  decamped  immediatel)',  upon  hearing  my  signal,  well 
knowing  what  it  meant,  and  it  was  deemed  imprudent  to  ])ursue  them  with  so 
weak  a  party — the  whole  force  in  Higgins'  block-house  hardly  sufficing  to  guard 
the  women  and  children  there.  McFall,  from  whom  the  bullet  could  not  he  ex- 
tracted, lingered  two  days  and  nights  in  great  pain,  when  he  died,  as  did 
M'Combs,  on  the  ninth  day,  mortification  then  taking  place. 


344  HART   COUNTY. 

This  county  was  named  in  honor  of  Colonel  Benjamin  Harrison,  who  re- 
moved to  Kentucky  from  Pennsylvania  at  an  early  day.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  convention  which  met  at  Danville  in  1787,  from  Bourbon  county  ;  was  a 
member  of  the  convention  which  met  the  succeeding  year  (1788)  at  the  same 
place  ;  and  was  also  a  member,  from  Bourbon,  of  the  convention  which  formed 
tlie  first  constitution  of  Kentucky,  and  which  assembled  at  Danville  in  1792.  In 
the  same  year,  after  the  adoption  of  the  constitution,  he  was  elected  a  senatorial 
elector  from  Bourbon  county.  In  1793,  he  was  elected  a  representative  from 
Bourbon  county,  being  a  member  of  the  legislature  when  the  county  of  Harrison 
was  formed. 


HART     COUNTY. 

Hart  county  was  formed  in  1819,  and  named  after  Captain 
Nathaniel  Hart.  It  is  situated  in  the  south-west  middle  part  of 
the  State,  and  lies  on  both  sides  of  Greene  river.  Bounded  on  the 
north  by  Larue,  east  by  Greene,  south  by  Barren,  and  west  by 
Grayson  and  Edmonson.  The  face  of  the  countr}^,  except  along 
the  river  bottoms,  is  rolling,  and  in  some  parts  hilly  and  broken ; 
but  the  soil,  generally,  is  very  productive.  Tobacco,  cattle,  horses_, 
sheep,  and  hogs,  form  the  principal  articles  of  exportation ; 
though  corn,  wheat,  and  oats,  are  raised  in  great  abundance. 
Greene  river  is  navigable  for  steamboats  as  high  as  Munfordville, 
during  a  portion  of  the  year.  Nolin  river,  which  borders  a  portion 
of  the  county,  is  navigable  for  flat  boats  in  high  water,  and  will 
afford  throughout  the  year  fine  water  power  for  any  number  of 
manufacturi  ng  establishments . 

The  taxable  property  of  Hart,  in  1846,  was  valued  at  $1,122,- 
265  ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  176,564  ;  average 
value  of  land  per  acre,  $3.15;  number  of  white  males  over 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  1,259  ;  number  of  children  between  five 
and  sixteen  years  old,  1,692.     Population  in  1840,  7,031. 

The  towns  of  Hart  are — Munfordville,  situated  on  the  north 
bank  of  Greene  river,  105  miles  from  Frankfort,  and  75  miles 
from  Louisville  :  contains  the  usual  county  buildings,  and  an 
academy  (the  court  house  and  academy  used  for  religious  wor- 
ship), five  stores,  two  taverns,  four  lawyers,  four  physicians,  and 
twelve  mechanics'  shops — population  three  hundred:  named  after 
R.  J.  Munford,  former  proprietor.  WondsnnviUe  is  a  small  vil- 
lage on  the  south  side  of  Greene  river,  opposite  Munfordville,  con- 
taining a  Baptist  church,  two  stores,  post  office,  &c. — population 
about  fifty:  named  after  Thomas  Woodson,  sen.  Monrne  is  a 
small  village,  fourteen  miles  east  of  Munfordville — population 
about  thirty  :  named  after  President  Monroe.  LccsviUc  is  a  small 
village,  twelve  miles  north  of  Munfordville — population  about 
twenty.  The  Bear  Walloio  is  a  very  noted  ])lace  in  the  Barrens, 
M^here  there  was  a  great  resort  of  hunters,  at  an  early  period,  in 
quest  of  the  bears  which  were  attracted  there  to  Avallow  and 
drink  at  a  spring.  A  fine  tavern,  with  the  sign  of  the  "Bear,"  is 
all  that  remains  of  the  place. 


NATHANIEL   G.  T.  HART.  345 

There  are  a  number  of  natural  curiosities,  sucli  as  caves,  sinks,  springs,  &c., 
in  Hart  count}-.  About  three  and  a  half  miles  from  Munfordville,  near  Greene 
river,  there  is  a  large  spring,  which  possesses  this  remarkable  singularity.  A 
short  distance  below  the  head  of  this  spring,  a  milidam  has  been  erected  ;  and  at 
certain  hours  in  the  day,  the  water  rises  to  the  height  of  twelve  or  fifteen  inches 
above  its  ordinary  level,  flows  over  the  dam  for  some  time,  and  then  falls  to  its 
usual  stand,  resembling  very  greatly  the  ebb  and  flow  of  the  ocean  tides.  The 
flood  occurs  about  the  hour  of  twelve  o'clock  each  day — recurs  at  the  same  hour 
on  every  day,  and  is  marked  by  the  utmost  uniformity  in  the  time  occupied  in  its 
ebb  and  flow.  Six  miles  east  of  Munfordville,  in  the  level  barrens,  there  is  a 
hole  in  the  earth  which  attracts  no  little  attention.  The  hole  is  circular,  of  some 
sixty  or  seventy  feet  in  diameter,  and  runs  down  in  a  funnel  shape  to  the  depth 
of  twenty-five  or  thirty  feet,  where  the  diameter  is  diminished  to  ten  or  twelve 
feet.  Below  that  point  it  has  never  been  explored,  and  sinks  to  an  unknown 
depth.  On  throwing  a  rock  into  this  hole  or  pit,  its  ring,  as  it  strikes  the  sides, 
can  be  heard  for  some  time,  when  it  gradually  dies  away,  without  being  heard 
to  strike  anything  like  the  bottom.  It  is  supposed  that  more  than  a  hundred  cart 
loads  of  rocks  have  been  thrown  into  this  pit,  by  the  persons  visiting  it.  Six  or 
seven  miles  north  north-east  from  the  county  seat,  is  the  "Frenchman's  Knob," 
so  called  from  the  circumstance  that  a  Frenchman  was  killed  and  scalped  upon 
it.  Near  the  top  of  this  knob,  there  is  a  hole  or  sink  which  has  been  explored 
to  the  depth  of  275  feet,  by  means  of  letting  a  man  down  with  ropes,  without 
discovering  bottom  !  There  are  also  a  number  of  caves  in  the  county,  from  a 
half  to  two  miles  in  length  ;  but  being  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Mammoth  Cave, 
they  excite  but  little  attention. 

Captain  Nathaniel  G.  T.  Hart,  (in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its 
name,)  was  the  son  of  Colonel  Thomas  Hart,  who  emigrated  at  an  early  day  from 
Hagerstown,  Maryland,  to  Lexington,  which  place  became  his  residence,  and  has 
continued  to  be  that  of  most  of  his  descendants.  Captain  Hart  was  born  at  Ha- 
gerstown, and  was  but  a  few  years  old  when  his  father  came  to  Kentucky.  The 
Hon.  Henry  Clay  and  the  Hon.  James  Brown,  so  long  minister  at  the  French 
court,  were  his  brothers-in-law,  having  married  his  sisters.  Under  the  first  named 
gentleman.  Captain  Hart  studied  the  profession  of  law,  and  practiced  for  some 
time  in  Lexington.  Shortly  before  the  war  of  1812,  he  had  engaged  in  mercantile 
pursuits,  and  was  rapidly  making  a  large  fortune.  In  the  year  1812,  being  then 
about  twenty -seven  years  of  age,  he  commanded  a  volunteer  company  called  the 
"  Lexingto7i  Light  Infantry  ,•"  and  Kentucky  being  in  that  year  called  upon  for 
volunteers  for  the  war  in  the  north-west,  he,  with  his  company,  enrolled  them- 
selves in  the  service  of  their  country.  His  command  rendezvoused  at  George- 
town in  the  fall  of  1812,  and  from  thence  proceeded  to  the  seat  of  war.  He  served 
through  the  winter  campaign  of  1812-13,  a  portion  of  the  time  as  a  staflf  officer. 
At  the  battle  of  Raisin,  on  the  22d  January,  1813,  he  commanded  his  company, 
and  received  a  wound  in  the  leg.  When  taken  prisoner,  he  found  an  old  acquain- 
tance among  the  British  officers.  This  was  a  Captain  Elliott,  who  had  previously 
been  in  Lexington,  and  during  a  severe  illness  there  remained  at  the  house  of 
Colonel  Hart,  and  was  attended  by  Captain  Hart  and  the  family.  On  meeting 
Captain  Hart  he  expressed  himself  delighted  at  the  opportunity  to  return  the 
kindness  he  had  received,  and  promised  to  send  his  carryall  to  take  Captain  Hart 
to  Maiden.  Captain  Hart  relied  implicitly  upon  his  promise,  but  the  carryall 
was  never  sent,  and  he  never  saw  Captain  Elliott  again.  He  started  from  Raisin 
on  horseback  under  the  care  of  an  Indian,  whom  he  employed  to  take  him  to  Mai- 
den ;  but  had  proceeded  only  a  short  distance,  when  they  met  other  Indians,  who 
had  been  excited  by  the  hope  of  a  general  massacre  of  the  prisoners,  and  Captain 
Hart  was  then  tomahawked. 

He  left  a  wite,  who  was  Miss  Ann  Gist,  (a  member  of  one  of  the  most  respect- 
able families  of  the  county,)  and  two  sons.  His  wife  died  a  short  time  after  he 
did,  and  but  one  of  his  sons  is  now  living.  This  is  Henry  Clay  Hart,  who  now 
resides  in  Paris,  Bourbon  county,  and  who  was  a  midshipman  in  the  navy  and 
commanded  a  gun  in  the  attack  made  by  the  frigate  Potomac  on  the  fort  at  Qualla 
Battoo  in  the  island  of  Smnatra,  with  great  credit.  The  Lexington  light  infantry, 
commanded  by  Captain  Hart  at  the  Raisin,  exists  to  this  day ;  and  its  flag  lately 
waved  on  the  battle  field  at  Buena  Vista  as  the  regimental  flag  of  the  Kentucky 
cavalry. 


346  HENDERSON   COUNTY. 


HENDERSON    COUNTY. 

Henderson  county  was  formed  in  1798,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Colonel  Richard  Henderson.  It  is  situated  in  the  south-west  part 
of  the  State,  on  the  Ohio  river,  Greene  river  forming  a  portion  of 
its  eastern  border,  and  then  passing  through  the  upper  part,  in 
a  north-west  direction,  empties  its  waters  into  the  Ohio, — bounded 
north  by  the  Ohio  river  ;  east  by  Daveiss;  south  by  Hopkins,  and 
west  by  Union.  This  county  is  watered  by  the  Ohio  and  Greene 
rivers,  and  inhabited  by  an  industrious  and  enterprising  people. 
The  soil  is  generally  very  productive — adapted  to  the  cultivation 
of  corn  and  tobacco,  which  are  the  chief  articles  of  production — 
between  75  and  100,000  bushels  of  the  former,  and  about  7,000,- 
000  pounds  of  the  latter  being  annually  exported. 

About  sixty  thousand  acres  of  land  in  this  county  is  of  the  allu- 
vial kind,  and  remarkable  for  its  fertility.  It  includes  seventy 
miles  of  the  "bottoms"  on  the  Ohio,  and  forty  miles  on  Green 
river.  The  grasses  succeed  extremely  well  in  many  places;  and 
horses,  cattle  and  hogs  are  raised  in  great  numbers.  There  are 
some  indications  of  iron  ore,  and  extensive  beds  of  coal,  of  good 
quality,  are  found  in  the  county.  It  contains,  also,  immense 
quantities  of  timber,  of  the  best  and  most  desirable  kinds. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  in  Henderson,  in  1846,  $3,161,- 
640 ;  number  of  acres  of  land  lying  in  the  county,  273,159 ;  average 
value  per  acre,  $4.79;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  1,509  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  seven- 
teen years  old,  1,961.     Population  in  1840,  9,548. 

Henderson,  the  county  seat  of  Henderson  county,  is  situated  on 
the  Ohio  river,  twelve  miles  below  the  town  of  Evansville,  and 
about  one  hundred  and  seventy  miles  from  Frankfort.  It  is  a 
thriving  town,  having  a  population  of  about  fifteen  hundred  ;  and 
from  its  position,  is  an  important  shipping  point  for  the  produce 
of  the  Greene  river  country.  One  or  two  packet  boats  ply  regu- 
larly between  this  town  and  Louisville.  The  court-house  is  a 
handsome  structure  ;  and  the  Baptists,  Presbyterians,  Cumberland 
Presbyterians,  Methodists  and  Episcopalians,  have  each  respect- 
able and  commodious  houses  of  worship.  There  are  four  schools, 
two  male,  and  two  female  ;  eight  stores,  three  wholesale  gro- 
ceries, one  drug  store,  four  taverns,  eight  lawyers,  eight  doctors, 
five  large  tobacco  factories,  employing  fi'om  fifty  to  sixty  hands 
each,  with  about  fifty  mechanics'  shops,  in  the  various  branches. 
Incorporated  in  1812. 

Cairo  is  a  small  village,  containing  one  store,  one  doctor,  one 
school,  a  tobacco  stemmery,  and  four  mechanics'  shops.  Hibbards- 
ville  contains  a  free  church,  one  school,  two  stores,  one  doctor, 
six  mechanics'  shops,  and  about  30  inhabitants.  Strarnporl  is  a 
small  village  on  Greene  river,  containing  two  stores,  one  tavern, 
one  doctor,  one  tobacco  factory,  three  mechanics'  shops,  and  about 
30  inhabitants. 


RICHARD   HENDERSON.  347 

General  Samuel  Hopkins,  (see  Hopkins  county)  who  commanded  one  of  the 
divisions  of  the  army  in  the  last  war  with  England,  was  a  citizen  of  Henderson. 
Audubon,  the  ornithologist,  resided  here  for  several  years.  The  Rev.  James 
McGready,  an  eminent  Presbyterian  minister,  who  greatly  distinguished  himself 
in  what  is  called  in  the  Greene  river  country,  "the  great  revival  of  eighteen  hun- 
dred," closed  his  earthly  career  in  this  county:  and  Major  Barbour,  who  fell 
while  gallantly  fighting  for  his  country,  in  the  late  battle  of  Monterey,  was  raised 
and  educated  here. 

Colonel  Richard  Henderson,  from  whom  Henderson  county  received  its  name, 
was  a  native  of  Nortii  Carolina.  The  date  of  his  birth  is  not  known.  His 
parents  were  poor,  and  young  Henderson  grew  to  maturity  before  he  had  learned 
to  read  or  write.  These  rudiments  of  education  he  had  to  acquire  by  his  own  un- 
aided exertions. 

While  yet  a  young  man,  he  was  appointed  a  constable ;  and  subsequently  pro- 
moted to  the  office  of  under  sheriff'.  Having  devoted  his  leisure  time  to  the  pe- 
rusal of  such  law  books  as  he  could  procure,  he  obtained  a  license  to  practice 
law  in  the  inferior  or  county  courts,  and  in  due  time  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of 
the  superior  court.  Here  he  soon  became  distinguished  for  his  skill  as  an  advo- 
cate, for  the  uniform  success  which  attended  his  efforts,  and  his  general  and 
accurate  knowledge  of  the  principles  and  details  of  his  profession.  He  soon 
established  a  high  reputation  as  a  lawyer,  was  promoted  to  the  bench,  and  received 
the  appointment  of  associate  chief  judge  of  the  province  of  North  Carolina,  with 
a  salary  adequate  to  the  dignity  of  the  office. 

A  man  of  great  ambition  and  somewhat  ostentatious,  he  soon  became  involved 
in  speculations  which  embarrassed  liim  in  his  pecuniary  relations,  and  cramped 
his  resources.  Bold,  ardent  and  adventurous,  he  resolved  to  repair  the  ravages 
made  in  his  private  fortune,  by  engaging  in  the  most  extensive  scheme  of  specu- 
lation ever  recorded  in  the  history  of  this  country.  Having  formed  a  company 
for  tliat  purpose,  he  succeeded  in  negotiating  with  the  head  chiefs  of  the  Chero- 
kee nation  a  treaty,  (known  as  the  treaty  of  Wataga,)  by  which  all  that  tract  of 
country  lying  between  the  Cumberland  river,  the  mountains  of  the  same  name, 
and  the  Kentucky  river,  and  situated  south  of  the  Ohio,  was  transferred,  for  a 
reasonable  consideration,  to  the  company.  By  this  treaty  Henderson  and  his  as- 
sociates became  the  proprietors  of  all  that  country  which  now  comprises  more 
than  one  half  of  the  state  of  Kentucky.  This  was  in  1775.  They  immediately 
proceeded  to  establish  a  proprietory  government,  of  which  Henderson  became 
the  President,  and  which  had  its  seat  at  Boonesborough.  The  new  country  received 
the  name  of  Transylvania.  The  first  legislature  assembled  at  Boonesborough, 
and  held  its  sittings  under  the  shade  of  a  large  elm  tree,  near  the  walls  of  the 
fort.  It  was  composed  of  Squire  Boone,  Daniel  Boone,  William  Coke,  Samuel 
Henderson,  Richard  Moore,  Richard  Calloway,  Thomas  Slaughter,  John  Lythe, 
Valentine  Harmond,  James  Douglass,  James  Harrod,  Natlian  Hammond,  Isaac 
Hite,  Azariah  Davis,  John  Todd,  Alexander  S.  Dandridge,  John  Floyd,  and 
Samuel  Wood.  These  members  formed  themselves  into  a  legislative  body,  by 
electing  Thomas  Slaughter,  chairman,  and  Matthew  Jewett,  clerk.  This  cis- 
inontane  legislature,  the  earliest  popular  body  that  assembled  on  this  side  of  the 
Apalachian  mountains,  was  addressed  by  Colonel  Henderson,  on  behalf  of  him- 
self and  his  associates,  in  a  speech  of  sufficient  dignity  and  of  excellent  sense. 
A  compact  was  entered  into  between  the  proprietors  and  the  colonists,  by  which 
a  free,  manly,  liberal  government  was  established  over  the  territory.  The  most 
important  parts  of  this  Kentucky  Magna  Charta,  were,  1st.  That  the  election  of 
delegates  should  be  annual.  2d.  Perfect  freedom  of  opinion  in  matters  of  reli- 
gion. 3d.  That  Judges  should  be  appointed  by  the  proprietors,  but  answerable 
for  mal-conduct  to  the  people  ;  and  that  the  convention  have  the  sole  power  of 
raising  and  ajipropriating  all  moneys,  and  electing  their  treasurer.  This  epitome 
of  substantial  freedom  and  manly,  rational  government,  was  solemnly  executed 
under  the  hands  and  seals  of  tlie  three  proprietors  acting  for  the  company,  and 
Thomas  Slaughter  acting  for  the  colonists. 

Tlie  purchase  of  Henderson  from  the  Cherokees  was  afterwards  annulled  by 
act  of  the  Virginia  legislature,  as  being  contrary  to  the  chartered  rights  of  that 
State.     But,  as  some  compensation  for  the  services  rendered  in  opening  the  wil- 


348  HENRY    COUNTY. 

derness,  and  preparinjj  the  way  for  civilization,  the  leg^islature  granted  to  the  pro- 
prietors a  tract  of  land  twelve  miles  square,  on  the  Ohio,  helow  the  mouth  of 
Greene  river. 

After  the  failure  of  his  attempt  to  establish  an  independent  government  west  of 
the  mountains,  little  or  nothing  is  known  of  the  subsequent  life  of  Henderson. 
We  are  even  ignorant  of  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  a  man  of  a  high  order 
of  talents,  and  entitled  to  a  distinguished  place  among  the  early  pioneers. 


HENRY    COUNTY. 

Henry  county  was  formed  in  1798,  and  called  after  the  cele- 
brated Patrick  Henry.  It  is  situated  in  the  north  middle  portion 
of  the  State,  and  lies  on  the  Kentucky  river.  Bounded  on  the 
north  by  Carroll,  east  by  Owen,  separated  by  the  Kentucky,  south 
by  JShelby,  and  west  by  Oldham.  The  surface  of  the  county  is 
generally  undulating — in  some  portions  quite  hilly.  South  of  the 
Little  Kentucky  creek,  which  empties  into  the  Kentucky  river, 
the  lands  (generally  termed  the  sugar  lands)  are  remarkably  rich 
and  fertile,  producing  as  tine  hemp  as  any  lands  in  the  State.  In 
the  oak  lands,  tine  tobacco  is  grown,  and  the  beech  lands  yield 
large  quantities  of  corn.  The  staples  are,  wheat,  corn,  hemp, 
and  tobacco. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  in  Henry  county  in  1846, 
$4,135,673  ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  174,680  ;  aver- 
age value  of  land  per  acre,  $12.45  ;  number  of  white  males  over 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  1,827;  number  of  children  between  five 
and  sixteen  years  old,  2,110;  population  in  1840,  10,015. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are.  New  Castle,  Franklinton,  Hen- 
dersonville,  Lockport,  Pleasuresville,  and  Port  Royal.  New  Cas- 
tle, the  seat  of  justice,  is  situated  near  Drennon's  creek,  about 
twenty-six  miles  from  Frankfort :  contains  an  excellent  court 
house  and  other  public  buildings,  four  churches  (Baptist,  Metho- 
dist, Presbyterian,  and  Reformed),  six  taverns,  nine  dry  goods 
stores  and  groceries,  one  drug  store,  one  shoe  and  boot  store,  four 
doctors,  four  lawyers,  a  seminary  and  female  academ}',  one  tan- 
nery, one  oil  mill,  twenty  mechanics'  shops,  and  seven  hundred 
inhabitants. 

yrankliiitan  is  a  small  village,  eight  miles  east  of  New  Castle 
— contains  one  store  and  grocery,  one  free  church,  one  tavern,  and 
four  mechanics.  HcndersonviUc  lies  six  miles  west  of  New  Castle, 
and  contains  one  tavern,  two  stores,  one  church,  and  two  me- 
chanics. Lockport  is  situated  on  the  Kentucky  river,  at  lock  and 
dam  number  two — contains  two  stores,  two  taverns,  one  doctor, 
three  tobacco  warehouses — and  is  the  principal  landing  for 
Henry  county.  FlcasurcsvlUc  lies  six  miles  from  New  Castle,  and 
contains  one  church,  two  taverns,  four  stores,  two  doctors,  and  six 
mechanics'  shops.  Port  Roijal  is  ten  miles  north-east  from  New 
Castle,  and  one  mile  from  the  Kentucky  river — contains  two 


PATRICK    HENRY  849 

stores^,  one  tavern,  one  doctor,  one  tan  yard,  and  four  mechanics' 
shops. 

Drennon's  Ltck,  a  medicinal  spring  of  black  and  salt  sulphur, 
is  a  place  of  considerable  resort  during  the  watering  season. 
The  accommodations  are  good.  This  lick  was  esteemed  a  valu- 
able hunting  ground  of  the  Indians  before  the  settlement  of  Ken- 
tucky— the  deer  and  other  game  resorting  to  it  in  great  num- 
bers . 

Patrick  Henry,  from  whom  this  county  derives  its  name,  was  one  of  the  great 
lights  of  the  revolution,  and  an  extended  sketch  of  his  life  belongs  more  properly 
to  the  history  of  the  American  republic.  He  was  born  in  Hanover  county,  Vir- 
ginia, on  the  29th  of  May,  1736,  and  his  early  years  gave  no  promise  of  the  dis- 
tinction which  he  acquired  in  subsequent  life.  His  education  was  limited,  em- 
bracing the  common  English  branches,  with  a  smattering  of  Latin,  and  a  pretty- 
good  knowledge  of  mathematics,  for  which  he  manifested  some  degree  of  fond- 
ness. He  was  married  at  the  early  age  of  eighteen,  and  engaged  successively, 
but  most  unsuccessfully,  in  the  mercantile,  agricultural,  and  again  in  the  mer- 
cantile business.  When  his  family  had  been  so  reduced  in  circumstances,  as 
to  be  in  want  of  even  the  necessaries  of  life,  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  law,  and 
after  six  weeks'  study,  obtained  license  to  practice.  It  was  then,  and  not  till 
then,  that  his  star  arose  and  took  position  among  the  bright  galaxy  of  the  day. 
His  genius  first  displayed  itself  in  the  contest  between  the  clergy  and  the  people 
of  Virginia,  in  an  effort  of  popular  eloquence,  to  which  Mr.  Wirt  has  given  im- 
mortality. His  second  brilliant  display  was  before  a  committee  of  the  house  of 
burgesses,  on  a  contested  election  case — and  here  the  successive  bursts  of  elo- 
quence in  defence  of  the  right  of  sutfrage,  from  a  man  so  very  plain  and  hum- 
ble in  his  appearance,  struck  the  committee  with  astonishment.  In  1705,  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  house  of  burgesses,  and  prepared  and  was  instrumental 
in  passing  through  that  body,  a  series  of  resolutions  against  the  stamp  act,  and 
the  scheme  of  taxing  America  by  the  British  parliament.  It  was  in  the  midst  of 
the  debate  which  arose  on  these  resolutions,  that  Mr.  Henry  exclaimed  :  "  Caesar 
had  his  Brutus,  Charles  the  First  his  Cromwell,  and  George  the  Third  " — "  'J'rea- 
son  !  "  cried  the  speaker — "  Treason  !  treason  !  "  echoed  from  every  part  of  the 
house.  Henry  faltered  not  for  an  instant;  but  taking  a  loftier  attitude,  and  fix- 
ing on  the  speaker  an  eye  of  fire,  he  finished  his  sentence  with  the  firmest  empha- 
sis— "  may  prafit  by  their  example.  If  this  be  treason,  make  the  most  of  it." 
From  this  period,  Mr.  Henry  became  the  idol  of  the  people  of  Virginia,  and  his 
influence  was  felt  throughout  the  continent,  as  one  of  the  great  champions  of 
civil  liberty. 

He  continued  a  member  of  the  house  of  burgesses  till  the  commencement  of 
the  revolution — was  one  of  the  standing  committee  of  correspondence,  and  a 
member  of  the  Virginia  delegation  in  the  first  general  Congress  which  met  in 
Piiiladelphia  in  September,  1774.  He  acted  a  short  time  in  a  military  capacity, 
but  felt  that  his  influence  in  civil  life  was  more  important  to  his  country.  Re- 
signing his  military  command,  he  was  chosen  first  governor  of  the  common- 
weallh  of  Virginia,  and  successively  elected  to  that  oflfice  while  eligible.  In 
1786,  he  resigned  the  office  of  governor.  He  subsequently  declined  the  appoint- 
ment of  tlie  legislature  as  a  member  of  the  convention  which  framed  the  consti- 
tution of  the  United  States  ;  but  was  a  member  of  the  Virginia  convention  which 
assembled  to  ratify  that  instrument,  and,  as  is  generally  known,  arrayed  ail  his 
great  powers  of  eloquence  against  its  ratification.  He  became  afterwards,  how- 
ever, a  firm  friend  of  the  constitution,  and  of  the  federal  system  of  government 
established  by  that  instrument.  In  1791,  he  retired  from  public  life — in  1794 
from  the  bar,  and  on  the  6th  of  .Tune,  1797,  he  closed  his  brilliant  and  eventful 
career  on  earth,  leaving  a  large  family  in  affluent  circumstances. 

Patrick  Henry  was  a  natural  orator  of  the  highest  order,  combining  imagina- 
tion, acuteness,  dexterity  and  ingenuity,  with  the  most  forcible  action  and  extra- 
ordinary powers  of  utterance.  As  a  statesman,  he  was  bold  and  sagacious,  and 
his  name  is  brilliantly  and  lastingly  connected  with  those  great  events  which  re- 
sulted in  the  emancipation  of  his  country. 


360  HICKMAN   AND   HOPKINS   COUNTIES. 


HICKMAN   COUNTY. 

Hickman  county  was  formed  in  1821,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Captain  Paschal  Hickman.  It  is  situated  in  the  extreme  south- 
west part  of  the  state,  and  lies  on  the  Mississippi  river:  Bounded 
on  the  north  by  Ballard  ;  east  by  Graves  ;  south  by  Fulton  ;  and 
west  by  the  Mississippi  river.  The  territory  embraces  about  220 
square  miles — the  face  of  the  country  is  generally  level  or  gently 
undulating — The  Iron  Banks  and  Chalk  bluffs,  washed  by  the 
Mississippi,  being  the  only  elevations  which  can  properly  be  called 
hills  in  the  county, and  their  altitude  does  not  exceed  100  to  150  feet, 
\vith  a  gradual  ascent.  The  soil  is  a  black  mould,  very  rich,  but 
based  upon  sand.  Corn  and  tobacco  are  grown  in  abundance, 
the  latter  of  superior  quality.  The  timber  is  heavy  and  of  good 
quality,  and  the  county  finely  watered  by  many  mill  streams, 
together  with  the  Bayou  de  Chi  en. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  in  1846,  $627,820;  number  of 
acres  of  land  in  the  county,  150,124  ;  average  value  of  land  per 
acre,  .$2.78  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  660  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  old, 
986.  Population  in  1840,  including  Fulton,  since  stricken  off, 
8,968. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are  Clinton  and  Moscow.  Clinton, 
the  seat  of  justice,  was  established  in  1831,  and  is  about  three 
hundred  miles  from  Frankfort.  It  contains  four  stores,  two  tav- 
erns, six  lawyers,  three  doctors,  one  large  school,  one  tannery, 
eight  mechanics'  shops,  and  275  inhabitants.  Moscow  is  a  small 
village,  six  miles  from  Clinton — contains  two  stores,  two  doc- 
tors, one  tobacco  stemmery,  one  lawyer,  four  or  five  mechanics' 
shops,  and  a  population  of  100, 

This  county  was  named  in  memory  of  Captain  Paschal  Hickman,  a  native  of 
Virginia.  When  very  young,  he  emigrated  to  Kentucky  with  his  father,  the 
Rev,  William  Hickman,  and  settled  in  Franklin  county.  He  served  in  most  of 
the  campaigns  against  the  Indians,  in  which  he  was  distinguished  for  his  activity, 
efficiency  and  bravery.  In  1812,  he  was  commissioned  a  captain,  raised  a  volun- 
teer company,  and  joined  Colonel  John  Allen,  who  commanded  the  first  regiment 
of  Kentucky  riflemen.  He  was  in  the  memorable  battle  of  the  river  Raisin, 
where  he  was  severely  wounded,  and  like  many  kindred  Kentucky  spirits,  was 
inhumanly  butchered  in  cold  blood,  by  the  savage  allies  of  his  Britannic  majesty. 


HOPKINS    COUNTY. 

Hopkins  county  was  formed  in  1806,  and  called  for  General 
Samuel  Hopkins.  It  is  situated  in  the  western  part  of  the  State, 
lying  on  the  waters  of  Greene  river — bounded  on  the  north  by 
'Henderson ;  east  by  Pond  river,  which  separates  it  from  Muh- 
lenburg  ;  south  by  Christian  ;  and  west  by  Caldwell.  The  lar- 
gest portion  of  land  in  the  county  is  good,  producing,  in  great 


SAMUEL  HOPKINS.  351 

abundance,  tobacco,  corn  and  oats — though  tobacco  is  the  princi- 
pal export.  The  hills  abound  in  inexhaustible  coal  mines,  and 
some  iron  ore  has  been  discovered.  Greene  river,  which  forms  the 
northern  boundary  of  the  county,  is  alwaj's  navigable  for  steam- 
boats— and  Pond  river  is  navigable  for  flat  boats  to  within  eleven 
or  twelve  miles  of  Madisonville,  rendered  so  by  locks  and  dams 
on  Greene  river.  Value  of  taxable  property  in  1846,  $1,633,280  ; 
number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  303,302  ;  average  value  of 
land  per  acre,  .$2.30;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  1,719  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  six- 
teen years  old,  2,548.     Population  in  1840,  9,171. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are,  Madisonville,  Ashbysburg  and 
Providence.  Madisonville,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  about  two  hun- 
dred miles  from  Frankfort :  contains  a  handsome  brick  court- 
house and  other  public  buildings,  two  churches,  (Christian  and 
Methodist,  the  latter  worshipped  in,  also,  by  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterians),  one  academy,  one  female  school  for  small  girls, 
three  common  schools,  five  stores,  four  taverns,  six  lawyers,  twelve 
doctors,  (including  three  of  the  botanical  order),  in  and  near 
the  town,  with  a  large  number  of  mechanics — population  450. 
Incorporated  in  1812,  and  named  for  James  Madison.  Ashbysburg 
is  a  small  village  on  Greene  river,  containing  one  store,  post  ofiice, 
and  about  fifty  inhabitants — named  for  General  Stephen  Ashby. 
Providence  contains  two  stores,  one  tavern,  post  office,  and  100 
inhabitants. 

About  four  or  five  miles  from  Madisonville,  on  a  high  and  rocky  hill,  are  the 
remains  of  what  is  supposed  to  be  a  fortification.  The  wall  is  of  stone,  and  con- 
tains an  area  of  ten  acres.  No  one  living  can  tell  when  or  by  whom  it  was  built. 

General  Samuel  Hopkins  (whose  name  this  county  bears)  was  a  native  of 
Albermarle  county,  Virginia.  He  was  an  officer  of  the  revolutionary  army,  and 
bore  a  conspicuous  part  in  that  great  struggle  for  freedom.  Fevv  officers  of  his 
rank  performed  more  active  duty,  rendered  more  essential  services,  or  enjoyed 
in  a  higher  degree  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  commander-in-chief.  He 
fought  in  the  battles  of  Princeton,  Trenton,  Monmouth,  Brandywine,  and  Ger- 
mantown — in  the  last  of  which  he  commanded  a  battalion  of  light  infantry,  and 
received  a  severe  wound,  after  the  almost  entire  loss  of  those  under  his  command 
in  killed  and  wounded.  He  was  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  tenth  Virginia  regi- 
ment at  the  siege  of  Charleston,  and  commanded  that  regiment  after  Colonel  Par- 
ker was  killed,  to  the  close  of  the  w'ar.  The  following  anecdote  is  told  of  him : 
At  the  surrender  of  Charleston,  on  the  20th  of  May,  17R0,  he  was  made  a  priso- 
ner of  war.  After  a  short  detention  on  an  island,  he  and  his  brother  officers,  his 
companions  in  misfortune,  were  conducted  in  a  British  vessel  round  the  coast  to 
Virginia.  During  the  voyage,  which  was  a  protracted  one,  the  prisoners  suffered 
many  privations,  and  much  harsh  treatment,  being  often  insulted  by  the  Captain. 
Hopkins  became  indignant  at  the  cruelty  and  insolence  of  the  captain  of  the  ves- 
sel, and  determined,  at  all  hazards,  to  resent  the  harsh  treatment  to  which  himself 
and  brother  officers  had  been  subjected.  On  receiving  his  day's  allowance,  which 
consisted  of  a  mouldy  biscuit,  he  deliberately  crumbled  it  up  into  a  wad,  and 
then,  presenting  it  to  the  captain,  demanded  of  him  whether  he  thought  that  was 
sufficient  to  keep  soul  and  body  together.  The  petty  tyrant  was  taken  by  surprise, 
and  had  no  reply.  "  Sir,"  continued  Hopkins,  "  the  fortune  of  war  has  frequently 
placed  British  soldiers  in  my  power,  and  they  have  never  had  cause  to  complain 
of  my  unkindness  or  want  of  hospitality.  That  which  I  have  extended  to  others, 
1  have  a  right  to  demand  for  my  companions  and  myself  in  similar  circumstances. 
And   now,   sir,   (he  continued  with  great   emphasis),    unless  we   are  hereafter 


352  HOPKINS  COUNTY. 

treated  as  gentlemen  and  officers,  I  will  raise  a  mutin)'  and  take  your  ship." 
This  determined  resolution  had  tiie  desired  effect.  His  companions  and  himself, 
during  the  remainder  of  the  voyage,  were  treated  with  kindness  and  respect. 

In  1797,  General  Hopkins  removed  to  Kentucky  and  settled  on  Greene  river. 
He  served  several  sessions  in  the  legislature  of  Kentucky,  and  was  a  member  of 
Congress  for  the  term  commencing  in  1813,  and  ending  in  1815.  In  October,  1812, 
he  h^d  a  corps  of  two  thousand  mounted  volunteers  against  the  Kickapoo  villages 
upon  the  Illinois;  but  being  misled  by  the  guides,  after  wandering  in  the  prai- 
ries for  some  days  to  no  purpose,  the  party  returned  to  the  capital  of  Indiana,  not- 
withstanding the  wishes  and  commands  of  their  general  officers.  Chagrined  at 
the  result  of  this  attempt,  in  the  succeeding  November,  General  Hopkins  led  a 
hand  of  infantry  up  the  Wabash,  and  succeeded  in  destroying  several  deserted 
Indian  villages,  but  lost  several  men  in  an  ambuscade.  His  wily  enemy  declin- 
ing a  combat,  and  the  cold  proving  severe,  he  was  forced  again  to  retire  to  Vin- 
cennes,  where  his  troops  were  disbanded. 

After  the  close  of  this  campaign,  Genera]  Hopkins  served  one  term  in  Con- 
gress, and  then  retired  to  private  life  on  his  farm  near  the  Red  banks. 

About  twenty  miles  from  the  town  of  Henderson,  at  a  point  just  within  the  line 
of  Hopkins  county,  where  the  roads  from  Henderson,  INIorganfield  and  Hopkins- 
ville  intersect,  there  is  a  wild  and  lonely  spot  called  "  Hrtrpe's  Hend^  The  place 
derived  its  name  from  a  tragical  circumstance,  which  occurred  there  in  the  early 
part  of  the  present  century.  The  bloody  legend  connected  with  it,  has  been  made 
the  foundation  of  a  thrilling  border  romance,  by  Judge  Hall,  of  Cincinnati,  one  of 
the  most  pleasing  writers  of  the  west.  The  narrative  which  follows,  however, 
may  be  relied  on  for  its  strict  historical  truth  and  accuracy,  the  facts  having  been 
derived  from  one  who  was  contemporary  with  the  event,  and  personally  cognizant 
of  most  of  the  circumstances.  The  individual  to  whom  we  allude  is  the  ven- 
erable James  Davidson,  of  Frankfort,  the  present  treasurer  of  Kentucky.  Colonel 
Davidson  was  a  distinguished  soldier  in  the  last  war  with  Great  Britain,  and  has 
filled  the  office  of  treasurer  for  many  years.  His  high  character  for  veracity  is  a 
pledge  for  the  truth  of  any  statement  he  may  make. 

In  the  fall  of  the  year  1801  or  1802,  a  company  consisting  of  two  men  and  three 
women  arrived  in  Lincoln  county,  and  encamped  about  a  mile  from  the  present 
town  of  Stanford.  The  appearance  of  the  individuals  composing  this  party  was 
wild  and  rude  in  the  extreme.  The  one  who  seemed  to  he  the  leader  of  the  band, 
was  above  the  ordinary  stature  of  men.  His  frame  was  bony  and  muscular,  his 
breast  broad,  his  limbs  gigantic.  His  clothing  was  uncouth  and  shabby,  his 
exterior  weatherbeaten  and  dirty,  indicating  continual  exposure  to  the  elements 
and  designating  him  as  one  who  dwelt  far  from  the  habitations  of  men,  and  min- 
gled not  in  the  courtesies  of  civilized  life.  His  countenance  was  bold  and  fero- 
cious, and  exceedingly  repulsive,  from  its  strongly  marked  expression  of  villainy. 
His  face,  which  was  larger  than  ordinary,  exhibited  the  lines  of  ungovernable 
passion,  and  the  complexion  announced  that  the  ordinary  feelings  of  the  human 
breast  were  in  him  extinguished.  Instead  of  the  healthy  hue  which  indicates 
the  social  emotions,  there  was  a  livid  unnatural  redness,  resembling  that  of  a  dried 
and  lifeless  skin.  His  eye  was  fearless  and  steady,  but  it  was  also  artful  and 
audacious,  glaring  ui)on  the  beholder  with  an  unpleasant  fixedness  and  brilliancy, 
like  that  of  a  ravenous  animal  gloating  on  its  prey.  He  wore  no  covering  on  his 
head,  and  the  natural  protection  of  thick  coarse  hair,  of  a  fiery  redness,  uncombed 
and  matted,  gave  evidence  of  long  exposure  to  the  rudest  visitations  of  the  sun- 
beam and  the  tempest.  He  was  armed  with  a  rifle,  and  a  broad  leathern  belt, 
drawn  closely  around  his  waist,  supported  knife  and  tomahawk.  He  seemed,  in 
short,  an  outlaw,  destitute  of  all  the  nobler  sympathies  of  human  nature,  and  pre- 
jvared  at  all  points  for  assault  or  defence.  The  other  man  was  smaller  in  size 
than  him  who  led  the  party,  but  similarly  armed,  having  the  same  suspicious 
exterior,  and  a  countenance  etjually  fierce  and  sinister.  The  females  were  coarse, 
sunburnt,  and  wretchedly  attired. 

The  iTien  stated  in  answer  to  the  enquiry  of  the  inhabitants,  that  their  names 
were  Harpe,  and  that  they  were  emigrants  from  North  Carolina.  They  remained 
at  their  encampment  the  greater  part  of  two  days  and  a  night,  spending  the  time 
in  rioting,  drunkenness  and  debauchery.  When  they  left  they  took  the  road  lead- 
ing to  Greene  river.     The  day  succeeding  their  departure,  a  report  reached  the 


HARPE'S  HEAD.  353 

neighborhood  that  a  young  gentleman  of  wealth  from  Virginia,  named  Lankford, 
had  been  robbed  and  murdered  on  what  was  then  called,  and  is  still  known  as 
the  "  Wilderness  Itnad,^^  wliich  runs  through  the  Rock-castle  hills.  vSuspicion 
immediately  fixed  upon  the  Harpes  as  the  perpetrators,  and  Captain  Ballanger, 
at  the  head  of  a  few  bold  and  resolute  men,  started  in  pursuit.  They  experienced 
great  difficulty  in  following  their  trail,  owing  to  a  heavy  fall  of  snow,  which  had 
obliterated  most  of  the  tracks,  but  finally  came  upon  them  while  encamped  in  a 
bottom  on  Greene  river,  near  the  spot  where  the  town  of  Liberty  now  stands.  At 
first  they  made  a  show  of  resistance,  but  upon  being  informed  that  if  they  did  not 
immediately  surrender  they  would  be  shot  down,  they  yielded  themselves  pris- 
oners. 

They  were  brought  back  to  Stanford,  and  there  examined.  Among  their  effects 
were  found  some  fine  linen  shirts,  marked  with  the  initials  of  Lankford.  One  had 
been  pierced  by  a  bullet  and  was  stained  with  blood.  They  had  also  a  consid- 
erable sum  of  money,  in  gold.  It  was  afterwards  ascertained  that  this  was  the 
kind  of  money  Lankford  had  with  him.  The  evidence  against  them  being  thus 
conclusive,  they  were  confined  in  the  Stanford  jail,  but  were  afterwards  sent  for 
trial  to  Danville,  where  the  district  court  was  in  session.  Here  they  broke  jail, 
and  succeeded  in  making  their  escape. 

They  were  next  heard  of  in  Adair  county,  near  Columbia.  In  passing  through 
that  county,  they  met  a  small  boy,  the  son  of  Colonel  Trabue,  with  a  pillow  case 
of  meal  or  flour,  an  article  they  probably  needed.  This  boy  it  is  supposed  they 
robbed  and  then  murdered,  as  he  was  never  afterwards  heard  of.  Many  years 
afterwards  human  bones,  answering  the  size  of  Colonel  Trabue's  son  at  the  time 
of  his  disappearance,  were  found  in  a  sink  hole  near  the  place  where  he  was  said 
to  have  been  murdered. 

The  Harpes  still  shaped  their  course  towards  the  mouth  of  Greene  river,  mark- 
ing their  path  by  murders  and  robberies  of  the  most  horrible  and  brutal  character. 
The  district  of  country  through  which  they  passed  was  at  that  time  very  thinly 
settled,  and  from  this  reason  their  outrages  went  unpunished.  They  seemed 
inspired  with  the  deadliest  hatred  against  the  whole  human  race,  and  such  was 
their  implacable  misanthropy,  that  they  were  known  to  kill  where  there  was  no 
temptation  to  rob.  One  of  their  victims  was  a  little  girl,  found  at  some  distance 
from  her  home,  whose  tender  age  and  helplessness  would  have  been  protection 
against  any  but  incarnate  fiends.  The  last  dreadful  act  of  barbarity,  which  led 
to  their  punishment  and  expulsion  from  the  country,  exceeded  in  atrocity  all  the 
others. 

Assuming  the  guise  of  Methodist  preachers,  they  obtained  lodgings  one  night 
at  a  solitary  house  on  the  road.  Mr.  Stagall,  the  master  of  the  house,  was  ab- 
sent, but  they  found  his  wife  and  children,  and  a  stranger,  who,  like  themselves, 
had  stopped  for  the  night.  Here  they  conversed  and  made  inquiries  about  the 
two  noted  Harpes  who  were  represented  as  prowling  about  the  country.  When 
they  retired  to  rest,  they  contrived  to  secure  an  axe,  which  they  carried  with 
them  into  their  chamber.  In  the  dead  of  night  they  crept  softly  down  stairs, 
and  assassinated  the  whole  family,  together  with  the  stranger,  in  their  sleep,  and 
then  setting  fire  to  the  house,  made  their  escape. 

When  Stagall  returned,  he  found  no  wife  to  welcome  him;  no  home  to  receive 
him.  Distracted  with  grief  and  rage,  he  turned  his  horse's  head  froni  the  smoul- 
dering ruins,  and  repaired  to  the  house  of  Captain  .John  Leeper.  Leeper  was  one 
of  the  most  powerful  men  of  his  day,  and  fearless  as  powerful.  Collecting  four 
or  five  other  men  well  armed,  they  mounted  and  started  in  pursuit  of  vengeance. 
It  was  agreed  that  Leeper  should  attack  "  Big  Harpe,"  leaving  "  Little  Harpe  " 
to  be  disposed  of  by  Stagall.  The  others  were  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness 
to  assist  Leeper  and  Stagall,  as  circumstances  might  require. 

This  party  found  the  women  belonging  to  the  Harpes  attending  to  their  little 
camp  by  the  road  side;  the  men  having  gone  aside  into  the  woods  to  shoot  an 
unfortunate  traveler,  of  the  name  of  Smith,  who  had  fallen  into  their  hands,  and 
whom  the  women  had  begged  might  not  be  dispatched  before  their  eyes.  It  was 
this  halt  that  enabled  the  pursuers  to  overtake  them.  The  women  immediately 
gave  the  alarm,  and  the  miscreants  mounting  their  horses,  which  were  laro-e, 
fleet  and  powerful,  fled  in  separate  directions.  Leeper  singled  out  the  Big  Harpe, 
and  being  better  mounted  than  his  companions,  soon  left  them  far  behind.  Little 
23 


354  JEFFERSON    COUNTY. 

Harpe  succeeded  in  escaping  from  Stagall,  and  he,  with  the  rest  of  his  compan- 
ions, turned  and  followed  on  the  track  of  Leeper  and  the  Big  Harpe.  After  a 
chase  of  about  nine  miles,  Leeper  came  within  gun  shot  of  the  latter  and  fired.  The 
ball  entering  his  thigh,  passed  through  it  and  penetrated  his  horse,  and  both  fell. 
Harpe's  gun  escaped  from  his  hand  and  rolled  some  eight  or  ten  feet  down  the 
bank.  Reloading  his  rifle,  Leeper  ran  up  to  where  the  wounded  outlaw  lay  wel- 
tering in  his  blood,  and  found  him  with  one  thigh  broken,  and  the  other  crushed 
beneath  his  horse.  Leeper  rolled  the  horse  away,  and  set  Harpe  in  an  easier  po- 
sition. The  robber  begged  that  he  might  not  be  killed.  Leeper  told  him  that  he 
had  nothing  to  fear  from  him,  but  tliat  Stagall  was  coming  up,  and  could  not 
probably  be  restrained.  Harpe  appeared  very  much  frightened  at  hearing  this, 
and  implored  Leeper  to  protect  him.  In  a  few  moments  Stagall  appeared,  and 
without  uttering  a  word,  raised  his  rifle  and  shot  Harpe  through  the  head.  They 
then  severed  the  head  from  the  body,  and  stuck  it  upon  a  pole  where  the  road 
crosses  the  creek,  from  which  the  place  was  then  named  and  is  yet  called  Harpe\t 
Head.  Thus  perished  one  of  the  boldest  and  most  noted  freebooters  that  has 
ever  appeared  in  America.  Save  courage,  he  was  without  one  redeeming  quality, 
and  his  death  freed  the  country  from  a  terror  which  had  long  paralyzed  its  bold- 
est spirits. 

The  Little  Harpe,  when  next  heard  from,  was  on  the  road  which  runs 
from  New  Orleans,  through  the  Choctaw  grant,  to  Tennessee.  Whilst  there, 
he  became  acquainted  with  and  joined  the  band  of  outlaws  led  by  the  cele- 
brated Mason.  Mason  and  Harpe  committed  many  depredations  upon  the  above 
mentioned  road,  and  upon  the  Mississippi  river.  They  continued  this  course  of  life 
for  several  years,  and  accumulated  great  wealth.  Finally,  Mason  and  his  band 
became  so  notorious  and  troublesome,  that  the  governor  of  the  Mississippi  terri- 
tory offered  a  reward  of  five  hundred  dollars  for  his  head.  Harpe  immediately 
determined  to  secure  the  reward  for  himself.  Finding  Mason  one  day  in  a  thick 
canebreak,  counting  his  money,  he  shot  him,  cut  off  his  head,  and  carried  it  to 
the  village  of  Washington,  then  the  capital  of  Mississippi.  A  man  who  had 
been  robbed  about  a  year  before  by  Mason's  hand,  recognized  Harpe,  and  upon 
his  evidence,  he  was  arrested,  arraigned,  tried,  condemned,  and  executed.  Thus 
perished  the  "Little  Harpe,"  who,  lacking  the  only  good  quality  his  brother  pos- 
sessed, courage,  was  if  any  thing,  more  brutal  and  ferocious. 


JEFFERSON    COUNTY. 

Jefferson  county  was  formed  in  1780,  by  the  Virginia  legisla- 
ture, (being  one  of  the  three  original  counties  which  composed 
the  district  of  Kentucky),  and  named  in  honor  of  Thomas  .Teffer- 
soN,  distinguished,  at  that  day,  as  the  author  of  the  declaration  of 
independence,  and  one  of  the  ablest  and  most  efficient  members 
of  the  continental  Congress.  This  county  is  situated  in  the  north- 
west middle  part  of  the  State — bounded  on  the  north  by  Old- 
'ham  and  the  Ohio  river,  on  the  east  by  Shelby,  on  the  south  by 
Bullitt  and  Spencer,  and  on  the  west  by  the  Ohio  river.  Louis- 
ville city  is  the  seat  of  justice,  about  fifty  miles  from  Frankfort. 

Besides  the  Ohio  river,  which,  in  an  extended  and  beautiful 
•curve,  borders  half  of  the  northern  and  the  entire  southern  por- 
tion of  the  county,  Jefferson  is  watered  by  Beargrass,  a  stream 
inoted  in  the  early  settlement  of  the  State,  which  enters  the  Ohio 
at  Louisville,  and  by  Pond's  and  Floyd's  creeks — the  latter  emp- 
tying its  waters  into  Salt  river.  The  face  of  the  country  is  di- 
versified, presenting,  for  many  miles  around,  and  including  the 


LOUISVILLE.  355 

city  of  Louisville,  an  almost  unbroken  level  plain,  rich,  produc- 
tive and  highly  cultivated  ;  while  the  up-lands  are  undulating  or 
hilly,  with  a  soil  inferior,  generally,  to  the  bottom-lands,  but  pro- 
ducing fine  wheat,  oats  and  corn.  The  staples  of  Jefferson  are 
hemp,  wheat,  corn,  oats  and  potatoes.  Horses,  cattle  and  hogs, 
in  large  numbers,  are  also  raised,  and  the  county  is  dotted  with 
fine  gardens  for  the  supply  of  the  Louisville  market  with  vege- 
tables. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  Jefferson  county,  200,680 ;  average 
value  per  acre,  $28.12;  value  of  taxable  property  in  1846,  $22,- 
940,533;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  old,  7,547; 
number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  old,  6,326. 
Population  in  1830,  10,090— in  1840,36,346. 

The  city  of  Louisville  is  situated  at  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio,  im- 
mediately at  the  junction  of  Beargrass  with  that  river.  It  is 
1,480  miles,  by  water,  from  New-Orleans,  607  from  Pittsburgh, 
350,  by  land,  from  St.  Louis,  53  miles  from  Frankfort :  latitude 
38  deg.,  3  min.  north;  longitude  85  deg.,  30  min.  west  from  Green- 
wich, and  8  deg.,  45  min.  west  from  Washington  city.  It  is  built 
on  an  elevated  plain,  70  feet  above  low  water  mark,  and  very 
gently  declining  towards  its  southern  border ;  is  regularly  laid 
out  on  a  plan  similar  to  that  of  Philadelphia,  having  eight  broad 
and  beautiful  streets,  running  east  and  west,  and  parallel  with 
the  river,  from  one  and  a  half  to  two  miles  in  length,  and  from 
sixty  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  in  breadth — these  are  inter- 
sected at  right  angles  by  more  than  thirty  cross  streets,  all  sixty 
feet  wide.  The  streets  are  generally  well  paved,  and  the  side 
walks  wide  and  convenient.  The  public  buildings  are  a  city 
hall  and  court-house  not  yet  complete,  a  city  and  county  jail,  on 
the  most  approved  model,  a  marine  hospital,  a  medical  institute, 
an  asylum  for  the  blind,  an  edifice  for  the  university  of  Louis- 
ville, thirty  churches,  viz  :  four  Baptist,  one  Christian,  six  Metho- 
dist (one  of  which  is  German),  one  Seamen's  Bethel,  four  Presby- 
terian, three  Episcopal,  one  Unitarian,  two  Universalist,  two 
Roman  Catholic  (one  of  which  is  German),  four  churches  for 
colored  people  (three  Methodist  and  one  Baptist),  one  Free 
church,  one  Jewish  synagogue,  five  banking  houses,  four  market 
houses,  one  city  work-house,  one  hospital,  two  orphan  asylums, 
one  Magdalen  asylum,  under  the  care  of  the  Sisters  of  the  Good 
Shepherd,  four  large  city  school-houses,  twenty-four  schools,  six 
of  which  are  grammar  schools,  three  for  males  and  three  for 
females.  Some  of  these  buildings  are  splendid  structures,  and 
would  do  credit  to  any  city  of  the  United  States.  The  city  hall 
is  a  noble  building,  admirably  planned,  and  presenting  a  beautiful 
exterior.  It  is  not  yet  complete.  The  first  Presbyterian  and 
St.  Paul's  (Episcopal),  churches  are  fine  specimens  of  architec- 
tural beauty. 

Religious  and  Benevolent  Institutions. — Thirty  churches,  of  the  various 
denominations  of  Christians,  including  one  of  the  Jews,  a  depository  of  the  Ameri- 
can Sunday  School  Union,  the  Louisville  Bible  Society,  and  the  Young  Men's 


356  JEFFERSON   COUNTY. 

Tract  Society,  five  Masonic  lodges,  one  Royal  Arch  Chapter,  one  Encampment 
of  Knights  Templars,  six  lodges  of  Odd  F^ellows,  one  grand  lodge  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, and  one  grand  encampment,  ten  divisions  of  the  Sons  of  Temperance,  three 
Temples  of  Honor,  and  one  grand  division  Sons  of  Temperance  of  Kentucky. 

The  Medical  Institute  ranks  high  among  the  public  institutions  of  Louisville. 
It  was  organized  in  1837,  by  an  ordinance  of  the  city  council,  which  appropriated 
$50,000  for  the  library,  chemical  apparatus,  and  suitable  buildings.  The  first 
course  of  lectures  was  delivered  to  80  students,  the  second  to  120;  the  third  class 
numbered  204,  the  fourth  208,  the  fifth  262,  the  sixth  189,  the  seventh  242,  the 
eighth  283,  the  ninth  342,  and  the  tenth  349  students.  The  college  edifice  is  a 
commodious,  well  arranged,  and  handsome  building;  and  the  professors  are 
learned  and  able  men. 

The  Asylum  for  the  Blind  is  a  noble  institution,  established  by  the  State  of 
Kentucky  in  1842.  A  spacious  building  has  been  erected  for  this  institution,  by 
the  joint  contributions  of  the  State  and  benevolent  citizens  of  Louisville.  The 
institution  already  embraces  between  forty  and  fifty  students,  of  both  sexes.  The 
course  of  instruction  embraces  the  elementary  and  higher  branches  of  the  English 
language,  ancient  and  modern  languages,  and  music,  vocal  and  instrumental. 
The  students  are  instructed  also,  in  the  various  kinds  of  handicraft,  by  which 
they  will  be  enabled  to  gain  an  honorable  support,  after  leaving  the  institution. 

The  University  of  Lnuisville  is  yet  in  its  infancy  ;  but  from  the  liberality  of  its 
endowment,  and  the  character  of  the  people  among  whom  it  is  located,  there  can 
be  no  doubt  that  it  is  destined  to  take  a  high  rank  among  the  literary  institutions 
of  the  west.  The  first  course  of  lectures  in  the  law  department,  was  delivered  last 
winter  to  about  thirty  students. 

The  Marine  Hospital  is  another  important  public  institution,  located  at  Louis- 
ville. It  was  established  in  1820,  by  a  grant  from  the  State  of  $40,000 — and 
designed  as  a  refuge  for  sick  and  infirm  mariners. 

The  Kentucky  Historical  Society,  which  has  its  location  in  Louisville,  was  in- 
corporated by  the  legislature  in  1838.  It  is  an  institution  of  great  value — the 
object  of  its  organization  being,  to  collect  and  preserve  the  public  and  private 
records  which  are  calculated  to  elucidate  the  history  of  the  west,  but  more  par- 
ticularly, of  Kentucky. 

The  other  public  institutions  of  Louisville,  consist  of — the  Bank  of  Kentucky, 
with  a  capital  of  $5,000,000 ;  Bank  of  Louisville,  capital  $2,000,000;  Branch 
of  the  Northern  Bank  of  Kentucky,  capital  $600,000  ;  Louisville  Gas  Company, 
capital  $1,200,000;  Mechanics'  Savings  Institute,  $100,000  ;  ten  insurance  com- 
panies ;  and  the  Mercantile  Library  Association,  with  a  library  of  four  thousand 
volumes. 

The  trade  of  Louisville  is  very  extensive,  and  to  those  who  have  not  made 
themselves  acquainted  with  statistics  of  this  character,  would  appear  almost  in- 
credible. In  the  two  articles  of  sugar  and  coffee,  the  sales,  during  the  year  1847, 
it  is  believed,  will  amount  to  several  millions  of  dollars;  while  the  total  export 
and  import  trade  will  fall  but  little  short  of  $50,000,000.*  The  houses  engaged 
in  the  dry  goods,  commission,  drug,  hardware,  grocery,  fruit,  and  produce  busi- 
ness, number  upwards  of  six  hundred,  employing  a  capital  of  about  $6,000,000. 
Besides  the  houses  engaged  in  the  business  named,  there  are  seven  book  stores, 
seven  iron  stores,  ten  lumber  yards,  twelve  founderies  for  the  construction  of 
steamboat  and  mill  machinery,  one  brass  foundry,  one  rolling  and  slitting  mill, 
two  steam  bagging  factories,  producing  about  two  million  yards  cotton  bagging 
annually,  six  cordage  and  rope  factories,  one  cotton  factory,  one  woolen  factory, 
four  flouring  mills,  four  lard  oil  factories,  one  white  lead  factory,  one  burr  mill- 
stone factory,  several  extensive  potteries,  six  tobacco  stemmeries,  two  tobacco 
inspection  houses,  two  glass  cutting  establishments,  one  oil  cloth  factory,  two 

*In  May,  1815.  tlie  first  trip  of  a  steamboat  was  matlf^  from  New  Orleans  to  Louisville  and  Pitts- 
burgh; the  second  and  third  trips  in  1817.  In  lH4t,  there  were  XtO  steamboats  on  the  western  and 
•outh-western  waters,  measuring,  in  the  aggregate,  more  than  fifty  thousand  tons.  In  1847,  the  number 
of  boats  and  tonnage  is  believed  to  be  double  thai  of  1841.  In  the  immense  trade  carried  on  by  these 
toau,  Louisville  largely  participates. 


358  JEFFERSON   COUNTY. 

surgical  instrument  manufactories,  two  lithographic  engravers,  one  large  paper 
mill,  one  star  candle  factory,  four  pork  houses,  three  piano  manufactories,  three 
breweries,  one  ivory  clock  manufactory,  six  tanneries,  ten  soap  and  candle  facto- 
ries, four  planing  machines,  city  gas  works,  two  scale  beam  factories,  two  glue 
factories,  three  ship  yards,  one  nail  manufactory.  There  are,  also,  extensive 
manufactories  of  sheet  iron,  brass,  copper,  tin  ware,  silver  ware,  saddlery  and 
harness,  cabinet  ware,  chairs,  plows,  carriages,  wagons,  hats,  boots  and  shoes, 
clocks,  clothing,  &c.,  &c.,  with  a  large  number  of  building  mechanics. 

The  city  is  well  supplied  with  hotels  and  boarding-houses  of  a  high  character. 
The  professions  of  law,  medicine,  and  divinity,  are  well  filled  with  able  and  dis- 
tinguished men — there  being,  in  the  city,  about  one  hundred  lawyers,  ninety 
physicians,  and  upwards  of  thirty  ministers  of  the  gospel. 

There  are  twelve  newspapers  and  periodicals — political,  commercial,  religious, 
temperance,  medical,  emancipation,  and  agricultural — some  of  them  old  estab- 
lishments and  of  high  repute,  published  in  the  city.  The  Louisville  Journal* 
published  daily,  tri-weekly,  and  weekly;  the  Morning  Courier,  daily,  tri-weekly, 
and  weekly ;  the  Evening  Express,  daily ;  the  Louisville  Democrat,  daily,  tri- 
weekly, and  weekly;  the  Journal  of  Commerce,  weekly  ;  the  Presbyterian  Herald, 
weekly;  the  Baptist  Banner,  weekly;  the  Catholic  Advocate,  weekly;  the  Spirit 
of  the  Age,  weekly;  the  Examiner,  \veek\y  ;  the  Western  Journal  of  Medicine  and 
Surgery,  monthly ;  and  the  Southern  Methodist  Quarterly  Review, 

There  are  several  extensive  job  printing  offices  in  the  city;  and  the  book  print- 
ing establishment  of  Messrs.  Morton  &  Griswold,  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  in 
the  western  country. 

The  want  of  public  squares  in  Louisville  is  deeply  felt.  According  to  the  origi- 
nal plan,  a  strip  of  land  nearly  two  hundred  feet  in  width,  lying  south  of  Greene 
street,  and  extending  the  whole  length  of  the  city,  was  reserved  for  a  public 
promenade.  If  this  plan  had  been  followed,  and  some  of  the  magnificent  forest 
trees  had  been  suffered  to  remain,  Louisville  w^ould  have  presented  beauties  which 
the  most  splendid  buildings  in  the  world  could  not  give.  Health,  pleasure,  taste  and 
even  morality  are  improved  by  fine  promenades  and  public  squares.  No  one  can 
tell  how  much  of  the  literary  eminence  of  Athens  is  due  to  the  "groves  of  Aca- 
demus."  There  is  yet  an  opportunity  for  Louisville  to  have  a  good  promenade, 
though  she  can  have  no  central  public  square.  If  Broadway  were  properly 
graded  and  set  with  trees,  it  would  prove  one  of  the  most  beautiful  streets  in  the 
world.  If  the  street  were  extended  to  "  Preston's  Wood"  on  the  east,  and  this 
wood  were  properly  improved,  it  would  be  a  delightful  place  of  resort. 

The  population  of  Louisville,  in  1780,  comprised  only  thirty  souls  ;  in  1800, 
population  six  hundred;  in  1810,  population  one  thousand  three  hundred;  in 
1820,  four  thousand;  in  1830,  ten  thousand  and  ninety;  in  1840,  twenty-one 
thousand;  in  1843,  twenty-eight  thousand;  in  1845,  thirty-two  thousand;  and 
in  1847,  it  is  estimated  at  forty  thousand. 

Those  who  approach  Louisville  from  the  east,  will  probably  arrive  in  the  night. 
When  within  a  few  miles  of  the  city,  the  boat  winds  round  an  island,  and  a  long 
row  of  brilliant  gas  lights  presents  itself  to  the  view.  The  effect  of  this  is  very 
fine,  and  a  considerable  time  elapses  before  the  appearance  of  buildings  mars  the 
beauty  of  the  scene.  But  those  who  approach  by  daylight,  have  a  much  more 
varied  and  beautiful  prospect.  A  view  taken  from  the  Kentucky  shore,  just  above 
the  city,  is  one  of  the  most  charming  on  which  the  eye  can  rest.  Before  you  are 
the  Falls,  Corn  Island,  and,  in  the  distance.  New  Albany ;  on  the  left  is  a  view 
of  part  of  Louisville  ;  on  the  right,  below  Jeffersonville,  appear  some  of  the  forest 
trees  of  Indiana.  The  river  here  has  the  appearance  of  a  lake,  for  it  winds  around 
in  such  a  manner  that  its  course  is  concealed.  The  upper  part  of  this  apparent 
lake,  is  smooth  and  tranquil:  while  the  lower  part  is  in  violent  commotion  from 
the  dashing  of  the  water  over  the  rocks.  In  looking  at  the  upper  part,  the  river 
seems  to  you  to  be  collecting  its  energies  for  some  violent  exertion.  After  a  mo- 
ment's hesitation,  after  taking  breath,  as  it  were,  it  rushes  furiously  upon  the  im- 

*  George  D.  Prentice,  who  has  been  for  many  years  connected  with  the  Journal  as  a  proprietor 
and  the  principal  editor,  stands  unrivalled  as  a  political  writer,  a  wit.  and  a  satirist,  and  ha.s  written 
some  poetical  articles  of  exceeding  beauty.  Amon^  the  poets  of  l/ouisville,  it  is  proper  to  mention 
the  name,  also,  of  Mrs.  Amelia  Welby,  whose  exquisite  productions,  under  the  signature  of  ''Amelia," 
have  given  her  a  high  rank  among  American  poets.  Fortunatus  Cosby,  and  his  son,  Robt.T.  Cosby, 
have  also  written  many  poetical  articles  of  great  merit. 


MEDICAL    COLLEGE,   LOUISVILLE,   KY. 


360  JEFFERSON   COUNTY. 

pediments  in  its  way,  like  an  army  charging  upon  tlie  foe.  In  the  back-ground 
the  blue  hills  crown  the  view,  the  long  line  curving  itself  as  if  to  embrace  the 
city. 

Three-quarters  of  a  century  have  not  elapsed  since  Louisville  was  selected  as  a 
site  for  a  town.  Captain  Thomas  Bullitt,  of  Virginia,  uncle  of  the  late  Alexander 
Scott  Bullitt,  who  was  the  first  lieutenant-governor  of  Kentucky,  is  said  to  have 
laid  off  the  town  in  August,  1773.*  'i'his  was  before  the  first  log  cabin  was  built 
in  Kentucky.  For  several  years  after  this,  the  silence  of  the  forest  was  undis- 
turbed by  the  white  man.  The  place  was  occasionally  visited  by  different  per- 
sons, but  no  settlement  was  made  until  1778.  In  the  spring  of  this  year,  a  party, 
consisting  of  a  small  number  of  families,  came  to  the  Falls  with  George  Rotrers 
Clark,  and  were  left  by  him  on  an  island  near  the  Kentucky  shore,  now  called 
Corn  island.  The  name  is  supposed  to  have  been  derived  from  the  circumstance 
that  the  settlers  planted  their  first  Indian  corn  on  this  island. 

These  settlers  were  sixty  or  seventy  miles  distant  from  any  other  settlement, 
and  had  nothing  but  their  insular  position  to  defend  them  from  the  Indians.  The 
posts  in  the  Wabash  country,  occupied  by  the  British,  served  as  points  of  sup- 
port for  the  incursions  of  the  savages.  After  these  had  been  taken  by  Clark,  the 
settlers  were  inspir  d  with  confidence,  and,  in  the  fall  of  1778,  removed  from  the 
island  to  the  site  now  occupied  by  Louisville.  Here  a  block  house  was  erected, f 
and  the  number  of  settlers  was  increased  by  the  arrival  of  other  emigrants  from 
Virginia. 

In  1780,  the  legislature  of  Virginia  passed  "  an  act  for  establishing  the  town  of 
Louisville,:!^  at  the  falls  of  Ohio."  By  this  act,  "John  Todd,  jr.,  Stephen  Trigg, 
George  Slaughter,  John  Floyd,  William  Pope,  George  Meriwether,  Andrew 
Hynes,  James  Sullivan,  gentlemen,"  were  appointed  trustees  to  lay  off  the  town 
on  a  tract  of  one  thousand  acres  of  land,  which  had  been  granted  to  John  Con- 
nolly by  the  British  government,  and  which  he  had  forfeited  by  adhering  to  the 
English  monarch.  Each  purchaser  was  to  build  on  his  own  lot  "a  dwelling 
house,  sixteen  feet  by  twenty,  at  least,  with  a  brick  or  stone  chimney,  to  be  fin- 
ished within  two  years  from  the  day  of  sale."  On  account  of  the  interruptions 
caused  by  the  inroads  of  the  Indians,  the  time  was  afterwards  extended.  The 
state  of  the  settlers  was  one  of  constant  danger  and  anxiety.  Their  foes  were 
continually  prowling  around,  and  it  was  risking  their  lives  to  leave  the  fort. 

The  settlement  at  the  Falls  was  more  exposed  than  those  in  the  interior,  on 
account  of  the  facility  with  which  the  Indians  could  cross  and  re-cross  the  river, 
and  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  pursuing  them.  The  savages  frequently  crossed 
the  river,  and  after  killing  some  of  the  settlers,  and  committing  depredations  upon 
property,  recrossed  and  escaped.  In  1780,  Colonel  George  Slaughter  arrived  at 
the  Falls  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  state  troops.  The  inhabitants  were  inspired 
with  a  feeling  of  security  which  led  them  frequently  to  expose  themselves  with 
too  little  caution.  Their  foes  were  ever  on  the  watch,  and  were  continually  de- 
stroying valuable  lives.  Danger  and  death  crouched  in  every  path,  and  lurked 
behind  every  tree.  We  give  here  some  illustrations  of  the  incidents  connected 
with  Indian  warfare. 

In  March,  1781,  several  parties  entered  Jefferson  county,  and  killed  Colonel 
William  Lynn,  and  Captains  Tipton  and  Chapman.  Captain  Whittaker  and 
fifteen  men  pursued  and  traced  them  to  the  foot  of  the  Falls.  Supposing  that 
the  enemy  had  crossed  the  river,  they  embarked  in  canoes  to  follow  them.  While 
they  were  making  their  way  across  the  river,  they  were  fired  upon  by  the  Indians, 
who  were  still  on  the  Kentucky  side,  and  nine  were  killed  or  wounded.  The 
rest  returned  and  defeated  the  enemy.     In  the  next  month  a  party  that  had  made 

♦Captain  Bullitt  was  a  man  of  great  energy  and  enterprise,  as  he  showed  on  several  important 
occasions.  He  s^^rved  in  the  French  war,  and  was  engaged  in  ihe^battle  which  resulted  in  Brad- 
dock's  defeat,  and  in  otlier  actions.  He  was  a  captain  in  the  regiment  that  was  commaii<led  by 
Washington.  On  one  occasion,  two  detachments  from  Colonel  Washington's  regiment  were  out 
upon  the  frontiers  to  surprise  a  party  of  French  troops  from  Fori  Dn  Quesne.  Instead  of  falling  in 
with  the  French,  the  two  detachments  met  each  other,  and,  the  day  lieing  very  foggy,  each  party  sup- 
posed the  other  to  be  the  enemy,  and  a  warm  firing  was  commenced  on  both  sides.  Captain  Hullitt 
was  one  of  the  first  that  discovered  the  mistake,  and  ran  in  between  the  two  parties,  waving  his  hat, 
and  calling  upon  them  to  cease  firing. 

tA  larger  fort  was  built  in  17S2,  and  called  Fort  Nelson,  in  honor  of  Gov.  Nelson,  of  Virginia. 

jThe  name  was  given  to  the  place  in  honor  of  the  ill-fated  French  monarch,  Louis  XVI.  whose 
troops  were  at  that  time  assisting  the  Americans  in  the  war  against  England. 

>' 


iL^^t^ULM^^^^^K 


UNIVERSITY    OF    LOUISVILLE,    KY 


363  JEFFERSON   COUNTY. 

a  settlement  under  Squire  Boone,  near  the  place  where  Shelbyville  now  stands, 
became  alarmed  by  the  appearance  of  Indians,  and  resolved  to  remove  to  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Louisville.  On  the  way,  the  party,  consisting  of  men,  women  and 
children,  encumbered  with  the  charge  of  household  goods  and  cattle,  were  attacked 
by  a  large  company  of  Indians  that  had  pursued  them,  and  were  defeated  and  dis- 
persed. Colonel  John  Floyd,  on  receiving  intelligence  of  this  event,  raised  a 
company  of  twenty-five  men,  and  hastened  to  pursue  the  enemy.  He  divided 
his  men  and  proceeded  with  great  caution ;  but  this  did  not  prevent  his  falling 
into  an  ambuscade.  The  Indians,  whose  force  is  said  to  have  been  three  times 
as  great  as  his,  completely  defeated  him,  killing  about  half  his  men,  and  losing 
nine  or  ten.  Colonel  Floyd  himself  lost  his  horse,  and  was  retreating  on  foot, 
nearly  exhausted, and  closely  pursued,  when  Captain  Samuel  Wells  seeing  him, 
rode  up  and  gave  him  his  horse,  running  by  his  side  to  support  him.  These  two 
gentlemen  had  been  unfriendly  towards  each  other,  but  this  noble  act  made  them 
friends  for  life.* 

In  1793,  a  party  of  Indians  fired  on  a  flat  boat  descending  the  river,  but  with- 
but  serious  injury  to  those  on  board.  On  the  succeeding  day,  they  captured  a  boy 
at  Eastin's  mill,  and  conveyed  him  to  the  Ohio.  Here,  by  a  strange  freak,  they 
gave  him  a  tomahawk,  knife  and  pipe,  and  set  him  at  liberty,  unhurt. j" 

In  those  days,  the  dress  and  furniture  were  of  the  simplest  kind.  Many  who 
are  now  proud  of  their  ancestors,  would  be  ashamed  of  them  if  they  were  to 
appear  before  them  in  the  costliest  dress  of  the  early  times.  It  is  amusing  to 
imagine  the  consternation  of  a  belle  at  a  fashionable  party,  if  her  ancestors 
should  present  themselves  before  her — the  grandfather  in  coon-skin  cap  and  buck- 
skin breeches,  and  his  wife  dressed  out  for  the  occasion  in  her  best  attire  of 
linsey-woolsey.  The  very  fan  of  the  belle  would  tremble,  as  if  participating  in 
the  shame  and  confusion,  and  the  odor  of  the  smelling-bottle  would  rise  in  indig- 
nant steam. 

In  1783,  Daniel  Brodhead  began  a  new  era,  by  exposing  goods  from  Philadel- 
phia for  sale  in  Louisville.  The  merchandise  had  been  brought  from  Philadel- 
phia to  Pittsburgh  in  wagons,  and  thence  to  Louisville  in  flat  boats.  The  belles 
of  our  "  forest-land  "  ihen  began  to  shine  in  all  the  magnificence  of  calico,  and 
the  beaux  in  the  luxury  of  wool  hats. 

After  the  old  county  of  Kentucky  had  been  divided,  in  November,  1781,  into 
three  counties — Jefferson,  Fayette  and  Lincoln — Jefferson  included  all  the  part  of 
the  old  county  lying  south  of  the  Kentucky  river,  north  of  Greene  river,  and 
west  of  Big  Benson,  and  Hammond's  creek.  The  county  court  of  each  county 
was  composed  of  the  most  respectable  citizens  of  such  county,  and  appointed  its 
own  clerk.  The  limits  of  its  authority  were  rather  undefined.  The  county  court 
of  Jeff"erson  sat  also  as  a  court  of  oyer  and  terminer.  In  regard  to  capital  ofll'en- 
ces,  it  acted  merely  as  an  examining  court  when  white  persons  were  concerned, 
but  tried  and  condemned  slaves  to  death.  "At  a  called  court  held  for  Jeff'erson 
county  on  the  10th  day  of  August,  1785,  for  the  examination  of  negro  Peter,  the 
property  of  Francis  Vigo,  committed  to  the  jail  of  this  county  on  suspicion  of 
stealing,  present,  James  F.  Moore,  William  Oldham,  Richard  Taylor  and  David 
Meriwether,  gent." — Peter  was  found  guilty,  valued  at  eighty  pounds,  current 
money,  and  condemned  to  be  executed  on  the  24th  day  of  that  month.  On  the 
21st  day  of  October,  1786,  "negro  Tom,  a  slave,  the  property  of  Robert  Daniel," 
was  condemned  to  death  for  stealing  "  two  and  three-fourths  yards  of  cambric, 
and  some  ribbon  and  thread,  the  property  of  James  Patten."  The  following 
appears  on  the  early  records  of  the  court: 

"The  court  doth  set  the  following  rates  to  be  observed  by  ordinary  keepers  in 
this  county,  to  wit:  whiskey  fifteen  dollars  the  half  pint;  corn  at  ten  dollars 
the  gallon;  a  diet  at  twelve  dollars;  lodging  in  a  feather  bed,  six  dollars;  sta- 
blage  or  pasturage  one  night,  four  dollars." 

These  seem  to  be  very  extravagant  prices  ;  but  we  suppose  travelers  took  care 
to  pay  in  continental  money.  These  were  the  times  when  a  hat  was  worth  five 
hundred  dollars.  The  following  is  an  inventory  rendered  to  the  court  of  the 
property  of  a  deceased  person  : 

•Marshall  1, 115.    See  also  biographical  sketch  of  Colonel  Floyd.  f  IljiJ-  H,  bl. 


m. 


LOUISVILLE.  363 

"To  a  coat  and  waistcoat  £250,  an  old  blue  do.  and  do.  £50   .     .     .  300 

"  To  pocket  book  £6,  part  of  an  old  shirt  £3 9 

"To  old  blanket,  6s.;  2  bushels  salt  £480 480  6 


£789  6." 

The  following  is  recorded  May  7th,  1784  : — "  George  Pomeroy  being  brought 
before  the  court,  charged  with  having  been  guilty  of  a  breach  of  the  act  of 
assembly,  entitled  '  divulgers  of  false  news,'  on  examining  sundry  witnesses,  and 
the  said  Pomeroy  heard  in  his  defence,  the  court  is  of  opinion  that  the  said  George 
Pomeroy  is  guilty  of  a  breach  of  the  said  law,  and  it  is  therefore  ordered  that  he 
be  fined  2000  pounds  of  tobacco  for  the  same.  And  it  is  further  ordered  that  the 
said  George  Pomeroy  give  security  for  his  good  behavior,  himself  in  £1000,  with 
two  securities  in  £500,  and  pay  costs,  &c." 

This  may  seem  like  making  rather  loo  serious  a  matter  of  divulging  false  news. 
It  is  certain  that  if  all  who  are  guilty  of  this  crime  in  our  day  were  punished,  it 
w^ould  add  very  materially  to  the  business  of  the  courts.  The  history  of  this 
matter  is  rather  curious.  Tom  Paine  wrote  a  book  ridiculing  the  right  of  Vir- 
ginia to  the  lands  of  Kentucky,  and  urging  Congress  to  assume  possession  of  the 
whole  country.  Two  Pennsylvanians,  whose  names  were  Pomeroy  and  Gallo- 
way, had  imbibed  the  principles  of  this  production,  and  came  to  Kentucky  to 
propagate  them — Pomeroy  to  the  Falls,  and  Galloway  to  Lexington.  Galloway 
produced  considerable  disturbance  at  Lexington.  "  Several  of  the  good  people," 
says  Mr.  H.  Marshall,  "  yielded  so  far  to  his  persuasions  as  to  commence  chopping 
and  improving  upon  their  neighbors'  lands,  with  ihe  piuus  intent  of  appropriating 
them,  under  an  act  of  Congress,  which,  they  were  assured,  was  soon  to  be  pro- 
mulgated." It  was  decided  that  he  must  be  punished.  After  this  determination 
had  been  made,  an  old  law  of  Virginia  was  fortunately  found  which  inflicted  a 
penalty,  in  tobacco,  at  the  discretion  of  the  court,  upon  the  "  propagation  of  false 
news,  to  the  disturbance  of  the  good  people  of  the  colony."  Galloway  was  fined 
one  thousand  pounds  of  tobacco.  As  it  was  impossible  to  procure  so  much  tobacco 
in  Kentucky  at  that  time,  he  had  a  prospect  of  spending  some  time  in  prison. 
At  length  it  was  intimated  to  him  that  if  he  would  leave  the  country,  justice 
would  be  satisfied.  He  instantly  caught  at  the  offer.  Mr.  Marshall  says  that 
at  the  Falls,  no  one  minded  Paine's  disciple.  The  extract  from  the  records 
shows  that  he  was  mistaken,  and  that  Pomeroy  was  fined  twice  as  much  tobacco 
as  Galloway  was  ordered  to  pay. 

Into  the  original  log  cabins  the  light  entered  by  the  open  door,  or  by  any  open- 
ing it  could  find.  One  of  the  first  settlers  would  almost  as  soon  have  thought 
of  bringing  some  "bright  particular  star"  into  his  dwelling  to  illuminate  it,  as 
of  introducing  light  through  a  glass  window.  In  the  progress  of  time,  however, 
the  owner  of  a  certain  shop  or  "  store"  procured  some  glass,  and  inserted  a  few 
panes  in  his  house.  A  young  urchin  who  had  seen  glass  spectacles  on  the  noses 
of  his  elders,  saw  this  spectacle  with  astonishment,  and,  running  home  to  his 
mother,  exclaimed,  "  0  ma !  there  is  a  house  down  here  with  specs  on  !  "  This 
may  be  considered  a  very  precocious  manifestation  of  the  power  of  generalization 
in  the  young  Kentuckian. 

The  first  brick  house  was  built  in  1789,  by  Mr.  Kaye,  on  the  square  on  which 
the  court  house  now  stands. 

Tlie  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century  found  Louisville  with  a  population 
of  600  in  the  midst  of  her  ponds.     In  1810,  the  number  had  increased  to  1,357. 

In  1811  and  1812,  occurred  that  succession  of  earthquakes  which  shook  a  great 
part  of  our  continent.  The  first  shock  was  felt  at  Louisville,  December  16,  1811, 
a  few  minutes  after  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  continued  three  and  a  half 
or  four  minutes.  For  one  minute,  the  shock  was  very  severe.  Several  gentle- 
men of  Louisville  were  amusing  themselves  at  a  social  party,  when  one  of  their 
acquaintances  burst  into  the  room  and  cried  out,  "  Gentlemen,  hnw  can  you  he 
engaged  in  this  way,  when  the  world  is  so  near  its  end  !"  The  company  rushed 
out,  and  from  the  motion  of  objects  around  them,  every  star  seemed  to  be  falling. 
"What  a  pity,"  exclaimed  one  of  them,  "that  so  beautiful  a  world  should  be 
thus  destroyed  !"     Almost  every  one  of  them  believed  that  mother  earth,  as  she 


364  JEFFERSON   COUNTY. 

heaved  and  struggled,  was  in  her  last  agony.  For  several  months,  the  citizens 
of  Louisville  were  in  continual  alarm.  'I'he  earth  seemed  to  have  no  rest,  except 
the  uneasy  rest  of  one  disturbed  by  horrid  dreams.  Each  house  generally  had  a 
key  suspended  over  the  mantle  piece,  and  by  its  oscillations  the  inmates  were  in- 
formed of  the  degree  of  danger.  If  the  shock  was  violent,  brick  houses  were  im- 
mediately deserted.  Under  the  key  usually  lay  a  bible.  In  the  opinion  of  a 
distintruished  citizen  of  Louisville,  who  has  related  to  us  many  incidents  of  those 
exciting  times,  the  earthquake  had  a  beneficial  influence  upon  public  morals. 
Usually, we  believe,  times  of  great  danger  and  excitement  have  had  a  contrary  effect. 
Thucydides  tells  us  that  during  the  prevalence  of  the  plague  at  Athens,  men  he- 
came  more  reckless  and  wicked,  more  eager  in  grasping  at  the  pleasures  which 
they  saw  so  rapidly  flitting  by  them.  When  the  great  plague  raged  in  Italy,  if 
we  may  judge  from  the  character  of  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  in  Boccaccio's 
Decameron,  the  morals  were  any  thing  but  good.  The  plague  in  London,  also, 
was  accompanied  by  a  corruption  of  morals. 

In  1812,  the  legislature  passed  an  act  authorising  the  paving  of  Main  street 
from  Third  to  Sixth.  No  city  in  the  Union  had  greater  need  of  pavements.  The 
horses  had  to  draw  the  wagons  through  the  business  part  of  the  city,  as  Sisy- 
phus rolled  "the  huge  round  stone"  up  the  hill, 

"  With  many  a  weary  step,  and  many  a  groan." 

In  1819,  Dr.  McMurtrie  published  his  "  Sketches  of  Louisville."  The  num- 
ber of  inhabitants  was  then  more  than  four  thousand,  and  was  rapidly  increasing. 
Society  was  becoming  more  refined.  Dr.  McMurtrie  complains  a  good  deal  of 
that  characteristic  of  all  new  cities,  too  great  a  devotion  to  the  accumulation  of 
wealth ;  and  adds,  with  considerable  rotundity  of  style  :  "  There  is  a  circle,  small 
'tis  true,  but  within  whose  magic  round  abounds  every  pleasure  that  wealth, 
regulated  by  taste,  can  bestow.  There  the  '  red  heel '  of  Versailles  may  ima- 
gine himself  in  the  very  emporium  of  fashion,  and,  whilst  leading  beauty  through 
the  mazes  of  the  dance,  forget  that  he  is  in  the  wilds  of  America." 

In  speaking  of  the  diseases  of  the  place.  Dr.  M.  mentions  "a  bilious  remitting 
fever,  whose  symptoms  are  often  sufficiently  aggravated  to  entitle  it  to  the  name 
oi  yellow  fever,''''  and  predicts  the  appearance  of  yellow  fever  itself,  "  unless  greater 
attention  be  paid  to  cleanliness  in  every  possible  way."  "  During  the  months  of 
July,  August  and  September,"  says  he,  "  so  strongly  are  the  inbal)itants  of  this 
and  the  adjacent  towns  predisposed  to  this  disease,  by  the  joint  influence  of  cli- 
mate and  the  miasm  of  marshes,  and  decayed  and  decaying  vegetable  matter, 
that  they  may  be  compared  to  piles  of  combustibles,  which  need  but  the  appli- 
cation of  a  single  spark  to  rouse  them  into  flame."  The  yellow  fever  did  not 
make  its  appearance  as  Dr.  M.  predicted,  but  in  1822  a  fever  raged  which  seemed 
to  threaten  almost  the  depopulation  of  the  town.  It  prevailed  in  some  degree 
over  the  whole  western  country,  but  in  Louisville  it  was  particularly  virulent. 
Almost  every  house  seemed  to  become  a  hospital.  In  a  family,  consisting  of 
twenty  persons,  nineteen  were  sick  at  one  time.  In  one  family,  perhaps  in  more, 
every  individual  died. 

After  that  visitation,  Louisville  began  to  be  more  healthy.  At  that  time,  where 
now  stand  some  of  the  finest  buildings  in  the  city,  large  ponds  flourished  in 
perpetual  green,  and  the  croaking  of  frogs  was  not  less  ominous  of  death  than  had 
been  the  yell  of  the  savage.  That  period,  like  all  others,  had  its  conservative 
party — "  its  party  of  the  present," — who  wished  every  thing  to  remain  as  it  was, 
and  were  opposed  to  depriving  the  frogs  of  the  possessions  which  they  had  held 
"time  whereof  the  memory  of  man  runneth  not  to  the  contrary."  They  would 
as  soon  have  thought  of  interfering  with  the  music  of  the  spheres  as  with  that  of 
the  ponds.  But  other  counsels  began  to  prevail,  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  waters 
were  obliged  to  retire  before  advancing  civilization,  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  woods 
had  done  before  them.  Louisville  had  been  called  "  the  grave  yard  of  the  west ;" 
but  it  began  to  change  its  character.  Dr.  M.  says — "  'I'o  afllrm  that  Louisville  is  a 
healthy  city,  would  be  absurd."  The  aflirmation  may  now  be  made  without  any 
fear  of  the  charge  of  absurdity.  Louisville  is  now  acknowledged  by  all  who  are 
acquainted  with  the  matter,  to  be  one  of  the  most  healthy  cities  in  the  world. 
There  is  nothing  to  make  it  unhealthy.  There  are  no  hills  to  confine  the  air 
until   it  becomes  putrid.     The  course  of  the  breeze  is  as  unobstructed  as  is  that 


LOUISVILLE.  365 

of  the  winds  that  revel  over  the  surface  of  the  ocean.  The  vi'ater  is  cool  and 
pure  and  abundant.  Ten  years  after  the  fever  had  made  its  dreadful  ravages,  the 
cholera  appeared  ;  but  so  gently  did  the  destroying  angel  lay  his  hand  upon  the 
city,  that  the  appearance  of  this  scourge  of  the  world  scarcely  forms  an  epoch  in 
her  history. 

The  attention  of  the  people  was  directed,  at  a  very  early  period,  to  plans  for 
overcoming  the  obstructions  to  navigation  presented  by  the  "  Falls."  In  1804,  the 
legislature  of  Kentucky  incorporated  a  company  to  make  a  canal  round  the  Falls. 
Nothing  was  done,  however,  for  many  years.  The  Louisville  and  Portland  canal 
company  was  incorporated  in  1825,  and  the  canal  was  finished  in  1833.  The 
completion  of  the  canal  produced  a  great  change  in  the  business  of  the  city.  The 
"  forwarding  and  commission"  business,  the  operations  in  which  formed  so  great 
a  part  of  the  mercantile  transactions  of  Louisville,  and  had  given  employment  to 
so  many  persons,  was,  in  a  great  measure,  destroyed.  Much  of  the  capital  and 
industry  of  the  city  was  obliged  to  seek  new  channels,  and  the  transition  state  was 
one  of  great  embarrassment.     But  a  more  healthy  condition  of  things  succeeded. 

In  the  latter  part  of  April,  1784,  the  father  of  the  late  Judge  Rowan,  with  his 
family  and  five  other  families,  set  out  from  Louisville  in  two  fiat-bottomed  boats, 
for  the  Long  Falls  of  Greene  river.*  The  intention  was  to  descend  the  Ohio  river 
to  the  mouth  of  Greene  river,  and  ascend  that  river  to  the  place  of  destination.  At 
that  time  there  were  no  settlements  in  Kentucky,  within  one  hundred  miles  of  the 
Long  Falls  of  Greene  river  (afterwards  called  Vienna).  The  families  were  in 
one  boat,  and  their  cattle  in  the  other.  When  the  boats  had  descended  the  Ohio 
about  one  hundred  miles,  and  were  near  the  middle  of  it,  gliding  along  very  se- 
curely, as  it  was  thought,  about  ten  o'clock  of  the  night,  a  prodigious  yelling  of 
Indians  was  heard,  some  two  or  three  miles  below,  on  the  northern  shore  ;  and 
they  had  floated  but  a  short  distance  further  down  the  river,  when  a  number  of 
fires  were  seen  on  that  shore.  The  yelling  continued,  and  it  was  concluded  that 
they  had  captured  a  boat  which  had  passed  these  two  about  mid-day,  and  were 
massacreing  their  captives.  The  two  boats  were  lashed  together,  and  the  best 
practicable  arrangements  were  made  for  defending  them.  The  men  were  distrib- 
uted by  Mr.  Rowan  to  the  best  advantage,  in  case  of  an  attack — they  were  seven 
in  number,  including  himself.  The  boats  were  veared  to  the  Kentucky  shore, 
with  as  little  noise  by  the  oars  as  possible  ;  but  avoided  too  close  an  approach  to 
that  shore,  lest  there  might  be  Indians  there  also.  The  fires  of  the  Indians  were 
extended  along  the  bank  at  intervals,  for  half  a  mile  or  more,  and  as  the  boats 
reached  a  point  about  opposite  the  central  fire,  they  were  discovered,  and  com- 
manded to  come  io.  All  on  board  remained  silent,  for  Mr.  Rowan  had  given  strict 
orders  that  no  one  should  utter  any  sound  but  that  of  his  rifle,  and  not  that  until 
the  Indians  should  come  within  powder  burning  distance.  They  united  in  a  most 
terrific  yell,  rushed  to  their  canoes,  and  gave  pursuit.  The  boats  floated  on  in 
silence — not  an  oar  was  pulled.  The  Indians  approached  within  less  than  a  hun- 
dred yards,  with  a  seeming  determination  to  board.  Just  at  this  moment,  Mrs. 
Rowan  rose  from  her  seat,  collected  the  axes,  and  placed  one  by  the  side  of  each 
man,  where  he  stood  with  his  gun,  touching  him  on  the  knee  with  the  handle  of 
the  axe,  as  she  leaned  it  up  by  him  against  the  side  of  the  boat,  to  let  him  know 
it  was  there,  and  retired  to  her  seat,  retaining  a  hatchet  for  herself.  The  Indians 
continued  hovering  on  the  rear,  and  yelling,  for  nearly  three  miles,  when,  awed  by 
the  inference  which  they  drew  from  the  silence  observed  on  board,  they  relin- 
quished farther  pursuit.  None  but  those  who  have  a  practical  acquaintance  with 
Indian  w-arfare,  can  form  a  just  idea  of  the  terror  which  their  hideous  yelling 
is  calculated  to  inspire.  Judge  Rowan,  who  was  then  ten  years  old,  states  that 
he  could  never  forget  the  sensations  of  that  night,  or  cease  to  admire  the  fortitude 
and  composure  displayed  by  his  mother  on  that  trying  occasion.  There  were 
seven  men  and  three  boys  in  the  boats,  with  nine  guns  in  all.  Mrs.  Rowan,  in 
speaking  of  the  incident  afterwards,  in  her  calm  way,  said — "we  made  ^provi- 
dential escape,  for  which  we  ought  to  feel  grateful." 

Col.  Richard  C.  Andkrson  (the  father  of  the  Hon.  Richard  C.  Anderson,  a 
sketch  of  whose  life  will  be  found   under  the  head  of  Anderson  county),  was  a 

*  Dr.  D.  Drake's  Oxford  Address. 


% 


366  JEFFERSON    COUNTy. 

citizen  of  Jefferson — a  member  of  the  first  electoral  college,  and  for  several  years 
a  member  of  the  legislature. 

Colonel  Richard  Taylor,  the  father  of  General  Zachary  Taylor,  came  to  Ken- 
tucky at  a  very  early  period,  and  settled  in  Jefferson  county.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  conventions  of  1792  and  1799,  which  formed  the  first  and  second  constitu- 
tions of  Kentucky,  and  was  often  a  member  of  the  legislature. 

Commodore  Taylor,  a  distinguished  nfBcer  of  the  American  navy,  resided  in 
Louisville  for  many  years  before  his  death. 

Colonel  G.  R.  Clark  Floyd,  son  of  Col.  John  Floyd,  (for  whom  Floyd  county 
was  called),  a  native  of  this  county,  commanded  the  fourth  regiment  of  infantry 
at  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe,  and  was  highly  complimented  by  the  commanding 
general  for  his  gallantry  and  good  conduct  on  that  occasion. 

Colonel  John  Floyd,  of  Virginia,  also  a  native  of  Jefferson,  and  son  of  Colonel 
John  Floyd.  He  removed  to  Virginia  when  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and  is  the 
only  Kentuckian  who  ever  became  Governor  of  the  Ancient  Dominion. 

Colonel  William  Pope  was  an  early  and  estimable  citizen  of  Louisville,  and 
was  the  ancestor  or  relative  of  the  extensive  connection  of  the  same  name  in 
Louisville  and  Jefferson  county. 

Judge  FoRTUNATUS  Cosby,  also  a  citizen  of  Louisville,  was  an  eminent  lawyer, 
several  times  a  member  of  the  legislature,  and  judge  of  the  circuit  court.  He 
lived  to  the  age  of  eighty-one,  and  died  in  the  year  1846. 

Colonel  Geiger,  also  a  citizen,  was  distinguished  at  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe, 
and  lived  to  an  advanced  age,  honored  and  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him. 

Honorable  Stephen  Ormsby  was  a  judge  of  the  circuit  court,  and  a  member 
of  Congress  from  1811  to  1817.  He  was  highly  esteemed  as  a  man  and  as  a 
public  servant,  and  lived  to  an  advanced  age. 

Thomas  and  Cuthbert  Bullitt  were  two  of  the  first  merchants  of  Louisville 
— distinguished  for  their  probity  and  business  qualifications,  and  amassed  large 
estates  for  their  descendents. 

Thomas  Prather  was  also  one  of  the  first  merchants  of  Louisville,  and  a 
most  remarkable  man.  Possessed  of  a  strong  intellect,  bland  and  courteous  man- 
ners, a  chivalric  and  high  moral  bearing,  with  superior  business  qualifications, 
and  an  integrity  and  probity  of  character  which  became  proverbial — riches  flowed 
in  upon  him  like  water,  and  he  distributed  his  wealth  with  a  beneficent  hand,  in 
benefactions  which  will  prove  a  perpetual  memorial  of  his  liberality.  He  was 
president  of  the  old  bank  of  Kentucky,  and  when  that  institution  suspended 
specie  payments,  he  resigned  the  office,  with  this  remark  : — "/  can  preside  over 
no  inslilulion  which  declines  to  meet  its  engagements  promptly  and  to  the  letter !  " 

.ToHN  Rowan  was  an  able  jurist  and  statesman,  and  one  of  the  most  distin- 
guished men  in  the  western  country.  He  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  His 
father,  William  Rowan,  having  sustained  in  the  cause  of  liberty  heavy  losses,  at 
the  close  of  the  revolutionary  war  came  to  Kentucky  in  the  hope  of  repairing  the 
ravages  made  in  his  private  fortune.  Kentucky  was  then  a  wilderness,  the  choice 
hunting  ground  of  many  hostile  tribes  of  savages — the  field  of  hazardous  adven- 
ture, the  scene  of  savage  outrage,  the  theatre  of  ceaseless  war,  an  arena  drench- 
ed in  blood  and  reeking  with  slaughter.  In  the  month  of  March,  1783,  the  father 
of  John  Rowan  settled  in  Louisville,  then  an  insignificant  village.  In  the  spring 
of  1784,  when  John  was  eleven  years  old,  his  father,  with  five  other  families, 
made  a  settlement  at  the  Long  Falls  of  Greene  river,  then  about  one  hundred 
miles  from  any  white  settlement.  This  region  was  resorted  to  by  a  band  of  the 
Shawnee  trilie  of  Indians,  as  a  hunting  ground,  and  Mr.  Rowan  and  his  neigh- 
bors had  many  encounters  with  their  savage  foes.  Young  Rowan  was  soon  dis- 
tinguislied  for  his  bravery  and  for  his  remarkable  enerjy  and  sprightliness.  He 
spent  several  years  of  his  boyhood  in  this  wild  and  adventurous  life,  developing 


JOHN  ROWAN.  367 

his  physical  powers  in  the  manly  and  athletic  sports  and  exercises  common  to 
the  country,  and  insensibly  communicating  to  his  mind  and  character,  a  maturity 
and  firmness  inseparable  from  the  habits  of  self  reliance  and  fortitude,  generated 
by  a  continual  familiarity  with  danger. 

At  the  age  of  seventeen,  he  entered  a  classical  school  kept  at  Bardstown,  by  a 
Dr.  Priestly.  In  this  school  were  educated  many  of  those  men  who  have  since 
figured  conspicuously  in  the  history  of  Kentucky,  and  on  the  broader  theatre  of 
national  politics.  Here  John  Rowan  was  remarkable  among  his  fellows  for  the 
facility  with  which  he  mastered  the  most  difficult  branches.  He  obtained  an  ac- 
curate and  critical  knowledge  of  the  classical  tongues,  seemingly  without  an 
effort,  and  soon  learned  to  appreciate  the  unrivalled  beauty  and  sublimity  of  those 
wonderful  productions  of  ancient  genius,  which  have  been  the  admiration  of  all 
ages.  In  his  old  age,  he  used  to  refer  with  much  liveliness,  to  the  pleasure  he 
experienced  at  this  period  of  his  life,  when  he  first  learned  to  appreciate  the 
beauty  of  the  Greek  writers,  in  retiring  to  the  summit  of  a  wild  cliff,  and  there 
reading  aloud  to  the  rocks,  woods  and  waters,  the  Iliad  of  Homer. 

At  this  school,  he  received  an  education  much  superior  to  what  we  might  now 
suppose  could  be  afforded  by  the  institutions  of  the  country  at  that  early  day.  In 
addition  to  this,  he  enjoyed  the  advantage  of  access  to  instructive  and  well  select- 
ed libraries  ;  and  his  acquirements  in  general  information  were  commensurate 
with  the  development  of  his  uncommon  faculties,  which  now  began  to  attract 
the  attention  of  men  of  the  best  talents  in  the  country. 

Guided  by  the  advice  of  his  friends  he  went,  upon  leaving  this  school,  to  Lex- 
ington, and  commenced  the  study  of  the  law.  In  1795,  he  was  admitted  to  the 
bar,  and  soon  attained  a  high  rank  in  his  profession.  Kentucky,  even  at  that 
day,  held  many  men  eminent  for  talent,  learning  and  eloquence  ;  yet  he  was  con- 
sidered among  the  foremost.  As  an  advocate,  in  criminal  cases,  he  had  few 
equals  in  the  state. 

The  Virginia  act  of  1779,  constituting  the  basis  of  the  celebrated  land  laws 
of  Kentucky,  though  originally  drawn  and  reported  to  the  legislature  by  George 
Mason,  one  of  Virginia's  most  able  statesmen,  was  so  amended  before  its  passage, 
as  to  destroy  all  system  in  the  procuring  of  patents,  and  the  consequence  was 
much  litigation  in  Kentucky,  arising  out  of  conflicting  land  claims.  Many  of  our 
most  eminent  lawyers  acquired  great  wealth  by  buying  up  contested  claims,  and 
from  contingent  fees.  In  these  things,  Mr.  Rowan  never  indulged,  conceiving 
them  to  be  inimical  to  the  high  moral  tone  which  should  be  preserved  by  the  pro- 
fession, and  tempting  to  oppression  of  the  occupants  of  lands. 

At  an  early  age,  he  was  called  into  public  life,  and  was  a  member  of  the  con- 
vention that  formed  the  present  constitution  of  Kentucky,  in  1799.  He  was  ap- 
pointed secretary  of  state  in  1804,  and  in  1806  was  elected  to  Congress  from 
a  district  in  which  he  did  not  reside.  He  took  his  seat  in  1807,  and  served  dur- 
ing the  11th  Congress. 

He  was  frequently  a  member  of  the  State  legislature,  and  in  1819,  was  ap- 
pointed a  judge  of  the  court  of  appeals.  While  on  the  bench,  he  delivered  a 
learned  and  forcible  opinion  on  the  power  of  Congress  to  charter  the  bank  of  the 
United  States  in  1816.  Not  relishing  the  close  confinement  of  the  bench,  in 
1821  he  resigned  his  seat.  In  1823,  he  was  appointed  by  the  legislature,  in  con- 
junction with  Henry  Clay,  a  commissioner  to  defend  what  were  called  the  occu- 
pying claimant  laws  of  the  State,  before  the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States. 
The  uncertainty  of  land  titles  under  the  Virginia  laws  before  alluded  to,  had  led 
to  the  enactment  of  laws  by  the  Kentucky  legislature,  more  favorable  to  the  oc- 
cupant than  the  common  law  of  England.  These  statutes  were  attacked  before 
the  supreme  court,  upon  the  ground  that  they  violated  the  compact  between  Vir- 
ginia and  Kentucky.  The  petition  of  the  commissioners  was  drawn  by  Judge 
Rowan,  and  is  deemed  the  ablest  vindication  of  those  laws  ever  published. 

In  1824,  he  was  elected  to  the  senate  of  the  United  States,  in  which  body  he 
served  for  six  years.  On  the  10th  of  April,  1826,  he  delivered  a  speech  of  great 
ability,  on  a  bill  further  to  amend  the  judiciary  system  of  the  United  States.  In 
1828,  he  made  a  learned  and  powerful  speech  on  the  subject  of  imprisonment  for 
debt,  under  process  issued  from  the  courts  of  the  United  States.  It  had  been 
abolished  in  Kentucky  in  1821,  and  yet  he  had  seen  it  practiced  by  process  from 
the  federal  courts  in  this  State,  in  defiance  of  public  sentiment. 


368  JEFFERSON    COUNTY. 

The  last  publio,  office  Mr.  Rowan  filled  was  that  of  commissioner  to  adjust  the 
claims  of  citizens  of  the  United  States  against  Mexico,  under  the  convention  of 
Washington  of  the  11th  of  April,  1839.  In  this  office  he  labored  with  great  as- 
siduity ;  and  when,  upon  an  adjourniiient  of  the  commission,  he  made  a  visit  to 
his  family  in  Kentucky,  and  from  a  temporary  indisposition,  was  unable  to  return 
to  Washington  at  tiie  lime  appointed  for  the  reassembling  of  the  commissioners, 
he  resigned  his  appointment.  Upon  the  organization  of  the  Kentucky  Historical 
Society  in  1838,  he  was  elected  president  of  that  institution,  and  held  the  office 
until  the  period  of  his  death.  He  died,  after  a  short  illness,  at  his  residence  in 
Louisville,  on  the  13th  of  July,  1843,  in  the  seventieth  year  of  his  age. 

Judge  Rowan  was  a  man  devoted  in  his  friendships  and  exceedingly  urbane  in 
his  manners;  kind  and  hospitable  in  all  his  relations.  He  possessed  an  impos- 
ing person  and  dignified  bearing.  His  colloquial  powers  were  of  the  highest  or- 
der, and  made  him  the  life  of  every  company  in  which  he  mingled. 

Among  the  distinguished  men,  whom  Jefferson  county  enrolls  with  her  wor- 
thies, a  prominent  place  belongs  to  Major  General  Zachary  Taylor,  of  the  Uni- 
ted States'  army.  Although  not  a  Kentuckian  by  birth,  he  was  brought  by  his 
parents  to  this  State  when  only  nine  months  old,  and  received  his  first  impressions 
of  the  world  amid  the  hardy  hunters,  the  tall  forests  and  romantic  scenery  of  the 
dark  and  bloody  ground. 

His  father.  Colonel  Richard  Taylor,  was  a  Virginian,  and  a  distinguished  sol- 
dier in  the  continental  army  during  the  war  of  the  revolution.  He  received  a 
commission  in  the  first  regiment  of  troops  raised  by  the  "  Old  Dominion,"  on  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war.  He  continued  in  the  service  until  the  army  was  dis- 
banded, and  retired  with  the  rank  of  lieutenant  colonel.  He  was  distinguished 
for  his  intrepid  courage  and  imperturbable  coolness  in  battle;  and  possessed  the 
faculty,  so  invaluable  in  a  military  leader,  of  inspiring  his  followers  with  the 
same  dauntless  spirit  that  animated  his  own  terrible  and  resistless  charge.  After 
his  removal  to  Kentucky,  he  was  engaged  in  frequent  contests  with  the  Indians, 
until  his  name  became  a  word  of  terror  in  every  wig-wam  from  the  Ohio  to  the 
lakes. 

In  1785,  he  removed  with  his  family  to  Kentucky,  and  settled  near  the  Falls  of 
the  Ohio.  His  son  Zachary  was  at  that  lime  9  months  old.  He  was  brought  up 
and  educated  in  the  neighborhood,  and  grew  up  to  manhood  with  the  yell  of  the 
savage  and  the  crack  of  the  rifle  almost  constantly  ringing  in  his  ears.  General 
Zachary  Taylor  may  be  literally  said  to  have  been  cradled  in  war,  nor  have  the 
deeds  of  his  subsequent  life  done  discredit  to  his  early  training.  He  is  a  true 
son  of  the  "  land  of  blood,"  and  has  proved,  in  many  stricken  fields  of  death,  how 
pure  are  the  ancestral  currents  that  flow  through  his  veins. 

He  manifested,  at  an  early  age,  a  decided  predilection  for  the  profession  of 
arms,  and  in  1808  was  appointed  a  first  lieutenant  in  the  7th  regiment  of  U.  S. 
infantry.  Not  long  after,  he  joined  the  army  at  New  Orleans,  then  under  the 
command  of  General  Wilkinson.  In  1810  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Margaret  Smith,  of  Maryland,  a  lady  in  all  respects  worthy  of  his  aflTections.  In 
the  following  November,  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain.  In  1811,  lie 
was  placed  in  command  of  Fort  Knox  on  the  Wabash,  in  the  vicinity  of  Vin- 
cennes.  From  this  station  he  was  ordered  to  the  east,  a  short  time  before  the  battle 
of  Tippecanoe.  In  1812  he  received  orders  to  take  command  of  Fort  Harrison,  a 
post  situated  on  the  Wabash,  seventy-five  miles  above  Vincennes,  and  fifty  miles 
beyond  the  frontier  settlements.  This  was  a  most  important  trust  for  one  of  his 
age.     But  subsequent  events  proved  the  sagacity  of  the  appointment. 

While  in  command  of  Fort  Harrison,  Captain  Taylor  became  the  hero  of  one  of 
the  most  desperate  conflicts  fought  during  the  war.  This  frontier  post  was  noth- 
ing more  than  a  slight  stockade,  which  had  been  thrown  up  by  General  Harrison 
in  1811,  while  on  his  march  to  Tippecanoe.  The  defences  were  of  the  most  sim- 
ple and  primitive  kind.  The  whole  was  built  of  unseasoned  timber;  and  was 
formed  on  three  sides  by  single  rows  of  pickets;  the  fourth  side  consisting  of  a 
range  of  log  huts,  appropriated  as  barracks  for  the  soldiers,  and  terminated  at 
either  extreme  by  a  block  house.  When  Captain  Taylor  assumed  the  command 
of  this  rude  fortification,  it  was  exceedingly  ill  provided  either  for  comfort  or 
defence,  and  was  garrisoned  by  a  single  broken  company  of  infantry. 


V 


ZACHARY   TAYLOR.  369 

The  situation  of  the  fort  was  unhealthy,  and  the  officers  and  men  suffered 
greatly  from  disease.  On  the  1st  of  September  the  number  of  men  fit  for  duty 
did  not  exceed  fifteen ;  and  several  of  these  were  greatly  disabled  from  recent 
indisposition.  Captain  Taylor  was  the  only  officer  in  the  fort,  and  he  was  slowly 
recovering  from  a  severe  attack  of  the  fever. 

The  Indians,  in  their  frequent  visits  to  the  fort,  had  learned  its  weakness  ;  and 
from  reliable  information  received  from  his  spies.  Captain  Taylor  was  induced  to 
expect  an  attack.  The  crisis  was  most  momentous.  The  Indian  force  on  the 
Wabash  was  strong  and  increasing;  and  demonstrations  were  visible  of  a  hostile 
disposition  in  the  whole  north-western  tribes.  The  frontier  posts  of  Detroit,  Mich- 
illimacinac  and  Chicago  had  already  yielded  to  the  prowess  of  the  combined  arms  of 
the  British  and  Indians,  and  the  destruction  of  Fort  Harrison  would  have  removed 
the  only  obstacle  to  havoc  and  desolation  along  the  whole  border  of  Indiana. 

On  the  3d  of  September,  1812,  two  men  were  murdered  by  the  Indians  within 
a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  fort.  Late  on  the  evening  of  the  4th,  between  thirty 
and  forty  Indians  arrived  from  the  Prophet's  town,  bearing  a  white  flag.  They 
were  principally  chiefs,  and  belonged  to  the  various  tribes  that  composed  the 
Prophet's  party.  Captain  Taylor  was  informed  that  the  principal  chief  would 
make  him  a  speech  the  next  morning,  and  that  the  object  of  their  visit  was  to  get 
something  to  eat.  The  plot  was  well  conceived,  and  boldly  executed  ;  but  it  was 
instantly  detected  by  the  eagle  eye  of  the  young  commander,  and  he  redoubled  his 
exertions  to  put  the  fort  in  a  proper  state  defence.  The  arms  were  examined  and 
found  to  be  in  good  order,  and  each  man  was  furnished  with  sixteen  rounds  of 
cartridges.  The  guard  was  strengthened,  and  a  non-commissioned  officer  ordered 
to  walk  around  the  inside  of  the  garden  during  the  night.  These  precautions 
were  not  uncalled  for;  the  extreme  darkness  of  the  night  rendering  it  difficult  to 
discover  the  approach  of  the  foe. 

The  premeditated  attack,  so  craftily  arranged,  was  made  as  expected.  About 
eleven  o'clock.  Captain  Taylor  was  awakened  by  the  firing  of  one  of  the  senti- 
nels. He  immediately  ordered  the  men  to  their  posts,  and  the  firing  became  gen- 
eral on  both  sides.  In  the  midst  of  the  uproar,  it  was  discovered  that  the  Indians 
had  set  fire  to  the  lower  block  house.  Without  a  moment's  hesitation,  Captain 
Taylor  directed  buckets  to  be  brought,  and  the  fire  to  be  extinguished.  But  it 
was  much  easier  to  give  the  order,  than  to  have  it  executed.  The  men  appeared 
to  be  paralyzed  and  stupified.  The  alarm  of  fire  had  thrown  the  garrison  into 
the  greatest  confusion,  in  the  midst  of  which  all  orders  were  unheard  or  disre- 
garded. Unfortunately,  there  was  a  quantity  of  whiskey  among  the  contractor's 
stores  deposited  in  the  block  house,  which  having  caught  fire,  caused  the  flames 
to  spread  with  great  rapidity,  and  rage  with  irresistible  fury.  During  this  time 
the  Indians  were  not  idle,  but  kept  up  an  incessant  and  rapid  discharge  of  rifles 
against  the  picketing,  accompanied  by  a  concert  of  the  most  infernal  yells  that 
ever  issued  from  the  throat  of  man,  beast  or  devil.  The  fire  soon  ascended  to  the 
roof  of  the  block  house,  and  threatened  to  wrap  the  whole  fort  in  a  sheet  of  flame. 
The  men  gave  themselves  up  for  lost,  and  ceased  to  pay  any  attention  to  the 
orders.  Disorder  was  at  its  height,  and  the  scene  became  terrific.  The  fire  raged, 
and  surged,  and  roared — the  Indians  howled  and  yelled — dogs  barked — the  woun- 
ded groaned  ;  and  high  above  all,  arose  the  shriek  of  woman  in  her  terror,  sending 
its  keen  and  thrilling  accents  through  the  mingled  sounds  of  battle — the  surround- 
ing forest,  bathed  in  bloody  light,  returned  a  fiery  glare,  yet  more  appalling  from 
the  intense  darkness  of  the  night;  and  all  combined  made  up  a  time  of  awful. 
terror,  before  which  the  stoutest  heart  quailed  and  quaked.  In  the  midst  of  this 
pandemonium  stood  the  youthful  hero,  like  a  living  rock,  firm  and  collected,  rapid 
and  decisive,  at  a  single  glance  intuitively  determining  the  order  of  the  defence,, 
animating  his  comrades  to  confidence  and  constancy,  and  by  the  irresistible  force 
of  example,  imparted  a  spirit  of  determined  and  courageous  perseverance  even  to 
the  weaker  sex.  The  roof  of  the  block  house  was  thrown  off;  the  other  buildings 
were  kept  wet,  and  by  the  greatest  exertions  the  flames  kept  under.  The  opening 
made  in  the  line  of  the  defences  by  the  burning  of  the  block  house,  was  supplied 
by  a  temporary  breastwork  ;  and  after  keeping  up  a  constant  fire  until  about  six 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  Indians  retired.  The  loss  of  the  garrison,  in  ihis 
affair,  was  only  one  man  killed,  and  two  wounded.  That  of  the  Indians  was  very 
considerable. 
24 


370  JEFFERSON   COUNTY. 

The  brilliant  and  successful  defence  of  Fort  Harrison,  made  such  an  impres- 
sion on  the  spirits  of  the  trihes,  that  it  arrested  the  march  of  the  Indian  forces, 
and  preserved  the  lives  of  hundreds  of  women  and  children.  The  demonstrations 
of  joy  in  Kentucky,  upon  the  receipt  of  the  intelligence,  were  universal.  Cap- 
lain  Taylor,  for  this  affair,  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Major  by  brevet.  It  was 
the  first  brevet  conferred  during  the  war;  and  never  was  similar  reward  more 
justly  merited. 

Major  Taylor  continued  actively  engaged  in  various  departments  of  service  in 
the  west,  constantly  extending  the  sphere  of  his  reputation  and  influence,  until 
1814,  when  he  was  placed  temporarily  at  the  head  of  the  troops  in  Missouri, 
until  the  arrival  of  General  Howard,  the  commanding  officer ;  and  was  busily 
employed  on  that  frontier  till  the  month  of  August.  The  territory  of  Missouri, 
at  that  time,  had  been  almost  entirely  abandoned  by  the  government,  and  was 
consequently  peculiarly  exposed  to  Indian  depredations.  This  rendered  the  ser- 
vice in  which  Captain  Taylor  was  engaged,  one  of  peculiar  hardship  and  hazard. 
The  British  having  taken  Fort  Shelby,  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  had  concentrated  on 
the  Upper  Mississippi  a  combined  force  of  regulars  and  Indians,  preparatory  to  a 
descent  on  the  American  settlements.  To  encounter  this  force  and  protect  the 
extensive  frontier  of  Indiana,  Illinois,  and  Missouri,  and  keep  in  order  the  wes- 
tern and  north-western  tribes,  General  Howard  had  only  ten  companies  of  ran- 
gers, badly  organised,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  eflScient  regular  troops. 

The  crisis  was  important  and  the  urgency  pressing.  No  time  was  to  be  lost ; 
and  on  the  22d  of  August,  Major  Taylor  was  sent  with  a  detachment  of  three 
hundred  and  twenty  men  and  a  few  pieces  of  artillery  to  the  Indian  villages  at 
the  mouth  of  Rock  river,  wiih  instructions  to  destroy  the  villages,  cut  up  the 
corn,  disperse  the  inhabitants,  and  erect  a  fort  in  a  situation  to  command  the  Mis- 
sissippi. If  he  should  find  it  impracticable  to  reach  his  point  of  destination,  he 
had  orders  to  take  up  a  position  at  the  junction  of  the  Des  Moines  and  Missis- 
sippi rivers,  and  there  establish  a  fortification. 

VVhen  Major  Taylor  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  Rock  river,  after  a  difficult  voy- 
age up  the  Mississippi  against  a  strong  and  rapid  current,  and  through  a  region 
swarming  with  hostile  savages,  he  found  a  detachment  of  British  troops,  well 
supplied  with  artillery,  and  an  immense  body  of  Indians  armed  and  equipped 
for  war,  ready  to  receive  him.  Unable  to  return  the  fire  of  the  British  artillery 
with  effect,  and  finding  it  impossible  to  accomplish  the  main  purpose  of  his  expe- 
dition, the  American  commander,  after  skirmishing  some  time  with  the  Indians, 
dropped  his  boats  down  to  the  rapids  of  the  Des  Moines,  and  there,  in  pursuance 
of  his  orders,  proceeded  to  erect  a  fort  on  a  scite  to  command  the  Mississippi 
and  the  mouth  of  the  Des  Moines.  This  was  attended  with  peculiar  hazard,  and 
almost  incredible  privation  and  toil;  but  the  resolution  and  skill  of  the  comman- 
der surmounted  every  obstacle,  and  enabled  him  to  complete  the  work.  It  received 
the  name  of  Fort  Johnson,  and  from  its  position  in  the  heart  of  the  Indian  coun- 
try, became  a  post  of  great  importance  to  the  safety  and  tranquillity  of  the  frontier. 

In  October,  Major  Taylor  was  recalled  to  St.  Louis  by  the  sudden  death  of 
General  Howard;  and  in  November,  accompanied  Colonel  Russell  several  hun- 
dred miles  up  the  Missouri,  to  relieve  a  small  settlement  much  exposed  to  Indian 
depredations.  In  December  he  was  transferred  to  Vincennes,  and  assumed  the 
command  of  the  troops  in  Indiana,  where  he  remained  until  the  termination  of 
the  war.  A  short  time  before  the  conclusion  of  peace,  he  had  been  promoted  to 
a  majority  in  the  2t)th  regiment  of  infantry,  and  ordered  to  join  the  regiment  at 
Plattsburg:  but  when  the  army  was  disbanded,  he  was  retained  on  the  peace  es- 
tablishment with  only  the  rank  of  captain.  Declining  to  come  into  this  arrange- 
ment, he  resigned  his  commission,  and  retired  to  his  farm  near  Louisville. 

In  181G,  he  was  reinstated  in  the  army  with  his  original  rank,  and  placed  in 
■command  of  Fort  Crawford,  at  the  mouth  of  Fox  river,  which  empties  in  Green 
Bay.  He  continued  in  the  command  of  various  posts  in  the  west  until  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Black  Hawk  war  in  1832,  when  he  was  again  called  into  ac- 
tive service.  In  1832  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  colonel,  and  served  under 
General  Atkinson  in  his  various  cam])aigns  against  the  Indians.  It  is  scarcely 
necessary  to  say  that,  in  this  service,  he  fully  sustained  his  high  military  reputa- 
tion.    He  commanded  the  regulars  in  the  bloody  and  decisive  battle  of  the  Wis- 


ZACHARY  TAYLOR.  371 

consin,  which  resulted  in  the  capture  of  Black  Hawk  and  the  Prophet,  and  termi- 
nated the  war. 

In  1836,  Colonel  Taylor  was  ordered  to  Florida,  at  that  time  the  scene  of  a 
bloody  war  between  the  United  States  and  the  Seminole  and  other  tribes  of  south- 
ern Indians.  This  war,  perhaps,  was  the  most  extraordinary  in  which  the  United 
States  was  ever  engaged.  It  had  been  protracted  from  year  to  year  at  an  immense 
expense  of  blood  and  treasure,  unsignalized  by  any  decided  advantage;  and 
when  Colonel  Taylor  was  transferred  to  that  theatre,  there  appeared  no  better 
prospect  of  its  termination  than  at  its  first  commencement.  Our  best  and  bravest 
officers  had  sunk  under  the  hardships  of  a  service  in  which  no  glory  was  to  be 
won,  and  which  presented  no  inducement  to  skill  and  courage,  but  patriotism. 
In  this  vexatious  and  exhausting  service.  Colonel  Taylor  soon  became  distin- 
guished for  zeal,  energy,  activity  and  indomitable  hardihood.  The  uniform  poli- 
cy of  the  Indians  had  been  to  avoid  battle;  directing  their  operations  against 
small  detachments  and  isolated  individuals,  thus  destroying  our  force  in  detail, 
without  incurring  the  hazard  of  a  defeat.  This  plan  of  carrying  on  the  war,  Col- 
onel Taylor  resolved  to  terminate,  and  bring  the  Indians  to  a  battle  at  all  hazards. 

On  the  19lh  of  December,  1836,  lie  learned  that  the  savages  under  the  noted 
chiefs  Alligator  and  Sam  Jones,  had  selected  a  situation  deemed  impregnable, 
where  they  had  determined  to  await  an  attack.  Upon  the  receipt  of  this  intelli- 
gence, he  struck  into  the  wilderness,  with  about  a  thousand  men,  and  twelve 
days'  rations,  with  the  intention  of  assailing  the  enemy  in  their  strong  hold.  On 
the  25th  of  December,  he  arrived  at  the  place  where  the  Indians  were  posted,  on 
the  lake  Okeechobee.  The  Indian  line  was  formed  in  a  dense  hammock,  the  only 
approach  to  which  was  by  a  swamp  three-quarters  of  a  mile  wide,  covered  with 
a  growth  of  grass  five  feet  high,  and  knee  deep  in  mud  and  water.  Undismayed 
by  the  obstacles  which  opposed  his  advance,  Colonel  Taylor  resolved  to  make 
the  attack  without  delay.  The  boldness  and  hardihood  of  the  man,  were  never 
more  signally  displayed  than  on  this  occasion.  The  advantages  were  all  against 
him;  and  any  man  of  less  nerve  would  have  hesitated  long  before  ordering  an 
attack  on  such  a  position  under  such  circumstances.  But  it  is  one  of  the  peculiar 
characteristics  of  this  officer  never  to  yield  to  difficulties,  however  formidable. 
He  had  marched  his  troops  for  five  days  through  an  almost  impassable  wilder- 
ness, and  encountered  incredible  privation  and  toil,  to  bring  his  enemy  to  battle ; 
and  now  that  he  had  found  him,  he  was  not  the  man  to  abandon  the  design  of  his 
expedition.  A  large  portion  of  his  troops  were  raw  volunteers,  untried  in  battle, 
and  upon  whom  he  could  place  only  a  precarious  dependence.  But  he  had  with 
him  a  body  of  five  hundred  regulars,  with  whom  he  was  well  acquainted,  and 
upon  whom  he  knew  he  could  rely. 

At  half  past  twelve  o'clock  the  troops  were  formed  in  order  of  battle  and  ad- 
vanced to  the  attack.  To  the  volunteers,  at  their  own  request,  the  post  of  honor 
was  assigned  in  front.  Before  the  men  could  close  with  the  enemy,  they  had  to 
pass  the  swamp  spoken  of  above,  and  struggle  through  the  tangled  morass,  within 
point  blank  shot  of  seven  hundred  concealed  and  practiced  Indian  marksmen. 
Upon  receiving  the  fire  of  the  Indians,  the  volunteers  broke  their  line  and  fled  with 
precipitation.  Opening  their  ranks  to  let  the  retreating  soldiers  pass  through,  the 
regulars  immediately  closed  up,  and  pressed  forward  firmly  in  the  face  of  the 
tempest  of  balls  which  hailed  from  the  thicket  in  front,  and  cheered  on  by  their 
officers,  faltered  not  until  they  had  passed  the  swamp,  and  drove  the  Indians  from 
their  coverts  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  The  savages  fought  with  desperation, 
and  contested  every  inch  of  ground  with  a  cool,  determined  bravery,  worthy  of 
trained  soldiers.  Slowly  and  sullenly  they  retired,  step  by  step,  before  the  steady 
and  overwhelming  charge  of  the  regulars,  and  when  their  line  was  broken  and  the 
battle  lost,  they  still  continued  to  pour  upon  the  advancing  troops,  from  every  bush 
and  thicket  and  covert,  a  shower  of  balls  which  loaded  the  earth  with  heaps  of 
dead.  The  struggle  lasted  from  half  past  twelve  o'clock  until  three,  P.  M.,  and 
was  terribly  severe  throughout  the  whole  time.  The  slaughter  among  the  officers 
was  immense.  Colonel  Taylor  himself  was  constantly  exposed  to  the  most  immi- 
nent danger;  but  refusing  to  dismount  from  his  horse,  which  rendered  him  a  con- 
spicuous mark  for  the  enemy's  rifles,  he  continued  to  ride  through  that  tornado  of 
balls,  which  hurtled  in  the  air  like  hail  stones,  as  calmly  as  if  on  parade.  This 
battle  was  the  most  successful  of  the  war.     The  victory  was  complete,  and  con- 


372  JEFFERSON   COUNTY. 

tributed  more  than  any  other  event,  to  subdue  the  spirit  of  tlie  tribes  and  dispose 
them  for  peace.  The  Indian  force  in  this  engagement  was  seven  hundred  strong, 
while  the  detachment  commanded  by  Colonel  Taylor  numbered  only  about  five 
hundred  effective  men.  The  loss  was  very  severe;  more  than  one-fourth  of  the 
whole  number  engaged  being  killed  and  wounded. 

For  this  affair,  Colonel  'I'aylor  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Brigadier  General 
by  brevet,  and  made  his  head  quarters  at  Tampa  Bay.  The  Indians  were  so  much 
broken  in  spirit  by  their  defeat,  that  they  did  not  afford  him  another  opportunity 
of  meeting  them  in  a  general  battle,  and  the  residue  of  his  lime  in  Florida  passed 
without  his  being  engaged  in  any  affair  of  striking  interest. 

In  1841,  General  Taylor  was  transferred  to  the  command  of  the  second  depart- 
ment on  the  Arkansas,  where  he  remained  until  the  difficulties  with  Mexico  pre- 
sented a  new  and  broader  field  for  the  display  of  those  powers  which  had  been 
developed  by  a  long  career  of  arduous  and  devoted  service,  and  were  now  matured. 
The  battles  of  Palo  Alto,  Resaca  de  la  Pal  ma,  Monterey  and  Buena  Vista,  fought 
since  the  commencement  of  this  war,  while  they  have  given  new  lustre  to  the 
American  arms,  have  made  General  Taylor  known  to  the  civilized  world  as  one 
of  the  first  commanders  of  the  age. 

Government  having  determined  to  establish  an  armj'  of  observation  on  the  south- 
western frontier.  General  Taylor  was  selected  for  that  command.  He  was  directed 
to  take  a  position  between  the  Nueces  and  the  Kio  Grande;  and  in  August,  1845, 
established  his  camp  at  Corpus  Christi.  Here  he  remained  until  the  11th  of 
March,  1846,  when  he  was  instructed  to  march  his  force  to  the  east  bank  of  the 
Rio  Grande.  At  the  Rio  Colorado,  he  was  encountered  by  liie  Mexican  authorities, 
and  informed  that  an  attempt  to  cross  that  river  would  be  followed  by  actual  hos- 
tilities. He  crossed,  nevertheless  ;  and  leaving  his  army  on  its  march,  advanced 
with  a  body  of  dragoons  to  Point  Isabel,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande,  where 
he  established  a  camj),  and  received  supplies  for  his  army.  Having  rejoined  the 
main  body  of  his  army.  General  Taylor  proceeded  to  take  up  a  position  on  the 
eastern  bank  of  the  Rio  Grande,  opposite  Matainoras,  which  he  fortified.  This 
post  subsequently  received  the  name  of  Fort  Brown. 

The  communication  between  Fort  Brown  and  Point  Isabel,  having  been  inter- 
rupted by  the  interposition  of  large  forces  of  Mexicans  between  those  points,  Gen- 
eral Taylor,  on  the  1st  of  May,  leaving  a  small  but  determined  force  in  possession 
of  Fort  Brown,  inarched  the  main  body  of  his  army  to  Point  Isabel,  determined 
to  open  the  communication.  On  the  3d  of  May,  he  reached  Point  Isabel  without 
interruption  ;  and  on  the  7th  of  the  same  month  started  again  for  Fort  Brown. 
He  had  with  him  a  force  of  less  than  2,300  men  ;  two  eighteen  pounders,  drawn 
by  oxen;  and  Ringgold's  and  Duncan's  batteries  of  light  artillery. 

At  a  place  called  Palo  Alto,  about  twelve  miles  from  Point  Isabel,  he  encoun- 
tered, on  the  8th  of  May,  a  force  of  (iOOO  Mexican  regulars,  provided  with  ten 
pieces  of  artillery,  and  supported  by  a  considerable  body  of  rancheros. 

The  Mexicans  were  drawn  up  in  a  line  of  battle,  extending  a  mile  and  a  half 
across  the  plain,  and  outflanking  the  American  army  at  either  extreme.  The  lan- 
cers were  posted  in  advance  on  the  left,  their  arms  glilterinff  in  the  meridian  sun, 
and  presenting  a  most  brilliant  and  martial  appearance.  The  rest  of  the  line  was 
formed  by  the  infantry  and  artillery. 

The  right  of  the  American  line  of  battle  was  composed  of  the  third,  fourth 
and  fifth  regiments  of  regular  infantry,  and  Ringsold's  artillery,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Colonel  Twiggs.  The  two  eighteen  pounders,  under  Lieutenant  Chur- 
chill, occupied  the  centre  ;  while  the  left  of  the  line  was  formed  by  the  eighth 
infantry  and  Duncan's  artillery,  under  Colonel  Belknap. 

The  action  was  commenced  by  the  Mexican  artillery,  which  opened  its  fire 
while  the  American  army  was  yet  at  some  distance.  The  engagement  soon  be- 
came general,  and  was  fought  almost  entirely  by  the  artillery.  Ringgold's  bat- 
tery opened  with  terrible  effect  on  the  Mexican  left,  scattering  that  brave  array 
of  cavalry  as  if  it  had  been  smitten  by  the  thunder  of  heaven.  'I'hey  soon  re- 
covered, however,  and  making  a  detour,  attempted  to  tall  on  the  American  rear, 
but  were  met  by  the  itifanlry,  in  squares,  and  repelled  with  inmiense  slaughter. 
While  Ringgold's  battery,  sujiported  by  the  infantry,  was  sweeping  ev(>ry  thing 
before  it  on  the  right.  Duncan,  on  the  left,  was  hurling  his  fierce  volleys  into  the 
reeling  columns  of  the  foe,  who  melted  away  at  every  discharge,  as  the  Alpine 


ZACHARY  TAYLOR.  373 

forest  is  swept  befwe  the  terrible  path  of  the  avalanche ;  and  in  the  centre,  the 
two  eighteen  pounders  kept  up  a  steady  and  destructive  fire.  And  now,  while 
the  ground  quaked  and  trembled  under  the  incessant  roar  of  the  artillery,  and  the 
air  was  all  a  flame  from  the  unremitting  flashes  of  the  guns,  ihe  prairie  took  fire, 
and  the  flames,  gathering  force  and  fury  as  they  flew,  rolled  their  devouring  bil- 
lows over  the  field,  and  wrapped  the  two  armies  in  an  impervious  canopy  of  smoke. 
This,  for  a  time,  stayed  the  contest.  But  Duncan  and  his  men,  dashing  through 
the  flames,  which  curled  ten  feet  high,  showed  themselves  like  spirits  from  the 
infernal  deep,  on  the  Mexican  flank,  and  opening  a  furious  fire,  scattered  the  ter- 
ror stricken  columns  in  every  direction.  This  terminated  the  contest.  The  Mexi- 
cans retreated  to  the  chapparal,  and  the  Americans  encamped  on  the  field  of  bat- 
tle. The  Mexican  loss  in  this  affair  was  two  hundred  killed  and  four  hundred 
wounded  :  that  of  the  Americans  was  four  killed  and  thirty-seven  wounded.  Of 
the  killed,  three  were  officers,  among  whom  were  Major  Ringgold  and   Captain 

That  night  the  enemy  retired  four  miles,  and  having  received  a  reinforcement 
of  two  thousand  men,  selected  a  strong  position  at  Resaca  de  la  Palma,  with  a 
ravine  in  front,  guarded  by  a  pond  on  one  flank  and  a  chapparal  on  the  other  ;  and 
having  placed  eight  pieces  of  artillery  in  a  situation  to  command  the  approaches, 
determined  to  await  the  advance  of  the  Americans.  Contrary  to  the  advice  of 
his  officers.  General  Taylor,  notwithstanding  the  immense  superiority  of  the  force 
opposed  to  him,  determined  to  continue  his  march  to  Fort  Brown,  and  early  the 
next  morning  the  army  again  advanced  against  the  foe. 

As  soon  as  the  presence  of  the  enemy  was  ascertained,  the  artillery  of  Lieuten- 
ant Ridgely  was  moved  to  the  front,  and  opened  its  fire  upon  that  of  the  Mexi- 
cans. The  infantry  was  pressed  forward  on  the  right,  and  after  a  desperate 
struggle,  succeeded  in  penetrating  through  the  chapparal,  and  gaining  the  flank ; 
while  on  the  left,  our  troops  gained  a  decided  advantage.  But,  in  the  meantime, 
the  enemy's  centre  kept  up  a  deadly  and  destructive  fire,  which  arrested  the  ad- 
vance of  the  Americans,  and  rendered  the  fortunes  of  the  day  for  some  time 
doubtful.  Though  Ridgely's  artillery  continued  to  make  terrible  havoc  in  the 
ranks  of  the  foe,  the  Mexicans  still  kept  up  a  well  directed  fire,  which  swept  our 
lines  and  did  fearful  execution.  At  this  crisis.  General  Taylor  ordered  Captain 
May  to  charge  the  battery  with  his  dragoons.  Without  a  moment's  hesitation, 
the  gallant  May  and  his  fearless  horsemen  dashed  forward  through  the  tempest 
of  fire  and  iron  which  the  well  worked  artillery  of  the  Mexicans  hurled  in  one 
unbroken  torrent  over  the  plain,  and  though  he  lost  many  of  his  followers  by  the 
discharge  with  which  his  advance  was  met,  he  faltered  not,  but,  with  trumpets 
ringing  merrily,  and  gleaming  sabres,  swept  on  like  a  tornado,  before  which  the 
firm  lines  of  the  enemy  wavered  and  broke,  and  fled.  This  advantage  was  fol- 
lowed up  by  a  fierce  onslaught  from  the  infantry,  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet. 
The  enemy's  centre  was  broken,  and  the  fortune  of  the  day  decided.  The  vic- 
tory was  complete  as  it  was  wonderful.  General  Taylor  brought  into  action  but 
seventeen  hundred  wearied  men,  against  a  force  of  at  least  six  thousand,  well 
disciplined,  officered  and  conditioned.  The  enemy  had  every  advantage  of  posi- 
tion, and  maintained  it  valiantly  and  well,  and  nothing  but  hard  fighting  wrested 
the  victory  from  them.  Our  loss  in  the  battle  was  one  hundred  and  ten  killed 
and  wounded.  That  of  the  enemy  was  probably  ten  fold,  though  never  precisely 
ascertained.  On  the  18th  of  May,  General  Taylor  took  possession  of  Matamo- 
ras  without  resistance. 

Though  his  instructions  required  his  advance  into  the  interior  of  the  country. 
General  Taylor  was  forced  to  delay  his  operations  for  some  time,  from  having  no 
supplies  and  no  adequate  means  of  transportation.  At  length,  these  obstacles 
being  removed,  the  army  was  set  in  motion  and  advanced  upon  Monterey.  This 
was  a  place  strong  by  nature,  amply  fortified,  and  maintained  by  an  army  of 
7,000  troops  of  the  line  and  3.000  irregulars.  To  reduce  this  strong-hold.  Gen- 
eral Taylor  had  a  force,  comprising  425  officers  and  6,220  men.  Against  the 
forty-two  pieces  of  cannon  of  the  Mexicans,  he  arrayed  but  one  ten  inch  mortar, 
two  twenty-four  pound  howitzers,  and  four  light  field  batteries  of  four  guns  each, 
the  mortar  being  the  only  piece  suitable  to  the  operations  of  a  siege.  With  these 
fearful  odds  against  him,  he  invested  the  city. 

Having  established  his  camp  three  miles  from  the  defences  of  the  city,  recon- 


374  JEFFERSON   COUNTY. 

noissances  were  made,  and  it  was  found  possible  to  turn  the  enemy's  position,  and 
gain  tlie  heights  in  his  rear.  General  Worth  was  detached  upon  this  duty,  which, 
having  been  performed,  he  was  to  carry  the  enemy's  works  on  that  side  of  the 
town.  The  operations  soon  became  two-fold — the  assailing  party  of  Worth  being 
independent  of  the  command  of  Taylor,  whose  principal  efforts  were  to  divert  the 
attention  of  the  enemy,  while  Worth  proceeded  to  the  execution  of  his  orders. 

The  order  was  issued  on  the  19th  of  September,  and  the  next  day,  at  two 
o'clock.  Worth  commenced  his  advance,  and  succeeded  in  reaching  a  position 
above  the  Bishop's  palace.  The  next  morning,  the  battle  commenced  in  earnest. 
Pressing  forward,  Worth  encountered  the  enemy  in  force,  and  drove  them  before 
him  with  slaughter.  Gaining  the  Saltillo  road,  he  cut  off  the  communications, 
and  carrying  two  heights  west  of  the  Saltillo  road,  from  one  of  them  he  was  en- 
abled, with  his  guns,  to  command  the  Bishop's  palace.  In  the  meantime,  a  de- 
termined assault  was  made  upon  the  town  from  below,  by  the  force  under  Gen- 
eral Taylor.  It  would  be  useless  to  attempt  a  description,  in  the  narrow  limits 
of  this  sketch,  of  the  series  of  terrific  and  bloody  contests  which  ensued.  Oar 
loss  was  very  heavy,  from  the  character  of  the  enemy's  defences,  and  the  daring 
ardor  of  our  troops.  General  Taylor's  purpose  of  diverting  attention  from  Worth, 
was,  however,  attained  ;  one  of  their  advanced  works  was  carried  at  the  point  of 
the  bayonet,  and  a  strong  footing  secured  in  the  town.  This  was  on  the  third 
day  after  the  commencement  of  active  operations.  On  the  fourth.  Worth  was 
victorious  at  every  point.  The  Bishop's  palace  was  taken,  while  the  troops  un- 
der Taylor  pressed  upon  the  city,  the  lower  part  of  which  was  evacuated  that 
night.  On  the  fifth  day  of  the  siege,  the  troops  under  Taylor  advanced  from 
square  to  square,  every  inch  of  ground  desperately  disputed,  until  they  reached 
within  a  square  of  the  Plaza;  while  Worth  pressed  onward,  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  city,  carrying  all  before  him.  At  length,  matters  being  ripe  for  such  a 
movement,  preparations  were  made  for  a  concerted  storm  of  the  enemy's  position 
on  the  next  day.  The  morning,  however,  brought  an  offer  of  capitulation,  which 
resulted  in  the  surrender  of  the  city.  Our  loss  in  the  affair  was  about  five  hun- 
dred killed  and  wounded  ;  but  the  victory  secured  the  possession  of  an  immense 
territory  and  a  vast  amount  of  military  spoils. 

Making  his  head  quarters  at  Monterey,  General  Taylor  proceeded  to  occupy 
Saltillo  and  Paras,  while  the  Mexicans  fell  back  upon  San  Luis  Potosi. — 
Santa  Anna  was  recalled  to  Mexico,  and  placed  at  the  head  of  the  government 
and  army.     Before  December  he  had  20,000  men  under  his  command,  well  or- 

fanized ;  and  with  this  force,  he  determined  to  crush  Taylor  at  a  blow,  and  re- 
eem  the  conquered  provinces.  While  tbese  preparations  were  going  on,  the 
government  of  the  United  States,  for  the  purpose  of  an  attack  on  Vera  Cruz, 
withdrew  from  General  Taylor  the  most  effective  portion  of  his  forces,  leaving 
him  with  an  extended  line  of  territory  to  defend,  a  formidable  foe  in  front,  and 
with  only  a  small  force,  principally  untried  volunteers,  to  encounter  the  enemy. 
Rejecting  the  advice  of  the  department,  to  retire  to  Monterey,  and  there  defend 
himself.  General  Taylor  determined  to  encounter  Santa  Anna  at  an  advanced  po- 
sition, and  selected  Buena  V^ista  for  that  purpose.  This  field  was  admirably  cho- 
sen, and  the  hero,  with  his  little  band,  there  awaited  the  shock  of  his  powerful 
adversary.  Santa  Anna  brought  into  the  field  20,000  men,  to  encounter  which 
General  Taylor  had  a  force  of  334  oflicers,  and  4,425  men. 

On  the  22d  of  February,  tbe  Mexicans  arrived  in  sight  of  the  American  posi- 
tion, and  made  immediate  preparations  for  the  attack.  Vaunting  his  immense 
superiority,  and  the  impossibility  of  a  successful  resistance,  Santa  Anna  sum- 
moned General  Taylor  to  surrender.  This  was  politely  but  firmly  declined.  It 
was  followed  by  an  attack,  late  in  the  evening,  upon  the  extreme  right  of  the 
Americans,  and  an  attempt  to  gain  our  flank.  The  skirmishing  was  continued 
until  dark.  During  the  night  the  enemy  threw  a  body  of  light  troops  on  the 
mountain  side,  with  the  intention  of  outflanking  tlie  American  left;  and  at  an 
early  hour  the  next  morning,  the  engagement  commenced  at  this  point.  It  con- 
tinued, without  intermission,  thmuah  the  day,  until  night  separated  the  combat- 
ants. Well  and  nobly  did  the  little  band  sustain  itself  against  ttie  overwhelming 
numbers  opposed  to  them.  Our  Hunts,  however,  will  not  permit  us  to  give  the 
details  of  this  battle,  the  most  desperate  ever  fought  on  the  American  continent. 
On  the  part  of  the  Mexicans,  it  was  conducted  with  consummate  skill,  and  main- 


JESSAMINE   COUNTY.  375 

tained  with  courage  and  obstinacy.  Overpowering  masses  of  troops  were  poured 
upon  our  weakest  points,  and  at  several  periods  of  the  battle,  their  success 
seemed  almost  inevitable.  But  the  American  commander  was  found  equal  to  every 
crisis.  Calm,  collected,  and  resolved,  he  rose  superior  to  the  danger  of  his  situa- 
tion, and  wrested  victory  from  defeat.  It  is  admitted  b}"^  all  who  were  present, 
that  no  man  but  General  Taylor  could  have  won  the  victory  of  Buena  Vista.  The 
battle  raged  with  variable  fortunes  for  ten  hours.  At  length  night  put  an  end  to 
the  conflict.  The  Americans  slept  upon  the  field  of  victory,  and  the  foe,  shattered 
and  disheartened,  retired,  and  the  next  day  were  in  full  retreat  for  San  Luis  Po- 
tosi.     Our  loss  was  267  killed,  and  456  wounded  ;  that  of  the  enemy  was  2,000. 

The  battle  of  Buena  Vista  closed  the  war  in  that  quarter  of  Mexico ;  and  since 
that  period.  General  Taylor  has  found  no  enemy  able  or  willing  to  encounter  him. 

The  prominent  qualities  of  General  Taylor's  mind  and  character  may  be  gath- 
ered from  the  preceding  narrative  of  the  events  of  his  life.  He  owes  nothing  to 
the  patronage  of  the  great,  or  the  partiality  of  the  powerful,  but  independent  and 
self-reliant,  has  fought  his  way  up  to  the  lofty  eminence  which  he  now  occupies 
in  the  minds  and  hearts  of  his  countrymen.  His  own  counsels  have  directed,  his 
own  energies  sustained  him.  His  vigor  of  character,  his  power  of  will,  and  fer- 
tility of  resources,  have  swept  every  obstacle  from  before  him^  and  he  will  here- 
after live  in  the  most  cherished  aifections  of  our  people,  and  on  the  brightest  pa- 
ges of  our  country's  history. 

.lefTerson  county  received  its  name  from  Thomas  .Iefferson,  of  Virginia,  the 
distinguished  author  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  the  Virginia  Bill 
of  Rights.  He  entered  public  life  at  a  very  early  age;  was  a  distinguished 
patriot  and  statesman  of  the  revolution;  and  was  foremost  in  the  assertion  of  his 
country's  liberties  against  the  usurpations  of  Great  Britain.  He  was  elected 
Vice  President  of  the  United  States  under  Mr.  Adams — was  secretary  of  state 
under  Washington,  and  twice  elected  President  of  the  United  States.  He  was 
for  many  years  abroad  as  Minister  to  France,  and  left  a  reputation  in  that  country 
second  only  to  Franklin.  For  forty  years  no  man  filled  a  larger  space  in  the  pub- 
lic eye,  and  his  memory  is  still  cherished  with  fond  veneration  by  a  large  portion 
of  the  American  people. 


JESSAMINE    COUNTY. 

Jessaimine  county,  which  was  formed  in  1798,  is  situated  in  the 
middle  section  of  the  State,  and  lies  on  the  Kentucky  river,  which 
borders  its  territory  on  the  south-east,  south,  and  south-west. 
Bounded  on  the  north  by  Fayette  ;  east  by  Madison ;  south  by 
Garrard  ;  and  west  by  Mercer  and  Woodford.  That  portion  of 
Jessamine  which  is  comprised  within  the  boundary  appropriately 
termed  the  "garden  of  Kentucky,"  presents  a  slightly  undulating 
surface,  and  a  black,  friable,  and  remarkably  rich  soil — produ- 
cing luxuriant  crops  of  hemp,  corn,  and  grass.  Hemp  is  the  sta- 
ple, but  large  numbers  of  horses,  mules,  cattle  and  hogs  are  an- 
nually exported.  A  part  of  the  county  is  hilly,  but  is  also  pro- 
ductive. The  whole  is  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  indicating 
a  rapid  advance  in  agricultural  improvement. 

Value  of  taxable  property  in  Jessamine  in  1846,  $4,275,384; 
number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  102,324;  average  value 
of  lands  per  acre,  $22.52 ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  1,353;  number  of  children  between  five  and 
sixteen  years  old,  1,515.     Population  in  1840,  10,015. 


376  JOHNSON   COUNTY. 

NicHOLASviLLE,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  twenty  miles  south- 
west of  Lexington,  thirty  seven  miles  from  Frankfort,  and  five 
hundred  and  forty-six  miles  from  Washington  city  :  contains  a 
fine  court-house,  and  clerks'  offices  and  prison ;  four  churches, 
(Methodist,  Baptist,  Reformed  and  Presbyterian,)  one  male  and 
one  female  academy,  two  schools,  four  taverns,  eight  lawyers,  six 
physicians,  eight  stores  and  groceries,  four  bagging  factories, 
twenty  mechanics'  shops,  and  about  700  inhabitants.  Established 
in  1812,  and  named  in  honor  of  Colonel  George  Nicholas.  Sit- 
uated in  the  heart  of  a  fine  country,  and  surrounded  by  a  rich 
and  intelligent  population,  Nicholasville  is  necessarily  a  place  of 
considerable  business.  North  Liberty  is  a  small  village,  estab- 
lished in  1813. 

The  county  of  Jessamine  derived  its  name  from  Jessamine  creek,  which  rises  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  county,  and  flows  through  it  southwardly  to  the  Ken- 
tucky river.  The  creek  has  been  generally  supposed  to  have  obtained  its  name 
from  the  profusion  of  flowers  which  grew  upon  its  banks  at  an  early  day  ;  but 
such  is  not  the  fact.  It  was  called  in  honor  of  a  young  lady  named /essffmnie 
Douglass,  whose  father  settled  at  the  head  of  the  creek,  and  entered  a  quantity  of 
land,  including  the  land  of  Jessamine  creek.  In  honor  of  his  beautiful  but  unfor- 
tunate daughter,  he  gave  the  creek  the  name  of  Jessamine.  This  creek  is  of  good 
size,  and  as  large  at  its  source  as  at  its  termination.  It  rises  at  two  points  about 
ten  feet  from  each  other.  At  one  point,  it  gushes  from  between  two  large  smooth 
rocks,  and  is  very  deep ;  at  the  other  point  it  boils  up  from  a  bed  of  grave). 


JOHNSON   COUNTY. 

Johnson  county  was  formed  in  1842,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Colonel  Richard  M.  Johnson.  It  is  situated  in  the  extreme  eas- 
tern portion  of  the  state,  on  the  waters  of  Sandy  river  :  Bounded 
on  the  north  by  Lawrence  ;  east  by  Pike,  and  Sandy  river ;  south 
by  Floyd;  and  west  by  Morgan  county.  The  surface  of  the 
county  is  hilly,  interspersed  with  fertile  vallies — the  soil  sandy, 
based  upon  sand-stone.  Exports — horses,  cattle,  hogs,  lumber  of 
various  kinds,  and  coal.  Several  mineral  springs  are  found  in 
the  county.  The  south  fork  of  Big  Sandy  is  navigable  for  flat 
boats  and  small  steam  boats  several  months  in  the  year. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  .Johnson  county,  89,669  ;  average 
value  per  acre,  $1 .84  ;  taxable  property  in  1846,  valued  $266,074 ; 
white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  506  ;  children  between 
five  and  seventeen  years  old,  920.  Organized  since  the  census 
of  1840. 

Paintville,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  on  Paint  creek,  about 
140  miles  from  Frankfort — contains  a  handsome  brick  court-house, 
five  stores,  two  taverns,  two  lawyers,  two  doctors,  twelve  mechan- 
ics' shops,  and  manufacturing  establishments.     Population,  125. 

A  copper  cross,  about  one  inch  and  a  half  long,  with  an  image  extended  on  it, 
and  also  a  crescent  about  an  inch  in  diameter,  made  of  copper,  and  having  either 


RICHARD   M.  JOHNSON.  377 

pearl  or  imitation  of  pearl  on  it,  was  found  at  the  mouth  of  Paint  creek,  in  this 
county,  about  seven  years  ago,  by  a  gentleman  when  plowing  his  corn.  On 
the  cross  were  the  letters  "  Santa  Maria" 

Colonel  Richard  M.  .Iohnson,  the  third  son  of  Colonel  Robert  Johnson,  of 
Scott  county,*  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  the  autumn  of  1781.  The  literary  insti- 
tutions of  Kentucky  were  then  in  their  infancy,  and  the  facilities  for  thorough 
education,  exceedingly  limited.  Richard  remained  with  his  father  until  the  age 
of  fifteen,  receiving  only  such  instruction  as  the  nature  of  circumstances  would 
allow.  At  this  age  he  left  his  father's  house,  intent  upon  advantages  superior  to 
those  afforded  in  that  vicinity,  and  entered  a  country  school,  where  he  acquired  a 
knowledge  of  grammar,  and  the  rudiments  of  the  Latin  language.  Afterwards 
he  entered  Transylvania  University,  where,  by  unremitted  industry,  he  made  rapid 
progress  in  the  acquisition  of  classic  and  scientific  knowledge. 

Opon  quitting  the  university,  he  entered  upon  the  study  of  the  law,  under  the 
guidance  and  instruction  of  that  celebrated  jurist  and  statesman.  Colonel  George 
Nicholas.  On  the  decease  of  this  gentleman,  which  took  place  a  few  weeks  af- 
ter his  young  student  had  entered  his  office,  the  subject  of  this  biography  placed 
himself  under  the  instruction  of  the  Hon.  James  Brown,  late  a  senator  in  Con- 
gress from  Louisiana,  and  subsequently  a  minister  from  the  United  States  to  the 
court  of  France,  but  then  a  distinguished  member  of  the  Kentucky  bar.  With 
this  eminent  citizen  he  finished  his  preparatory  studies,  and  at  the  early  age  of 
nineteen  entered  upon  the  arduous  duties  of  his  profession. 

In  his  vocation  as  a  lawyer,  he  was  eminently  successful,  and  displayed  the 
same  active  energy  of  mind  and  benevolence  of  heart,  which  have  since  so  emi- 
nently distinguished  him  in  higher  and  more  responsible  stations.  He  despised 
injustice  and  oppression,  and  never  omitted  an  occasion  to  render  his  services, 
without  prospect  of  reward,  where  honest  poverty  or  injured  innocence  was  found 
struggling  against  the  oppressions  of  wealth.  The  inability  of  a  client  to  pay  a 
fee,  never  deterred  him  from  attending  sedulously  to  his  cause,  no  matter  how 
intricate  and  laborious  were  the  services.  By  these  means,  even  at  so  early 
an  age,  he  secured  to  himself  the  just  reward  of  his  virtues,  and  the  approbation 
and  esteem  of  the  public. 

Scarcely  had  he  been  fairly  installed  in  the  duties  of  his  profession,  before  an 
opportunity  was  afforded  for  the  development  of  that  high  and  chivalrous  patriot- 
ism which  has  since  identified  him  with  some  of  the  noblest  feats  of  American 
valor,  and  given  his  name  to  immortality.  In  1802,  the  port  of  New  Orleans,  in 
violation  of  an  existing  treaty,  was  closed  against  the  United  States  by  the  Span- 
ish intendant.  The  occurrence  gave  rise  to  immense  excitement  throughout 
America,  especially  in  the  valley  of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi,  and  a  rupture  be- 
tween Spain  and  the  United  States,  likely  to  end  in  war,  was  the  consequence. 
Richard  M.  Johnson,  then  only  in  his  twentieth  year,  with  many  other  young 
men  of  his  neighborhood,  promptly  volunteered  his  services  to  pass  down  the 
western  waters  and  make  a  descent  on  New  Orleans,  in  the  event  of  war.  In  a 
few  days,  chiefly  through  his  exertions,  a  large  company  was  enrolled,  and  he 
was  chosen  to  the  command.  The  speedy  adjustment  of  the  dispute  with  Spain, 
deprived  him  and  the  brave  youths  under  his  command,  of  the  opportunity  of 
signalizing  themselves  and  the  State  upon  the  field  of  battle. 

Before  he  had  attained  the  age  of  twenty-one,  at  which  period  the  constitution 
of  Kentucky  fixes  the  eligibility  of  the  citizen  to  a  seat  in  the  legislature,  the 
citizens  of  Scott  county  elected  him,  by  acclamation,  to  a  seat  in  that  body.  As 
a  member  of  the  legislature,  he  acquitted  himself  with  great  credit,  and  to  the 
entire  satisfaction  of  his  constituents.  Having  served  two  years  in  that  station, 
at  the  age  of  twenty-four  he  was  elected  a  representative  in  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States  ;  and  in  October,  1807,  being  then  just  twenty-five,  took  his  seat 
in  that  body. 

He  entered  upon  the  theatre  of  national  politics,  at  a  period  when  party  excite- 
ment ran  iiigh,  and  attached  himself  to  the  republican  party,  more  from  a  uniform 
and  fixed  devotion  to  the  principles  of  democracy,  than  from  any  purely  selfish 
policy.  He  was  immediately  placed  upon  some  of  the  most  important  commit- 
tees, and  at  the  second  session  of  the  term  for  which  he  was  elected,  was  ap- 

*  See  a  sketch  of  Colonel  Robert  Johnson,  under  the  head  of  Scott  county. 


378  JOHNSON   COUNTY. 

pointed  chairman  of  the  committee  of  claims,  at  that  time  among  the  most  impor- 
tant of  the  house  committees.  His  zealous  and  faithful  devotion  to  business, 
and  the  distinction  which  he  had  acquired  in  Congress  and  throughout  the  Union, 
as  a  genuine  friend  of  the  liberty  and  happiness  of  his  country,  increased  his 
popularity  at  home,  and  insured  his  re-election  by  his  constituents,  who  from  that 
period  to  the  present  time,  have  never  failed  to  manifest  their  devoted  attachment 
to  him,  whenever  he  was  a  candidate  for  office,  either  under  the  State  or  national 
government. 

In  1811,  our  relations  with  Great  Britain  were  such  as,  in  the  opinion  of  many, 
to  render  an  appeal  to  arms  inevitable.  Richard  M.  Johnson  was  among  those 
who  were  convinced  that  no  other  alternative  remained  to  the  people  of  the  Uni- 
ted States;  and  accordingly,  after  supporting,  with  great  energy,  all  the  prepara- 
tory measures  which  the  crisis  demanded,  in  June,  1812,  gave  his  vote  for  the 
declaration  of  war.  This  important  measure  was  shortly  afterwards  followed  by 
an  adjournment  of  Congress,  when  he  hastened  home,  raised  the  standard  of  his 
country,  and  called  around  him  many  of  the  best  citizens  of  his  neighborhood, 
some  of  whom,  schooled  in  the  stormy  period  of  the  early  settlement  of  the 
State,  were  veteran  warriors,  well  suited  for  the  service  for  which  they  were  in- 
tended. With  this  battalion,  composed  of  three  companies,  he  hastened  to  the 
frontier,  and  when  arrived  at  St.  Mary's  on  the  13th  of  September,  his  force,  by 
general  order,  was  augmented  by  a  battalion  of  mounted  volunteers,  and  he  elec- 
ted to  the  command  of  the  regiment  thus  formed.  A  portion  of  the  regiment 
only,  during  that  season,  had  any  opportunity  of  an  engagement ;  and  this  was  a 
party  of  the  mounted  battalion,  under  Major  Suggett,  which,  in  communicating 
with  Fort  Wayne,  besieged  by  a  superior  force,  encountered  an  equal  number  of 
the  enemy,  whom  it  routed,  killing  an  Indian  chief  of  some  distinction.  After  an 
active  campaign  of  about  ten  months.  Colonel  Johnson  returned  home  for  the 
purpose  of  proceeding  to  Washington  to  re-enter  Congress,  having  added  to  his 
reputation  as  a  statesman,  that  of  an  energetic  and  patriotic  soldier. 

In  the  winter  following  while  in  attendance  upon  Congress,  he  rendered  mate- 
rial aid  to  the  president,  in  arranging  the  plan  of  campaign  for  the  ensuing  sum- 
mer, and  his  views  being  adopted,  were  subsequently  carried  out,  and  contributed 
essentially  to  the  successes  which  followed  upon  the  frontier.  Colonel  Johnson 
was  authorized  by  the  secretary  of  war  to  raise,  organize  and  hold  in  readiness, 
a  regiment  of  mounted  volunteers,  to  consist  of  one  thousand  men.  Accordingly 
upon  the  adjournment  of  Congress  in  March,  he  hastened  home,  and  in  a  few 
weeks  secured  from  among  the  most  respectable  and  patriotic  citizens  of  the  state, 
the  full  complement  of  volunteers,  to  the  organization  and  discipline  of  whom  he 
gave  his  most  sedulous  attention.  In  this  important  part  of  his  military  duty,  he 
had  the  valuable  aid  of  his  skillful  and  intrepid  brother,  Lt.  Col.  James  Johnson, 
whose  military  talents,  decision  and  courage  in  the  hour  of  battle,  have  entitled 
him  to  a  full  share  of  the  glory  acquired  by  the  regiment.  Colonel  Johnson,  with 
his  accustomed  energy,  lost  no  time  in  repairing  with  his  command  to  the  frontier 
of  Ohio,  then  the  theatre  of  operations.  His  regiment  soon  acquired  a  name  that 
attracted  the  admiration  of  the  country.  Never  did  soldiers  perform  their  arduous 
duties  with  more  alacrity  and  cheerfulness,  nor  were  the  services  of  any  more 
useful  and  extensive.  In  making  inroads  upon  the  enemy,  and  in  various  skir- 
mishes, their  success  was  always  complete. 

In  October,  1813,  the  decisive  crisis  in  the  operations  of  the  north-western  army 
arrived — the  battle  of  the  Thames,  which  led  to  a  termination  of  hostilities  in  that 
quarter,  was  fought  and  won.  The  distinguished  services  of  Colonel  Johnson, 
and  his  brave  regiment,  in  that  sanguinary  engagement,  have  scarcely  a  parallel 
in  the  heroic  annals  of  our  country.  The  British  and  Indians,  the  former  under 
the  command  of  General  Proctor,  and  the  latter  under  that  of  Tecnmseh.  tlie  cele- 
brated Indian  warrior,  had  taken  an  advantageous  position,  the  British  in  line 
between  the  river  Thames  and  a  narrow  swamp,  and  the  Indians  in  ambush  on 
their  right,  and  west  of  the  swamp,  ready  to  fall  upon  the  rear  of  CoUmel  John- 
son, should  he  force  a  retreat  of  the  British.  Colonel  Johnson,  under  the  orders 
of  the  commander  in  chirf,  divided  his  regiment  into  two  battalions,  one  under  the 
command  of  his  gallant  brother  .lames,  and  the  other  to  lie  led  by  liimself.  Col. 
Johnson  with  his  battalion  passed  the  swanij)  and  attacked  the  Indians,  at  the 
same  moment  that  his  brother  James  fell  upon  and  routed  the  British  regulars. 


RICHARD   M.  JOHNSON.  379 

The  contest  for  a  while  between  Colonel  Johnson's  battalion  and  the  Indians, 
was  obstinate  and  bloody,  the  slaughter  great,  but  success  complete.  The  gallant 
Colonel  was  in  the  very  midst  and  thickest  of  the  fight,  inspiring  by  his  presence 
and  courage  tlie  utmost  confidence  of  his  brave  followers,  and  though  perforated 
with  balls,  his  bridle  arm  shattered,  and  bleeding  profusely,  he  continued  to  fight 
until  he  encountered  and  slew  an  Indian  chief  who  formed  the  rallying  point 
of  the  savages.  This  chief  was  supposed  to  be  the  famous  Tecumseh  himself, 
upon  whose  fall  the  Indians  raised  a  yell  and  retreated.  The  heroic  Colonel, 
covered  with  wounds,  twenty-five  balls  having  been  shot  into  him,  his  clothes, 
and  his  horse,  was  borne  from  the  battle  ground,  faint  from  exertion  and  loss  of 
blood,  and  almost  lifeless.  Never  was  victory  so  complete  or  its  achievement  so 
glorious.  Fifteen  hundred  Indians  were  engaged  against  the  battallion  of  Col. 
Johnson,  and  eight  hundred  British  regulars  against  that  of  his  brother.  Both 
forces  were  completely  routed,  and  an  effectual  end  put  to  the  war  upon  the  north- 
ern frontier,  distinguished  as  it  had  been  by  so  many  murderous  cruelties  upon 
the  part  of  the  savage  allies  of  the  British. 

The  war  in  that  quarter  being  now  ended,  in  a  short  time  the  army  took  up  its 
march  homeward  ;  but  Colonel  Johnson  being  unable  to  continue  with  his  regi- 
ment, was  carried  to  Detroit,  from  whence  after  a  short  confinement  he  departed 
for  home.  After  a  distressing  journey,  during  which  he  endured  the  most  painful 
suffering,  he  reached  his  home  in  Kentucky  early  in  November.  In  February 
1814,  still  unable  to  walk,  he  reached  Washington  city,  and  resumed  his  seat  in 
Congress.  Every  where  upon  the  route,  and  at  the  metropolis,  he  was  met  with 
the  most  enthusiastic  and  cordial  greetings  of  a  grateful  people.  Even  his  polit- 
ical opponents,  deeply  sensible  of  his  sincerity,  his  patriotism  and  his  valor,  cor- 
dially united  in  doing  honor  to  the  man  who  had  at  so  much  sacrifice,  rendered 
such  glorious  service  to  the  country.  Congress  by  joint  resolution,  made  appro- 
priate acknowledgment  of  his  gallant  deeds,  and  directed  him  to  be  presented  with 
a  suitable  testimonial  of  his  services. 

He  continued  to  serve  his  constituents  in  Congress  until  the  year  1819,  when 
he  voluntarily  retired,  carrying  with  him  the  esteem  of  the  whole  nation.  But 
his  native  state,  of  whicii  he  was  justly  the  idol,  would  not  suffer  him  to  remain 
in  retirement.  The  people  of  Scott  county  immediately  returned  him  to  the  state 
legislature,  and  that  body  elected  him  to  the  United  States'  senate.  An  honor  so 
exalted,  from  a  source  so  honored,  he  could  not  resist ;  and  accordingly  in  De- 
cember 1819  he  took  his  seat  in  the  United  States'  senate,  and  after  serving  his 
term  was  unanimously  re-elected,  a  circumstance  which  serves  to  show  how  well 
he  preserved  the  confidence  of  the  people  of  his  native  state,  and  how  deeply  he 
was  enshrined  in  their  affections. 

His  career  as  a  legislator,  was  scarcely  less  brilliant  and  useful,  than  that  in 
which  he  distinguished  himself  as  a  warrior.  His  speeches  and  reports,  are  mon- 
uments of  his  wisdom  and  liberality  as  a  statesman.  The  whole  nation  will  bear 
evidence  to  his  zeal  and  industry  in  support  of  all  measures  calculated  to  promote 
the  end  of  free  government — the  happiness  of  the  people.  No  man  labored  more 
indefatigably,  in  behalf  of  private  claimants,  than  did  Colonel  Johnson;  and  so 
scrupulously  faithful  was  he  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty  towards  all  who  applied 
for  his  services,  that  he  never  failed  while  in  congress  to  attend  to  a  single  appli- 
cation that  was  made  to  him.  The  old  soldiers  of  the  revolution,  the  invalids  of 
the  last  war,  and  thousands  of  other  persons,  all  over  the  Union,  who  had  claims 
to  urge  upon  the  government,  had  no  truer  or  surer  friend  in  Congress  than  Col. 
Johnson,  as  many  of  them  now  enjoying  the  bounty  of  the  government  through 
his  instrumentality,  can  bear  most  grateful  testimony. 

In  1836  he  was  made  Vice  President  of  the  United  States,  and  presided  over 
the  senate  with  great  dignity  for  the  term  of  four  years,  at  the  expiration  of  which, 
he  retired  to  his  farm  in  Scott  county,  Kentucky,  where  he  has  with  the  exception 
of  a  single  term  in  the  legislature,  remained  in  private  life  ever  since,  devoting 
himself  with  praiseworthy  assiduity  to  the  reparation  of  his  private  fortune,  some- 
what impaired  by  a  too  liberal  hospitality  and  constant  attention  for  so  long  a 
period  to  public  affairs. 


380  KEiNTON   COUNTY. 


KENTON    COUNTY. 

Kenton  county  was  formed  irt  1840,  by  a  division  of  Campbell 
county,  and  named  in  honor  of  the  distinguished  pioneer,  Gen- 
eral Simon  Kenton.  It  is  situated  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
State,  and  lies  on  the  Ohio  and  Licking  rivers  :  Bounded  on  the 
north  by  the  Ohio  river;  east  by  Licking  river  and  Campbell 
county  ;  south  by  Pendleton  ;  and  west  by  Boone.  Covington  is 
the  principal  town,  and  Independence  the  seat  of  justice,  the  for- 
mer about  eighty  and  the  latter  seventy-four  miles  from  Frank- 
fort. The  bottom  lands  of  Kenton  county  are  rich  and  very  pro- 
ductive. The  up-lands  are  undulating  or  hilly,  but  grow  fine 
wheat,  corn  and  tobacco,  which  are  the  principal  products  of  the 
county.  The  county  is  dotted  with  line  gardens,  which  the  mar- 
kets of  Cincinnati  and  Covington  render  very  profitable  to  the 
owners.  The  lands  along  the  Lexington  road,  and  between  it 
and  Dry  creek,  are  of  a  very  superior  quality — and  many  of  the 
farmers  have  engaged  in  the  dairy  business,  more  or  less  exten- 
sively. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  Kenton  county,  92,402  ;  average 
value  of  lands  per  acre  in  1846,  $14.95  ;  number  of  white  males 
over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  2,429  ;  number  of  children  between 
five  and  sixteen  years  old,  2,050.  Total  valuation  of  taxable  prop- 
erty in  1846,  $2,882,155. 

The  city  of  Cuvingtun  is  situated  on  the  Ohio  river,  opposite 
the  city  of  Cincinnati,  and  immediately  below  the  mouth  of 
Licking  river,  separated  from  Newport  by  that  river.  It  is  built 
upon  a  beautiful  plain,  several  miles  in  extent,  and  the  streets 
have  been  so  planned  as  to  present  the  appearance  of  a  contin- 
uation of  those  of  Cincinnati.  The  public  buildings  are, — a 
large  city  hall,  two  Methodist,  one  Presbyterian,  one  Baptist,  one 
Reformed  or  Christian,  one  Episcopal,  and  two  Catholic  churches 
— two  female  academies,  one  common  and  two  classical  schools, 
and  the  Western  Baptist  Theological  college.  There  are  two 
printing  offices  in  the  city,  which  publish  weekly  papers — the 
"  Licking  Valley  Register"  and  the  "Covington  Intelligencer."  Cov- 
ington also  contains  sixteen  lawyers,  ten  ph3'sicians,  twenty  dry 
goods  stores,  fifty  produce  and  grocery  stores,  thirty-five  tobacco 
manufactories,  one  rolling  mill,  employing  one  hundred  hands 
and  manufacturing  two  thousand  tons  of  iron  annually,  one  large 
cotton  manufactory,  one  silk  factory,  one  hemp  factory  with  eigh- 
teen looms  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  hands,  one  steam  flour- 
ing mill,  one  printing  ink  manufactory,  three  coverlet  manufac- 
tories, one  saw  mill,  three  rope  walks,  and  a  large  number  of 
other  manufacturing  establishments  and  mechanics'  shops.  The 
population  of  Covington,  amounting  now  to  upwards  of  six 
thousand,  is  increasing  with  great  rapidity. 

The  Western  Baptist  Theological  College  is  a  richly  endowed 
institution,  and  is  now  in  a  flourishing  condition.  The  Rev.  Dr. 
Pattison  is  the  president. 


BAPTIST  THEOLOGICAL,  SEMINARY,   COVINGTON,  KY 


V:* 


382  ,      KENTON  COUNTY. 

The  Female  Seminary  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Orr,  has  steadily  grown 
in  public  favor,  and  is  now  one  of  the  best  literary  institutions 
of  the  kind  in  the  State.  It  is  located  near  the  Licking  river,  in 
a  retired  and  pleasant  situation — the  building  spacious  and  well 
arranged,  and  the  grounds  very  tastefully  ornamented. 

Covington  is  destined  to  be  the  second  city  of  Kentucky  in 
population  and  wealth.  Although  separated  from  Cincinnati  by 
the  Ohio  river,  the  facilities  of  communication  by  steam  ferry 
boats  are  such  as  to  induce  man}*  business  men  in  that  place  to 
make  Covington  their  residence.  This  disposition  will  increase 
as  Cincinnati  grows,  and  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  private  resi- 
dences near  the  centre  of  trade  becomes  greater. 

IndcpeTidcncc,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  ten  miles  from  Cov- 
ington— contains  the  county  buildings,  one  church,  a  post-office, 
and  several  dwellings,  stores  and  shops. 

There  is  a  well  on  the  farm  of  Ellison  Williams,  which  was  formerly  called 
the  Hys^ean  well,  and  was  once  kept  as  a  waterings  place,  hut  not  much  resorted 
to.  Mr.  Williams  was  a  pioneer  of  Kentucky  and  a  companion  of  Boone.  He 
is  a  sprightly  old  man,  and  relates  many  interesting  anecdotes  of  pioneer  life. 
When  the  remains  of  Boone  were  brought  to  Kentucky,  and  re-interred  in  the 
public  cemetery  at  Frankfort,  this  venerable  pioneer  was  one  of  the  pall-bearers. 

The  Letlunian  Springs,  a  weak  sulphur,  is  situated  four  miles  from  Covington, 
on  the  Bank  Lick  road.  The  springs  are  well  kept,  and  being  a  pleasant  ride 
from  Covington,  they  have  become  a  place  of  considerable  resort  in  the  watering 
season. 

Dry  Creek,  in  this  county,  is  remarkable  for  the  fact,  that,  after  a  heavy  rain, 
it  is  so  flush  and  high,  that  it  cannot  be  forded,  but  in  a  few  hours  it  runs  dry, 
or  so  nearly  so,  that  hogs  will  be  seen  where  it  was  deepest,  turning  up  the 
rocks  in  search  of  craw-fish. 

Captain  Cruise  encamped  with  his  company  (belonging  to  Wayne's  army)  on 
the  creek  bearing  his  name,  in  1784.  He  strayed  from  camp,  and  was  found 
dead,  the  next  day,  in  the  creek,  bearing  marks  of  savage  violence.  He  was 
buried  by  his  company  on  this  creek,  which  rises  in  Boone,  and  running  across 
Kenton,  empties  into  Licking,  about  twenty  miles  above  its  mouth.  The  old 
residents  disagree  about  the  spot  "  where  they  buried  Cruise."  The  testimony, 
as  to  his  grave,  is  so  contradictory,  that  gentlemen  land-jobbers  have  several 
times  gone  there  in  order  to  find  it,  but  without  success.  Their  patents  called 
for  Cruise's  grave  as  a  beginning.  The  old  settlers,  it  is  thought,  may  have  had 
some  design  in  making  it  uncertain  "where  they  buried  Cruise." 

Kenton  county  takes  its  name  from  one  of  the  most  celebrated  pioneers  of  the 
west.  General  Simon  Kenton  was  born  of  obscure  parents,  in  Fauquier  county, 
Virginia,  May  15th,  1755.  His  father  was  an  Irishman;  his  mother  of  Scotch 
descent.  The  poverty  of  his  parents  caused  his  education  to  be  neglected,  most 
unfortunately  for  his  future  prosperity.  His  life,  until  he  was  sixteen  years  of 
age,  appears  to  have  run  smoothly  enough,  distinguished  by  no  uncommon  events 
from  that  of  the  neighboring  boys.  About  that  age,  however,  a  calamity  befell 
him,  which,  apart  from  its  irreparable  nature,  in  the  opinion  of  all  young  gentle- 
men of  sixteen,  gave  a  direction  to  his  whole  future  life.  He  lost  his  sweetheart ; 
not  by  death,  or  anything  of  that  kind — for  that  could  have  been  endured — but  by 
means  of  a  more  favored  rival.  The  successful  lover's  name  was  William  Veach. 
Kenton,  in  utter  despair  and  recklessness,  having  gone  uninvited  to  the  wedding, 
and  thrust  himself  between  the  happy  pair  (whom  he  found  seated  cosily  on  a 
bed),  was  pounced  upon  by  Veach  and  his  brothers,  who  gave  him,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  such  affviirs,  "  what  he  wanted."  They,  however,  had  mistaken  his 
wants,  for,  meeting  with  William  Veach  a  short  time  afterwards,  in  a  retired 


^ 


SIMON   KENTON.  383 

place,  he  informed  him  that  he  was  not  satisfied.  A  severe  fight  ensued,  which, 
after  varied  success,  terminated  in  the  complete  discomfiture  of  Veach.  In  the 
course  of  the  contest,  Kenton  succeeded  in  entangling  his  antagonist's  long  hair 
in  a  bush,  which  put  him  entirely  in  his  power.  The  desperate  young  man  beat 
his  rival  with  a  severity  altogether  foreign  to  his  subsequent  amiable  character. 
His  violence  appeared  "to  be  fatal ;  the  unhappy  man,  bleeding  at  mouth  and  nose, 
attempted  to  rise,  and  fell  back  insensible.  Kenton  was  alarmed  ;  he  raised  him 
up,  spoke  kindly  to  him,  and  receiving  no  answer,  believed  him  dead  I  He 
dropped  his  lifeless  body  and  fled  to  the  woods.  Now,  indeed,  he  thought  him- 
self ruined  beyond  redemption.  He  had  lost  the  girl  he  loved,  and  had  killed  his 
former  friend  and  companion,  and  therefore  the  society  of  civilized  man  must  be 
not  only  repulsive,  but  dangerous.  The  AUeghanies,  and  the  wilderness  of  the 
unexplored  west  offered  him  a  secure  asjium,  and  he  plunged  at  once  into  the 
woods.  Traveling  by  night,  and  lying  concealed  by  day,  after  many  sufferings 
he  arrived  at  Ise's  ford,  on  Cheat  river,  some  time  in  April  1771.  Here  he 
changed  his  name  to  "  Simon  Butler."  Thus,  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  this  man, 
who,  in  the  hands  of  the  Alniiiihty,  was  so  instrumental  in  redeeming  the  great 
west  from  the  savage,  and  opening  the  way  for  the  stream  of  civilization  which 
has  since  poured  over  its  fertile  plains,  desolate  in  heart,  and  burdened  with 
crime,  was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources,  to  struggle  with  the  dangers  and 
privations  of  the  wilderness. 

After  some  months'  stay  on  Cheat  river,  Kenton,  having  earned  a  good  rifle  by 
his  labor,  joined  a  party,  with  whom  he  proceeded  to  Fort  Pitt.  Here,  while 
hunting  in  the  employ  of  the  small  garrison  at  that  place,  he  made  the  acquaint- 
ance and  formed  a  friendship  with  Simon  Girty,  afterwards  so  infamous  as  a  rene- 
gade. In  the  fall  of  1771,  he  fell  in  with  George  Yeager  and  .lohn  Strader. 
Yeager  it  was  who  first  mentioned  to  Kenton  the  "cane  land,"  called  by  the 
Indians,  Kain-tuck-ee,  and  fired  his  imagination  with  his  descriptions  of  its  soil 
and  scenery,  and  the  numbers  and  extent  of  the  game. 

In  company  with  Yeager  and  Strader,  Kenton  proceeded  down  the  Ohio  river 
as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the  Kentucky  river,  looking  for  the  cane,  which,  according 
to  Yeager,  covered  the  country.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  cane  nowhere  grew 
on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  above  the  mouth  of  the  Kentucky  river,  although  the 
interior  was  covered  with  it.  The  party,  not  finding  land  answering  the  descrip- 
tion of  Yeager,  returned  up  the  Ohio  to  the  mouth  of  Big  Kenawha;  examining 
the  creeks  and  rivers  on  the  southern  shore  without  success.  Abandoning  the 
search,  in  the  winters  of  1771-2,  they  built  a  camp  on  a  branch  of  the  great  Ke- 
nawha, and  hunted  and  trapped  with  considerable  success.  Here  they  lived  a 
free  and  unrestrained  life,  and  a  very  happy  one,  engaged  in  the  pursuits  of  the 
hunter,  until  the  spring  of  1773.  The  troubles  with  the  mother  country  beginning 
to  thicken  about  this  time,  the  Indians  were  excited  against  the  colonists.  One 
evening  in  March,  while  the  three  hunters  were  quietly  reposing  in  their  rude 
camp,  they  were  fired  upon  by  the  Indians.  Yeager  was  killed,  and  Kenton  and 
Strader  fled  to  the  woods.  Night  setting  in,  they  effected  their  escape,  though 
barefooted  and  naked,  having  on  nothing  but  their  shirts,  and  without  food  ;  they 
suffered  dreadfully,  during  the  six  days  they  wandered,  famished,  and  torn  by  the 
briars  through  the  wilderness.  On  the  sixth  day  they  often  laid  down  to  die,  so 
completely  were  they  exhausted.  Their  feet  had  become  so  sore  that  they  were 
unable  to  perform  but  six  miles  during  the  day.  At  last  they  reached  the  Ohio, 
where  they  found  a  party  of  hunters,  who  fed  and  clothed  them.  With  this  party 
Kenton  returned  up  to  the  mouth  of  Little  Kenawha.  Here  he  employed  himself 
with  Dr.  Briscoe,  until  he  had  bought  a  rifle,  and  other  necessaries.  In  the  sum- 
mer, he  joined  a  party  going  down  the  Ohio  in  search  of  Captain  Bullitt.  The 
party,  not  finding  Bullitt,  and  alarmed  by  the  Indians,  abandoned  their  canoes  at 
the  Three  Islands,  and  under  the  guidance  of  Kenton  proceeded  by  land  through 
Kentucky  to  Virginia. 

Kenton  spent  the  winters  of  1773-4,  on  the  Big  Sandy,  with  a  hunting-party, 
and  in  the  spring,  when  the  war  broke  out  with  the  Indians,  he  retreated  into  Fort 
Pitt,  with  the  other  settlers.  When  Lord  Dunmore  raised  an  army  to  punish  the 
Indians,  Kenton  volunteered,  and  was  actively  employed  as  a  spy,  both  under  the 
expedition  of  Dunmore  and  that  of  Colonel  La*vis.  In  the  fall,  he  was  discharged 
from  the  army,  and  returned,  with  Thomas  Williams,  to  his  old  hunting-ground, 


384  KENTON   COUNTY. 

on  Big  Sandy  river,  where  they  passed  the  winter.  In  the  spring  of  1775,  having 
disposed  of  their  peltries  to  a  French  trader,  whom  they  met  on  the  Ohio,  for  such 
necessaries  as  their  mode  of  life  required,  they  descended  the  Ohio  in  search,  once 
more,  of  the  "  cane  land."  Although  Yeager  was  now  dead,  the  impressions  left 
U])on  the  mind  of  Kenton,  by  his  glowing  descriptions  of  Kain-tuc-k-ee,  which 
Yeager  had  visited  witii  tiie  Indians,  when  a  boy  and  a  prisoner,  were  still  fresh 
and  strong:  and  he  determined  to  make  another  effort  to  find  the  country.  For 
this  purpose,  he  and  Williams  were  now  descending  the  Ohio.  Accident  at  last 
favored  them.  While  gliding  along  down  "  la  belle  riviere"  (as  the  French  had 
christened  it),  night  overtook  the  young  adventurers,  and  they  were  compelled  to 
land.  Tiiey  put  in  with  their  canoe,  at  the  mouth  of  Cabin  creek,  situated  in  the 
present  county  of  Mason,  and  about  six  miles  above  Maysville.  Next  morning, 
while  hunting  some  miles  back  in  the  country,  the  ardently-sought  "cane"  burst 
upon  Kenton's  view,  covering  land  richer  than  any  he  had  ever  seen  before. 
Overjoyed  at  this  piece  of  good  fortune,  he  returned,  in  haste,  to  communicate  the 
joyful  intelligence  to  Williams.  Sinking  their  canoe,  the  pioneers,  par  excel- 
lence, of  north  Kentucky,  struck  into  their  new  domain.  In  the  month  of  May, 
1775,  within  <i  mile  of  the  present  town  of  Washington,  in  Mason  county,  having 
built  their  camp,  and  finished  a  small  clearing,  they  planted  about  an  acre  of  land, 
with  the  remains  of  the  corn  bought  from  the  French  trader.  The  spot  chosen 
by  them,  for  tlieir  agricultural  attempt,  was  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  fertile 
in  the  State  of  Kentucky,  Here,  in  due  season,  they  ate  the  first  roasting  ears, 
that  ever  grew  by  the  care  of  a  white  man,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Kentucky 
river. 

Before  this  they  had  discovered  the  upper  and  lower  Blue  Licks,  and  the  im- 
mense herds  of  buffalo,  elk,  &c.,  that  frequented  those  places,  covering  the  hills 
and  valleys  of  the  Licking.  The  land  was  a  hunters'  paradise,  and  our  adven- 
turers were  completely  happy  in  their  new  and  undisputed  home.  They  soon 
had  cause,  however,  to  apprehend  that  others  would  contend  with  them  for  the 
mastership  of  the  soil.  Happening  one  day  at  the  lower  Blue  Licks,  they  dis- 
covered two  white  men.  Approaching  them  with  due  caution,  they  found  them 
friendly,  and  learned  that  they  had  wandered  without  guns  and  food  thus  far  into 
the  country,  their  canoe  having  been  upset  in  a  squall  on  the  Ohio.  Fitzpat- 
rick  and  Hendricks  (so  these  strangers  were  named)  were  invited  by  Kenton  to 
join  his  station  near  Washington.  Hendricks  acceded  to  the  proposal,  but  Fitz- 
patrick  insisted  upon  returning  to  Virginia.  Accordingly  Kenton  and  Williams 
(having  left  Hendricks  at  the  Licks)  accompanied  Fitzpatrick  to  the  Ohio,  gave 
him  a  gun,  and  took  leave  of  him  on  the  other  side  from  where  Maysville  now 
stands.  Returning  quickly  as  possible,  they  were  surprised  and  not  a  little 
alarmed  to  find  the  camp  where  they  had  left  Hendricks  abandoned  and  in  dis- 
order. Looking  around  they  observed  a  smoke  in  a  low  ravine,  and  at  once  com- 
prehended the  whole  affair.  They  were  satisfied  that  a  party  of  Indians  had  cap- 
tured their  friend,  and  they  at  once  fled  to  the  woods.  Next  morning  cautiously 
approaching  the  still  smoking  fire,  they  discovered  that  the  savages  had  departed, 
and  with  feelings  that  may  be  easily  imagined,  they  found,  what  they  did  not 
doubt  were  the  skull  and  bones  of  the  unfortunate  Hendricks.  He  had  been 
burned  to  death,  while  they  were  so  cowardly  flying.  Filled  with  shame  and  re- 
morse that  they  had  so  basely  abandoned  him  to  his  fate  without  an  effort  to  res- 
cue him,  they  went  back  to  their  camp  near  Washington.  They  had  the  good 
fortune  tbeinselves  to  escape  the  notice  of  the  Indians  who  prowled  through  the 
country.  In  the  fall.  Kenton,  leaving  Williams  at  the  camp,  took  a  ramble  through 
his  rich  domain.  Every  where  he  saw  abundance  of  game,  and  the  richest  and 
most  beautiful  land.  At  the  lower  Blue  Licks  he  met  with  Michael  Stoner,  who 
had  come  to  Kentucky  with  Boone  the  year  before.  He  now  learned  that  him- 
self and  Williams  were  not  the  only  whites  inhabiting  the  cane  land.  Taking 
Stoner  to  his  camp,  and  gathering  up  his  property,  he  and  Williams  accompanied 
him  to  the  settlements  already  formed  in  the  interior.  Kenton  passed  the  winter 
of  '75-Oat  Hinckston's  station,  in  the  present  county  of  Bourbon,  about  forty  miles 
from  his  corn  patch.  In  1776,  the  Indians  enraged  at  the  encroachments  made 
upon  their  hunting  grounds,  and  urged  on  by  the  British,  made  frequent  incur- 
sions into  Kentucky,  and  became  so  troublesome  that  the  weaker  stations  were 
abandoned.     The  settlers  at  Hinckston's  station  took  shelter  in  McClelland's  fort, 


SIMON   KENTON.  385 

situated  where  Georgetown  now  stands,  Kenton  accompanying  them.  Major 
George  Rogers  Clark  having  prevailed  upon  the  Virginia  legislature  to  afford  the 
pioneers  some  assistance,  arrived  in  company  with  a  lawyer  named  Jones,  at  the 
Three  Islands,  late  in  the  winter,  with  a  considerable  quantity  of  powder  and 
lead.  They  concealed  it  on  the  lower  island  and  proceeded  to  McClelland's  sta- 
tion, in  order  to  obtain  a  party  to  bring  it  off  to  the  settlements.  McClelland's 
station  being  too  weak  to  furnish  a  sufficient  escort,  Clark,  piloted  by  Kenton,  set 
out  for  Harrodsburg.  Unfortunately,  during  their  absence,  Jones  prevailed  on 
ten  men  to  accompany  him  to  the  place  where  the  ammunition  was  concealed. 
They  set  out,  and  on  Christmas  day,  1776,  they  were  encountered  by  the  Indian 
chief  Pluggey  and  defeated.  Jones  and  William  Grayson  were  killed,  and  two 
of  the  party  taken  prisoners.  The  remainder  escaped  into  the  station,  where  Clark 
and  Kenton  soon  arrived  with  some  men  from  Harrodsburgh,  who  immediately 
returned  on  the  news  of  this  disaster.  On  the  morning  of  January  1st,  1777, 
Pluggey  and  his  warriors  appeared  before  the  fort.  McClelland  and  his  men 
sallied  out  and  were  repulsed  by  the  Indians.  McClelland  himself  and  two  of 
his  men  being  slain  and  four  wounded.  The  Indians  immediately  withdrew,  and 
in  a  few  days  the  ammunition  was  safely  brought  away  from  its  concealment. 
McClelland's  was  immediately  afterwards  abandoned,  and  the  settlers  in  great 
gloom,  and  amidst  the  lamentations  of  the  women  and  children,  departed  for 
Harrod's  station.  Here  Kenton  also  took  up  his  abode.  In  the  spring,  Major 
Clark,  who  now  had  command  of  the  settlements,  sent  Kenton,  John  Haggin, 
and  four  others  to  Hinckston's  to  break  out  some  flax  and  hemp.  Haggin  was  in 
front,  and  observed  a  party  of  Indians  encamped  around  Hinckston's.  He  rode 
back  and  informed  the  party  of  the  fact.  Kenton,  who  was  as  prudent  as  he  was 
brave,  counseled  a  retreat.  Haggin  swore  that  nobody  but  a  coward  would  run 
without  one  fire.  Kenton  immediately  dismounted  from  his  horse,  and  all  the 
party  followed  his  example  but  a  young  Dutchman,  who  appeared  to  have  more 
sense  than  any  of  his  companions.  In  the  meantime  the  Indians,  always  wide 
awake,  had  seen  Haggin,  and  following  hini,  now  opened  a  fire  on  the  whites, 
who  quickly  took  to  their  heels,  Haggin  valiantly  leading  the  van.  and  abandoned 
their  horses  to  the  Indians,  all  but  the  sensible  Dutchman,  who  having  kept  his 
seat,  cantered  off  much  at  his  ease.  Kenton  directed  his  party  to  retreat  into 
Harrodsburgh,  while  he  put  the  garrison  at  Boone's  station  on  their  guard. 
Arriving  before  the  fort,  he  determined  not  to  attempt  to  enter  it  before  dark, 
knowing  the  custom  of  the  wily  savage  to  ambush  the  stations,  and  thus  shoot 
whoever  might  attempt  to  enter  or  depart.  Accident  befriends  many  a  man,  but 
the  due  exercise  of  one's  five  wits,  is  a  much  more  safe  reliance.  When  he  did 
enter  the  fort,  he  found  the  men  carrying  in  the  bodies  of  two  of  their  friends,  who 
had  been  killed  two  or  three  hours  before,  on  the  very  same  path  by  which  he 
entered.  His  caution  had  saved  his  life.  The  red  man  was  now  furious  at  the 
occupation  of  his  beloved  Kain-tuck-ee  by  the  long  knife.  The  incursions  into 
the  country  b}'  the  exasperated  foe  were  frequent  and  bloody,  and  every  station 
was  hotly  besieged,  Boonesborough  sustaining  three.  To  watch  the  Indians  and 
give  timely  notice  of  their  approach,  six  spies  were  appointed,  for  the  payment  of 
whom  Major  Clark  pledged  the  faith  of  Virginia.  Boone  appointed  Kenton 
and  Thos.  Brooks  ;  Harrod,  Samuel  Moore,  and  Bales  Collier;  and  Logan,  John 
Conrad  and  John  Martin.  These  spies  performed  good  service.  It  was  the  cus- 
tom for  two  each  week,  by  turns,  to  range  up  and  down  the  Ohio,  and  about  the 
deserted  stations,  looking  for  Indian  signs,  &c.  By  this  means,  the  settlers  had 
timely  notice  during  the  year  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  but  once.  On  this 
occasion,  Kenton  and  two  others,  early  one  morning,  having  loaded  their  guns  for 
a  hunt,  were  standing  in  the  gate  of  Boonesborough,  when  two  men  in  the  fields 
were  fired  on  by  the  Indians.  They  immediately  fled,  not  being  hurt.  The  Indians 
pursued  them,  and  a  warrior  overtook  and  tomahawked  one  of  the  men  within 
seventy  yards  of  the  fort,  and  proceeded  leisurely  to  scalp  him.  Kenton  shot  the 
daring  savage  dead  and  immediately  with  his  hunting  companions  gave  chase  to 
the  others.  Boone,  hearing  the  noise,  with  ten  men  hastened  out  to  the  assist- 
ance of  his  spies.  Kenton  turned  and  observed  an  Indian  taking  aim  at  the  party 
of  Boone — quick  as  thought  he  brought  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder,  pulled  the  trig- 
ger first,  and  the  red  man  bit  the  dust.  Boone,  having  advanced  some  distance^ 
now  discovered  that  his  small  party,  consisting  of  fourteen  men,  was  cut  off 
25 


386  KENTON  COUNTY. 

from  the  fort  by  a  large  body  of  the  foe,wliich  had  got  between  him  and  the  gate. 
There  was  no  time  to  be  lost;  Boone  "gave  the  word — "right-about — fire — 
charge  I  "  and  the  intrepid  hunters  dashed  in  among  their  adversaries,  in  a  despe- 
rate endeavor  to  reach  the  fort.  At  the  first  fire  from  the  Indians,  seven  of  the 
fourteen  whites  were  wounded,  among  tlie  number  the  gallant  Boone,  whose  leg 
was  broken,  which  stretched  him  on  the  ground.  An  Indian  sprang  on  him  with 
uplifted  tomahawiv,  but  before  the  blow  descended,  Kenton,  every  where  present, 
rushed  on  the  warrior,  discharged  his  gun  into  his  breast,  and  bore  his  leader  into 
the  fort.  When  the  gate  was  closed  and  all  things  secure,  Boone  sent  for  Ken- 
ton: — "Well,  Simon,"  said  the  old  pioneer,  "you  have  behaved  yourself  like  a 
man  to-day — indeed  you  are  a  fine  fellow."  Tliis  was  great  praise  from  Boone, 
who  was  a  silent  man,  little  given  to  compliment.  Kenton  had  deserved  the  eu- 
logium :  he  had  saved  the  life  of  his  captain  and  killed  three  Indians,  without 
having  time  to  scalp  any  one  of  them.  There  was  little  time  to  spare,  we  may  well 
believe,  when  Kenton  could  not  stop  to  take  a  scalp. 

The  enemy,  after  keeping  up  the  siege  for  three  days,  retired.  Boonesborough 
sustained  two  other  sieges  this  year,  (1777),  in  all  of  which  the  youthful  Kenton 
bore  a  gallant  and  conspicuous  part. 

Kenton  continued  to  range  the  country  as  a  spy  until  .Tune,  1778,  when  Major 
Clark  came  down  the  Ohio  from  Virginia  with  a  small  force,  and  landed  at  the 
Falls.  Clark  was  organizing  an  expedition  against  Okaw  or  Kaskaskia,  and  in- 
vited as  many  of  the  settlers  at  Boonesborough  and  Harrodsburgh  as  desired,  to 
join  him.  The  times  were  so  dangerous  that  the  women,  especially,  in  the  sta- 
tions objected  to  the  men  going  on  such  a  distant  expedition.  Consequently,  to 
the  great  mortification  of  Clark,  only  Kenton  and  Haggin  left  the  stations  to  ac- 
company him.  This  expedition,  so  honorable  to  the  enterprise  of  Virginia  and 
the  great  captain  and  soldiers  composing  it,  and  so  successful  and  happy  in  its 
results,  is  elsewhere  fully  described  (see  Clark  county — life  of  General  Clark). 
After  the  fall  of  Kaskaskia,  Kenton  returned  to  Harrodsburjjh,  by  way  of  Vin- 
cennes,  an  accurate  description  of  which,  obtained  by  three  days'  secret  observa- 
tion, he  sent  to  Clark,  who  subsequently  took  that  post. 

Kenton,  finding  Boone  about  to  undertake  an  expedition  against  a  small  town 
on  Paint  creek,  readily  joined  him.  Inaction  was  irksome  to  the  hardy  youth  in 
such  stirring  times;  besides,  he  had  some  melancholy  reflections  that  he  could 
only  escape  from  in  the  excitement  of  danger  and  adventure. 

The  party,  consisting  of  nineteen  men,  and  commanded  by  Boone,  arrived  in 
the  neighborhood  of  tlie  Indian  village.  Kenton,  who,  as  usual,  was  in  ad- 
vance, was  startled  by  hearing  loud  peals  of  laughter  from  a  cane  brake  just  be- 
fore him.  He  scarcely  had  time  to  tree,  before  two  Indians,  mounted  upon  a 
small  pony,  one  facing  the  animal's  tail  and  the  other  his  head,  totally  unsuspi- 
cious of  danger  and  in  excellent  spirits,  made  their  appearance.  He  pulled  triu-ger, 
and  both  Indians  fell,  one  killed  and  the  other  severely  wounded.  He  hastened 
up  to  scalp  his  adversaries,  and  was  inunediately  surrounded  by  about  forty  Indi- 
ans. His  situation,  dodjjing  from  tree  to  tree,  was  uncomfortable  enough,  until 
Boone  and  his  party  coming  up,  furiously  attacked  and  defeated  the  savages. 
Boone  immediately  returned  to  the  succor  of  his  fort,  having  ascertained  that  a 
large  war  party  had  gone  against  it.  Kenton  and  Montgomery,  however,  resol- 
ved to  proceed  to  the  villaire  to  get  'a  shot'  and  steal  horses.  They  lay  within 
good  rifle  distance  of  the  village  for  two  days  and  a  night  without  seeing  a  single 
warrior;  on  the  second  night,  they  each  mounted  a  fine  horse  and  put  off  to  Ken- 
tucky, and  the  day  after  the  Indians  raised  the  siege  of  Boonesborough,  they  can- 
tered into  the  fort  on  their  stolen  property. 

This  little  speculation,  unfortunately,  appears  to  have  whetted  the  appetite  of 
Kenton  and  Montgomery  fir  horse  flesh.  Accordingly,  in  September  of  the  same 
year,  (1778),  in  company  with  George  Clark,  they  proceeded  to  Chillicothe  on 
a  similar  expedition.  Arriving  in  the  nin^ht,  they  found  a  pound  of  horses,  and 
succeeded  in  haltering  seven,  not  without  much  noise.  They  mounted  in  haste, 
hotly  pursued  by  the  enraged  savaires.  Riding  all  night  and  next  day,  they 
struck  the  Ohio  at  the  mouth  of  Eagle  creek,  a  few  miles  below  Maysville.  The 
wind  was  high  and  the  river  exceedintrly  rough,  so  that  the  friohtened  horses  re- 
fused to  cross,  after  several  inen"ectual  efforts  to  compel  them.  Here  they  rashly 
waited  until  the  next  day,  hoping  that  the  wind  would  abate  ;  but,  although  the 


SIMON   KENTON.  387 

next  day  the  wind  did  subside,  the  horses  could  by  no  means  be  forced  into  the 
river,  owing  to  the  fright  they  had  received  the  day  before.  Satisfied  that  longer 
delay  would  be  dangerous,  they  each  mounted  a  horse,  abandoning  the  remaining 
four.  But  after  turning  them  loose,  with  an  indecision  unworthy  of  the  leader  at 
least,  it  was  determined  that  they  would  have  all  or  none.  They  now  separated 
to  hunt  up  the  horses  they  had  just  unhaltered.  Kenton  had  not  ridden  far  before 
he  heard  a  whoop  behind  him.  Instead  of  putting  spurs  to  his  horse  and  gallop- 
ing off  like  a  sensible  man,  he  deliberately  dismounted  from  his  horse,  tied  him, 
and  crept  back  in  the  direction  of  the  noise.  At  the  top  of  the  bank  he  saw  two 
Indians  and  a  white  man,  all  mounted.  It  was  too  late  to  retreat — he  raised  his 
rifle,  took  aim,  and — it  flashed  !  Now,  at  last,  he  took  to  his  heels,  the  Indians 
dashing  after  him  with  a  yell.  He  gained  some  fallen  timber,  and  thus  was  in 
a  fair  way  to  elude  his  mounted  pursuers,  when,  upon  emerging  into  the  open 
woods,  he  beheld  an  Indian  galloping  around  the  brush  within  a  few  rods  of  him. 
The  game  was  up,  and  for  the  first  time  he  was  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the 
savages,  furious  at  the  attempt  to  steal  their  property. 

While  the  Indians  were  yet  beating  and  upbraiding  him  as  a  "  boss  steal," 
Montgomery  very  foolishly  came  to  his  assistance,  fired  without  effect,  and  fled. 
Two  of  the  Indians  gave  chase,  and  in  a  few  moments  returned  with  his  bleeding 
scalp.  Clark,  the  only  one  of  the  three  having  his  five  wits  in  a  healthy  con- 
dition, laid  whip  and  escaped. 

Bitterly  now  did  Kenton  expiate  his  horse  stealing  offences.  It  was  a  crime 
not  easily  to  be  pardoned  by  the  very  virtuous  tribe  into  whose  hands  he  had 
fallen.  After  beating  him  until  their  arms  were  too  tired  to  indulge  that  gratify- 
ing recreation  any  longer,  they  secured  him  for  the  night.  This  was  done  by 
first  placing  him  upon  his  back  on  the  ground.  They  next  drew  his  legs  apart, 
and  lashed  each  foot  firmly  to  two  saplings  or  stakes  driven  in  the  earth.  A  pole 
was  then  laid  across  his  breast,  and  his  hands  tied  to  each  end,  and  his  arms 
lashed  with  thongs  around  it,  the  thongs  passing  under  his  body  so  as  to  keep 
the  pole  stationary.  After  all  this,  another  thong  was  tied  around  his  neck,  and 
the  end  of  it  secured  to  a  stake  in  the  ground,  his  head  being  stretched  back  so 
as  not  entirely  to  choke  him.  In  this  original  manner  he  passed  the  night,  unable 
to  sleep,  and  filled  with  the  most  gloomy  forebodings  of  the  future.  In  the  morn- 
ing he  was  driven  forward  to  the  village. 

The  plan  of  this  work  forbids  a  particular  account  of  Kenton's  adventures  during 
his  long  captivity,  running  through  a  period  of  more  than  eight  months.  The  cru- 
elties he  suffered  at  the  hands  of  the  Indians — his  narrow  escapes  from  death  in 
an  hundred  forms — his  alternate  good  and  bad  fortune,  and  his  final  successful 
flight,  form  one  of  the  most  romantic  adventures  anywhere  furnished  by  the  inci- 
dents of  real  life,  seeming  more  like  an  invention  of  the  novelist,  than  a  veracious 
narrative.  He  was  eight  times  compelled  to  run  the  gauntlet,  three  times  tied  to 
the  stake,  once  brought  to  the  brink  of  the  grave  by  a  blow  from  an  axe;  and 
throughout  the  whole  time,  with  brief  intervals,  subjected  to  great  hardship  and 
privations.  Once  his  old  friend,  iSimon  Girty,  the  infamous  hater  of  his  race, 
interposed  and  saved  him  for  a  short  space  from  the  flames.  Being  again  con- 
demned to  the  stake  in  spite  of  the  influence  of  Girty,  Logan  the  celebrated  Mingo, 
(whose  wrongs  had  not  obliterated  the  nobility  of  his  nature,)  exerted  his  influence 
in  his  behalf,  and  prevailed  upon  a  Canadian  trader,  named  Druyer  to  purchase 
him  from  his  owners.  Druyer  succeeded  in  obtaining  him  as  a  prisoner  of  war, 
upon  a  promise  of  returning  him,  which  he  of  course  never  intended  to  fulfil. 
Kenton  was  now  taken  by  his  new  friend  and  delivered  over  to  the  British  com- 
mander at  Detroit.  Here  he  remained  working  for  the  garrison,  on  half  pay,  until 
the  summer  of  1779,  when  he  eflTected  his  escape,  by  the  assistance  of  Mrs.  Har- 
vey, the  wife  of  an  Indian  trader.  Kenton,  at  this  lime  but  twenty-four  years  of 
age,  according  to  one  who  served  with  him,  "was  fine  looking,  with  a  dignified 
and  manly  deportment,  and  a  soft,  pleasing  voice,  and  was  wherever  he  went  a 
favorite  among  the  ladies."  This  lady  had  become  interested  in  him,  and  upon 
his  solicitation,  promised  to  assist  him  and  two  other  Kentuckians,  prisoners  with 
him,  to  procure  rifles,  ammunition,  &c.,  without  which  a  journey  through  the  vi'il- 
derness  could  not  be  performed.  Engaging  in  their  cause  with  all  the  enthusiasm 
of  her  sex,  she  only  awaited  an  opportunity  to  perform  her  promise.  She  had  not 
long  to  wait.     On  the  3d  of  June,  1779,  a  large  concourse  of  Indians  assembled 


388  KENTON  COUNTY. 

at  Detroit  to  take  "a  spree."  Preparatory  to  getting  drunk,  they  stacked  their 
guns  near  Mrs.  Harvey's  house,  wlio  as  soon  as  it  was  dark  stole  silently  out  to 
the  guns,  selected  three  of  the  best  looking,  and  quickly  hid  them  in  her  garden 
in  a  patch  of  peas.  Avoiding  all  observation,  she  hastened  to  Kenton's  lodgings 
and  informed  him  of  her  success.  She  told  him,  at  midnight  to  come  to  the  back 
of  her  garden,  where  he  would  find  a  ladder,  by  means  of  which  he  could  climb 
over  and  get  the  guns.  She  had  previously  collected  such  articles  of  food,  cloth- 
ing, ammunition,  &c.,  as  would  be  necessary  in  their  adventure.  These  she  had 
hid  in  a  hollow  tree  well  known  to  Kenton,  some  distance  out  of  town.  No  time 
was  now  to  be  lost,  and  the  prisoners  at  once  set  about  getting  things  in  order  for 
their  flight.  At  the  appointed  hour  Kenton  with  his  companions  appeared  at  the  de- 
signated spot,  discovered  the  ladder  and  climbed  into  the  garden,  where  he  found 
Mrs.  Harvey  sitting  by  tJK  guns  awaiting  his  arrival.  To  the  eyes  of  the  grate- 
ful young  hunter,  no  wmjj^n  ever  looked  so  beautiful.  There  was  little  time  how- 
ever for  compliments,  for  all  around  could  be  heard  the  yells  of  the  drunken  sav- 
ages, the  night  was  far  advanced,  and  in  the  morning  both  guns  and  prisoners 
would  be  missed.  Taking  an  affectionate  leave  of  him,  with  many  tender  wishes 
for  his  safety,  she  now  urged  him  to  be  gone.  Heaping  thanks  and  blessings  on 
her,  he  left  her  and  re-joined  his  companions.  Kenton  never  saw  her  afterwards, 
but  he  never  forgot  her;  for,  more  than  half  a  century  afterwards,  when  the  wil- 
derness and  the  savages  who  peopled  it,  were  alike  exterminated  before  the  civi- 
lizing march  of  the  Anglo  Saxon,  the  old  pioneer,  in  words  that  glowed  with 
gratitude  and  admiration,  delighted  to  dwell  on  the  kindness,  and  expatiate  on  the 
courage  and  virtue  of  his  benefactress,  the  fair  trader's  wife.  In  his  reveries,  hn 
said  lie  had  seen  her  "a  thousand  times  sitting  by  the  guns  in  the  garden." 

After  leaving  Detroit  the  fugitives,  departing  from  the  usual  line  of  travel,  struck 
out  in  a  western  direction  towards  the  prairies  of  the  Wabash.  At  the  end  of 
thirty-three  days,  having  suffered  incredible  hardships,  the  three  adventurers, 
Kenton,  Bullitt  and  Coffer,  safely  arrived  at  Louisville  some  time  in  July  '79. 

Here  he  stayed  but  a  short  time  to  recruit  his  strength.  He  had  been  long  a 
prisoner  and  thirsted  for  action  and  adventure.  Shouldering  his  rifle  he  set  out 
through  the  unbroken  wilderness  to  visit  his  old  companion  in  arms,  Major  Clark, 
then  at  Vincennes.  This  post  he  found  entirely  quiet,  too  much  so  for  him.  He 
had  been  treading  the  wilderness  and  fighting  the  savages  since  his  sixteenth 
year,  and  was  yet  too  young  and  strong  to  be  contented  with  a  life  of  inaction. 
He  had  no  family  or  connection  to  bind  him  to  a  particular  spot  here  in  the  west, 
and  by  a  deed  utterly  repugnant  to  his  generous  nature,  he  was  exiled  as  he  yet 
believed,  from  his  home  and  friends  in  the  east ;  it  was  therefore  his  destiny,  as 
it  was  his  wish,  to  rove.  Striking  again  into  the  pathless  wilderness  then  lying 
between  Vincennes  and  the  falls  of  the  Ohio,  he  soon  reached  the  latter  place, 
whence  he  immediately  proceeded  to  Harrod's  station,  where  he  was  joyfully  wel- 
comed by  his  old  companions. 

The  winter  of  1779-80  was  a  peaceful  one  to  the  Kentuckians,  but  in  the  spring 
the  Indians  and  British  invaded  the  country,  having  with  them  two  pieces  of  can- 
non, by  means  of  which  two  stations,  Martin's  and  Kuddell's,  fell  into  their  hands; 
whereupon  the  allied  savages  immediately  retreated. 

When  General  Clark  heard  of  the  disaster,  he  hastened  from  Vincennes  to 
concert  measures  for  present  retaliation  and  the  future  safety  of  the  settlements. 
Clark  was  no  doubt  one  of  the  greatest  men  ever  furnished  by  the  west,  of  no 
ordinary  military  capacity.  He  believed  the  best  way  to  prevent  the  depreda- 
tions of  the  Indians,  was  to  carry  the  war  into  their  own  country,  burning  down 
their  villages  and  destroying  their  corn,  and  thus  give  them  sufficient  employ- 
ment to  prevent  their  incursions  among  the  settlements  on  the  south  side  of  the 
river.  Accordingly  an  expedition  consisting  of  1100  of  the  hardiest  and  most 
courageous  men  that  the  most  adventurous  age  of  our  history  could  furnish,  inured 
to  hardships  and  accustomed  to  the  Indian  mode  of  fighting,  assembled  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Licking.  Kenton  commanded  a  company  of  volunteers  from  Har- 
rod's station,  and  shared  in  all  the  dangers  and  success  of  this  little  army.  Com- 
manded by  Clark,  and  piloted  by  one  of^  the  most  expert  woodsmen  and  the  great- 
est spy  of  the  west,  Simon  Kenton,  the  Kentuckians  assailed  the  savages  in 
their  dens  with  complete  success.  Chillicothe,  Pickaway  and  many  other  towns 
were  burnt,  and  the  crops  around  them  destroyed.     At  Pickaway,  the  Indians 


SIMON  KENTON.  389 

were  brought  to  a  stand.  Here  where  he  had  run  the  gauntlet  and  afforded  the 
Indian  squaws  and  warriors  so  much  fun,  two  years  before,  Kenton  now  at  the 
head  of  his  gallant  company,  had  the  satisfaction  of  dashing  into  the  thickest  of 
the  fight  and  repaying  witli  usury  the  blows  he  had  received  at  their  hands.  Af- 
ter an  obstinate  resistance  the  savages  were  defeated  and  fled  in  all  directions, 
leaving  their  killed  and  wounded  on  the  field.     (See  life  of  Clark.) 

This  was  the  first  invasion  of  Ohio  by  the  Kentuckians  in  any  force,  and  the 
red  man  long  remembered  it.  For  two  years  the  stations  enjoyed  comparative 
peace,  and  Kenton  passed  away  his  time  as  a  hunter,  or  spy,  or  with  surveying  par- 
ties, heavily  enough  until  the  fall  of  1782.  Then  for  the  first  time  he  heard  that 
his  old  father  yet  lived,  and  learned  the  joyful  intelligence  that  he  had  not  killed 
his  old  playmate  and  friend  William  Veach.  It  is  impossible  to  describe  his 
feelings  upon  hearing  this  news.  For  eleven  years  he  wandered  in  the  wilder- 
ness filled  with  remorse  for  his  rash,  though  unpremeditated  crime,  the  brand  of 
murder  upon  his  heart  if  not  upon  his  brow,  isolated  from  his  home  and  friends, 
about  whom  he  dare  not  even  inquire,  and  his  very  name  forbidden  to  him.  At 
length  after  expiating  his  crime  by  these  long  sufferings,  unexpectedly  the  weight 
of  murder  is  removed  from  his  mind — his  banishment  from  home  and  family 
revoked,  and  his  long  abandoned  name  restored.  Kenton  was  Simon  Butler  now 
no  longer,  and  he  felt  like  a  new  man. 

In  the  fall  of  1782  General  Clark,  to  revenge  the  disaster  of  the  Blue  Licks, 
led  another  army  1500  strong  against  the  Indian  towns,  which  spread  destruction 
far  and  wide  through  their  country.  (See  life  of  Clark.)  Kenton  again  com- 
manded a  company  on  this  occasion,  and  was  again  the  pilot  for  the  army,  as  his 
knowledge  of  the  country  was  unsurpassed,  and  his  skill  in  woodcraft  unequalled. 
It  was  upon  the  return  of  this  expedition  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Licking,  Nov. 
4th,  1782,  that  the  pioneers  composing  it,  entered  into  the  romantic  engagement, 
that  fifty  years  thereafter,  the  survivors  "should  meet  and  talk  over  the  affairs  of 
the  campaign,"  and  the  dangers  and  hardships  of  the  past.  It  was  first  suggested 
by  Captain  M'Cracken  of  the  Kentucky  light  horse,  who  was  then  dying*  from 
the  mortification  of  a  slight  wound  received  in  the  arm  while  fighting,  immediately 
by  the  side  of  Kenton  in  the  attack  on  Piqua  town.  To  carry  out  the  request  of 
the  dying  soldier,  Colonel  Floyd,  from  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio,  brought  forward  a 
resolution,  and  the  semi-centennial  meeting  was  determined  upon.  All  around 
was  the  unbroken  wilderness;  but  as  they  bore  the  dying  M'Cracken  down  the 
hill  above  Cincinnati,  the  future  stood  revealed  to  his  fast  closing  eyes,  the  cities 
and  villas  peopled  with  tens  of  thousands,  crowning  the  valley  and  the  hill  tops, 
the  noise  of  abounding  commerce  in  the  streets  and  on  the  rivers — building  rising 
upon  building — palace  and  temple  and  all  the  magnificent  panorama  of  fifty  years, 
passed  in  review  before  him.  The  desire  to  link  one's  name  with  all  this  great- 
ness was  pardonable  in  him  who  had  shed  his  blood  in  the  struggle  to  achieve  it. 
The  interesting  day  that  was  to  witness  the  re-union  of  the  surviving  heroes  of 
'82,  fell  upon  the  4th  of  November,  1832.  At  that  time  many  were  still  survi- 
ving, among  the  rest  General  Simon  Kenton.  As  the  day  drev*'  near,  the  old  hero 
was  deeply  affected  at  the  prospect  of  meeting  his  old  brothers  in  arms,  as  well 
as  solicitous  to  keep  the  solemn  appointment.  To  encourage  a  large  attendance 
he  published  an  interesting  and  feeling  "address  to  the  citizens  of  the  western 
country."  It  is  a  fair  type  of  his  kind  heart,  dictated  to  a  friend  who  wrote  it  for 
him,  and  signed  with  his  own  hand.  The  following  is  the  only  extract  the  limits 
of  this  work  will  permit  us  to  make. 

"  Fellow  citizens  ! — Being  one  of  the  first,  after  Colonel  Daniel  Boone,  who  aided  in  the 
conquest  of  Kentucky,  and  the  west,  I  am  called  upon  to  address  you.  My  heart  melts  on 
such  an  occasion ;  I  look  forward  to  the  contemplated  meeting  with  melancholy  pleasure  ;  it 
has  caused  tears  to  flow  in  copious  showers.  I  wish  to  see  once  more  before  I  die,  my  few 
surviving  friends.  My  ,solemn  pmrnise,  made  fifty  years  aRo,  binds  me  to  meet  them.  I 
ask  not  for  myself;  but  you  may  find  in  our  assemlily  some  who  have  never  received  any 
pay  or  pension,  who  have  sustained  the  cause  of  their  country,  equal  to  any  other  service ; 
who  in  the  decline  of  life  are  poor.  Then,  you  prosperous  .sons  of  the  west,  forget  not  those 
old  and  gray-headed  veterans  on  this  occasion  ;  let  them  return  to  their  families  with  some 

*  He  died  as  the  troops  descended  the  hill  where  Ciiieinnati  now  stands,  and  was  buried  near  the 
block-house  at  the  mouth  oi  the  Licking,  on  the  Kentucky  side. 


390  KENTON  COUNTY. 

little  manifestation  of  your  kindness  to  cheer  their  hearts.  I  add  my  prayer .  may  kind 
heaven  grant  us  a  clear  sky,  fair  and  pleasant  weather — a  safe  journey  and  a  happy  meeting, 
and  smile  upon  us  and  our  families,  and  bless  us  and  our  nation  on  the  approaching  occasion. 


Urbasta,  Ohio,  1832. 


y^^'^^  y 


The  day  at  last  came  so  loner  looked  for  by  our  "old  fathers  of  the  west,"  and 
the  terrible  cholera,  more  barbarous  than  the  savages,  who  fifty  years  before  bat- 
tled the  pioneers,  spread  death  far  and  wide  over  the  west,  sparing  neither  age 
nor  sex.  Cincinnati  was  wrapt  in  gloom,  yet  many  of  the  veteran  patriots  assem- 
bled, and  the  corporation  voted  them  a  dinner.  General  Kenton,  in  spite  of  his 
ardent  desire,  was  unable  from  sickness  and  old  age,  to  attend.  He  met  his  beloved 
companions  no  more  until  he  met  them  in  the  spirit  land. 

After  the  volunteers  disbanded  at  the  mouth  of  Licking,  Kenton  returned  to 
Harrod's  station.  He  had  acquired  many  valuable  tracts  of  land,  now  becoming 
of  importance,  as  population  began  to  flow  into  the  country  with  a  rapid  in- 
crease, as  the  sounds  of  savage  warfare  grew  fainter  in  the  distance.  He  set- 
tled on  his  lands  on  Salt  river,  and  being  joined  by  a  few  families  in  1782-3,  he 
built  some  rude  block-houses,  cleared  land,  and  planted  corn.  His  settlement 
thrived  wonderfully.  In  the  fall,  having  gathered  his  corn,  he  determined  to  visit 
his  father,  ascertain  his  circumstances,  and  bring  him  to  Kentucky.  He  had  not 
seen  his  family  for  thirteen  years,  a  period  to  him  full  of  dangers,  sufferings  and 
triumphs.  Who  can  paint  the  joy  of  the  returning  adventurer,  young  in  years, 
but  old  in  deeds  and  reputation,  on  reaching  home,  to  find  that  his  aged  father 
"yet  lived."  The  reunion  was  joyful  to  all,  especially  so  to  his  friends,  who 
had  long  considered  him  dead.  He  visited  with  delight  the  friends  and  the  scenes 
of  his  early  childhood,  so  different  from  his  boisterous  manhood,  and  the  gaunt- 
let, the  stake,  and  the  fierce  foray,  and  the  wild  war-whoop  were  to  him  as  the 
confused  image  of  some  uneasy  dream.  Veach  and  the  ungracious  fair  one,  his 
first  love,  were  still  living;  he  saw  them,  and  each  forgot  the  old  feud. 

He  gathered  up  his  father  and  family  and  proceeded  as  far  as  Red  Stone  Fort, 
journeying  to  Kain-tuck-ee,  where  his  old  father  died,  and  was  buried  on  the 
winding  banks  of  the  Monongahela,  without  marble  or  inscription  to  mark  the  last 
resting  place  of  the  father  of  the  great  pioneer.  Kenton,  with  the  remainder  of  his 
father's  family,  reached  his  settlement  in  safety  in  the  winter  of  1784. 

Kentucky  was  now  a  flourishing  territory,  and  emigrants  came  flocking  in  to 
appropriate  her  fertile  lands.  Kenton  determined  to  occupy  his  lands,  around  his 
old  camp,  near  Maysville,  remarkable  for  their  beauty  and  fertility.  This  part 
of  Kentucky  was  still  uninhabited,  and  infested  by  the  Indians.  In  July,  1784, 
collecting  a  small  party  of  adventurers,  he  went  to  his  old  camp,  one  mile  from 
Washington,  in  Mason  county.  The  Indians  being  too  troublesome,  the  party 
returned  to  Salt  river.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  Kenton  returned,  built  some 
block-houses,  and  was  speedily  joined  by  a  few  families.  In  the  spring  of  '85, 
many  new  settlements  were  made  around  Kenton's  station,  and  that  part  of  the 
country  soon  assumed  a  thriving  appearance,  in  spite  of  the  incursions  of  the 
savages.  In  1786,  Kenton  sold  (or  according  to  M'Donald),  gave  Arthur  Fox 
and  William  Wood  one  thousand  acres  of  land,  on  which  they  laid  out  the  town 
of  Washington;  "Old  Ned  Waller"  had  settled  at  Limestone  (Maysville)  the 
year  before. 

The  Indians  were  too  badly  crippled,  by  Clark's  last  expedition,  to  offer  any 
considerable  opposition  to  the  settlers  ;  nevertheless,  they  were  exceedingly  trou- 
blesome, during  their  many  small  predatory  incursions,  and  plied  the  fashionable 
trade  of  horse-stealing  with  praiseworthy  activity.  To  put  a  stop  to  such  pro- 
ceedings, on  the  part  of  their  red  neighbors,  an  expedition,  seven  hundred  strong, 
composed  of  volunteers  from  all  the  surrounding  stations,  assembled  at  Washing- 
ton under  the  command  of  Colonel  Logan.  Fighting,  in  those  days,  cost  our 
affectionate  "Uncle  Sam"  very  little,  as  every  man  paid  his  own  war  expenses. 


SIMON   KENTON.  391 

Kenton  commanded  a  company  from  his  settlement,  and,  as  usual,  piloted  the 
way  into  the  enemy's  country.  The  expedition  fell  upon  Mochaclieek  and  Pick- 
away very  suddenly,  defeated  the  Indians  with  considerable  loss,  burnt  four  other 
towns,  without  resistance,  and  returned  to  Washington  with  only  ten  men  killed 
and  wounded. 

Notwithstanding  this  successful  blow,  the  Indians,  all  next  year,  kept  the 
inhabitants  around  Kenton's  station  in  perpetual  alarm.  Kenton  again  called  on 
the  stations  to  rendezvous  at  Washington,  for  the  puipose  of  punishing  the  In- 
dians, by  "carrying  the  war  into  Africa;"  a  trick  he  had  learned  from  his  old 
commander.  General  Clark.  It  was  essentially  to  the  interest  of  the  interior 
stations  to  see  Kenton's  well  sustained,  as  thereby  the  savages  were  kept  at  a 
distance  from  tliem.  They  were,  consequently,  always  ready  to  render  their 
more  exposed  bretliren  any  assistance  required.  Several  hundred  hardy  hunters, 
under  Colonel  Todd,  assembled  again  at  Washington.  Kenton  again  commanded 
his  company,  a  gallant  set  of  young  men,  trained  by  himself,  and  piloted  the 
expedition.  Near  Chillicothe  a  detachment,  led  by  majors  Hinkston  and  Kenton, 
fell  upon  a  large  body  of  Indians,  about  day-break,  and  defeated  them  before  Todd 
came  up.  Chillicothe  was  burned  down,  and  the  expedition  returned  without 
losing  a  man. 

The  pioneers  had  now  become  formidable  to  the  Indians,  and  kept  them  at  bay. 
Kenton's  station  was  a  frontier  for  the  interior  settlements,  and  manfully  beat 
back  the  foe,  in  his  incursions  into  the  State.  The  country  around  W^ishington 
was  fast  filling  up,  and  bid  fair  soon  to  be  in  a  condition  to  set  the  Indian  at 
defiance.  Kenton,  universally  esteemed  and  beloved,  was  acknowledged  to  be 
the  chief  man  in  the  community.  His  great  experience  and  reputation  as  a  fron- 
tier man  ;  his  superior  courage  and  skill  in  the  fight,  as  well  as  the  extent  of  his 
possessions,  rendered  him  conspicuous.  In  all  the  incursions  made  into  the 
country  of  the  enemy,  and  the  many  local  contests  that  took  place  with  the  Indi 
ans.  Captain  Kenton  was  invariably  the  leader  selected  by  the  settlers. 

From  1788  to  1793,  many  small  but  bloody  conflicts  came  off  around  the  set- 
tlements in  Mason  county,  in  which  the  Indians  were  severely  punished  by  Cap- 
tain Kenton  and  his  volunteers.  In  1793  the  Indians  made  the  last  incursion  into 
this,  or  perhaps  any  other  part  of  Kentucky.  On  that  occasion  (see  Mason 
county)  Kenton  ambushed  them  at  the  place  where  they  crossed  the  Ohio,  killed 
six  of  the  party,  and  dispersed  the  remainder.  They  never  afterwards  invaded 
the  long  contested  shore  of  their  beloved  hunting  ground.  After  a  desperate  and 
sanguinary  struggle  of  more  than  twenty  years,  Kain-tuck-ee,  "  the  dark  and 
bloody  ground,"  was  lost  to  the  red  man  forever.  The  Saxon,  in  his  insatiable 
thirst  for  land,  bad  felled  her  forests,  driven  out  her  elk  and  buffalo,  ploughed  up 
her  virgin  sod,  polluted  her  soil  with  the  unfamiliar  city  and  village,  and  in  the 
blood  of  the  red  man  written  his  title  to  the  country,  which  he  held  with  a  grasp 
of  iron.  Cornstalk,  Blackfish,  Logan,  Little  Turtle,  Elinipsico,  Meshawah,  the 
young  Tecumseh,  and  the  thousand  north-western  braves,  bled  in  vain.  Equal 
courage,  superior  intellect,  and  the  destiny  of  the  Saxon,  overthrew  the  heroism, 
the  perseverance,  and  the  despair  of  the  sons  of  the  forest. 

In  1793,  General  Wayne  came  down  the  Ohio  to  prepare  for  his  successful  ex- 
pedition. Kenton,  at  that  time  a  major,  joined  Wayne  with  his  battalion,  and 
proceeded  to  Greenville,  where  he  was  conspicuous  among  the  hardy  hunters 
composing  the  army,  on  account  of  his  superior  reputation,  courage,  skill,  and 
activity.  He  was  not  in  the  battle  of  the  Fallen  Timber,  having  been  discharged 
with  his  battalion  the  winter  previous.  The  Indians,  being  defeated  by  Wayne, 
and  their  power  completely  broken,  sued  for  peace,  which  was  granted,  and  the 
war  was  over. 

Kentucky  and  the  west,  after  the  peace  of  Greenville,  rushed  forward  with 
rapid  strides  in  the  career  of  population  and  wealth.  Emigrants  came  pouring 
over  the  Alleghanies  into  the  fertile  valley  of  the  Ohio,  to  occupy  the  beautiful 
"land  of  the  cane."  These  lands  rose  rapidly  in  price  and  importance,  and  Ken- 
ton was  now  thought  to  be  one  of  the  wealthiest  men  in  his  State,  and  deserved 
to  be  so,  for  he  had  purchased  his  wealth  by  many  a  bloody  conflict,  and  by  many 
incredible  hardships.     But  behold  the  gratitude  of  bis  countrymen! 

The  crafty  offsprings  of  peace,  who  slept  in  the  lap  of  eastern  ease  and  secu- 
rity, while  this  noble  pioneer  was  enduring  the  hardships  of  the  wilderness,  and 


392  KENTON    COUNTY. 

braving  the  gauntlet,  and  stake,  and  tomahawk  of  the  Indian  to  redeem  the  soil 
of  the  west,  creep  in  when  the  fight,  and  toil,  and  danger  are  past,  and  by  dis- 
honorable trick,  miserable  technicality,  and  cunning  procedure,  wrest  the  pos- 
sessions bought  at  such  a  terrible  price  from  the  gallant,  unlettered,  simple  hearted 
man,  unversed  in  the  rascality  of  civilization.  He  lost  his  lands  acre  after  acre, 
the  superior  skill  of  the  speculator  prevailing  over  the  simplicity  and  ignorance 
of  the  hunter.  What  a  burning,  deep  disgrace  to  the  west,  that  the  hero  who 
had  suffered  so  much  and  fought  so  well  to  win  the  soil  of  his  glorious  "cane 
land  "  from  the  savage,  should,  when  the  contest  was  ended,  be  compelled  to 
leave  it  to  those  who  never  struck  a  blow  in  its  defence  !  Together  with  Boone 
and  numerous  other  brave  old  frontier  men,  who  bore  "  the  heat  and  burden  of 
the  day,"  Kenton,  like  an  old  shoe,  was  kicked  aside  when  he  was  no  longer  of 
any  use,  or  had  become  too  antiquated  for  the  fashion  of  the  times.  Kentucky 
treated  her  earliest  and  stauncliest  defenders  scarcely  so  well  as  they  treated  their 
dogs — after  running  down  the  game,  she  denied  them  the  very  otfal. 

The  fate  of  General  Simon  Kenton  was  still  more  hard  than  that  of  the  other 
simple  hearted  fathers  of  the  west.  His  body  was  taken  for  debt  upon  the  cov- 
enants in  deeds  to  lands,  which  he  had,  in  effect,  given  away,  and  for  twelve 
months  he  was  imprisoned,  upon  the  very  spot  where  he  first  built  his  cabin  in 
'75 — where  he  planted  the  first  corn  ever  planted  on  the  north  of  the  Kentucky 
river  by  the  hand  of  any  white  man — where  he  ranged  the  pathless  forest  in  free- 
dopti  and  safety — where  he  subseijuently  erected  his  foremost  station  house,  and 
battled  the  Indians  in  an  hundred  encounters,  and,  nearly  alone,  endured  the 
hardships  of  the  wilderness,  while  those  who  then  reaped  the  fruits  of  his  for- 
mer sufferings  were  yet  unborn,  or  dwelt  afar  in  the  lap  of  peace  and  plenty. 

In  1802,  beggared  by  law-suits  and  losses,  he  moved  into  Ohio,  and  settled  in 
Urbana.  He  was  no  longer  young,  and  the  prospect  of  spending  his  old  age  in 
independence,  surrounded  by  plenty  and  comfort,  which  lightened  the  toils  and 
sufferings  of  his  youth,  was  now  succeeded  by  cheerless  anticipations  of  poverty 
and  neglect.  Thus,  after  thirty  years  of  the  prime  of  his  life,  spent  faithfully  in 
the  cause  of  Kentucky  and  the  west,  all  that  remained  to  him  was  the  recollec- 
tion of  his  services,  and  a  cabin  in  the  wilderness  of  Ohio.  He  himself  never 
repined,  and  such  was  his  exalted  patriotism,  that  he  would  not  suffer  others  to 
upbraid  liis  country  in  his  presence,  without  expressing  a  degree  of  anger  alto- 
gether foreign  from  his  usual  mild  and  amiable  manner.  It  never  occurred  to  his 
ingenuous  mind  that  his  country  could  treat  any  body,  much  less  him,  with  neg- 
lect, and  his  devotion  and  patriotism  continued  to  the  last  unimpaired. 

In  1805,  he  was  elected  a  brigadier  general  in  the  Ohio  militia,  and  in  1810  he 
joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  It  is  a  consoling  fact,  that  nearly  all 
the  "old  fathers  of  the  west"  devoted  the  evening  of  their  stormy  lives  to  the 
service  of  their  Maker,  and  died  in  the  triumphs  of  the  Christian  faith.  In  1813, 
the  gallant  old  man  joined  tlic  Kentucky  troops  under  Governor  Shelby,  into 
whose  family  he  was  admitted  as  a  privileged  member,  and  was  in  the  battle  of 
the  Thames.  This  was  his  last  battle,  and  from  it  the  old  hero  returned  to  ob- 
scurity and  poverty  in  his  humble  cabin  in  tiie  woods.  He  remained  in  Urbana 
till  1820,  when  he  moved  to  the  head  of  Mad  river,  Logan  county,  Ohio,  in  sight 
of  Wapatomika,  where  he  had  been  tied  to  the  stake  by  the  Indians  when  a  prisoner 
in  their  hands.  Here  he  was  harassed  by  judgments  and  executions  from  Ken- 
tucky, and  to  prevent  being  driven  from  his  cabin  by  his  white  brethren,  (as  for- 
merly by  the  savages)  to  the  forest  for  a  shelter,  he  was  compelled  to  have  some 
land  entered  in  the  name  of  his  wife  and  children.  He  still  had  many  tracts  of 
mountain  land  in  Kentucky  of  little  value,  which,  however,  were  forfeited  to  tiie 
State  for  taxes.  In  1821,  then  seventy  years  of  age.  he  undertook  a  journey  to 
Frankfort,  in  tattered  garments  and  on  a  sorry  horse,  to  endeavor  to  get  the  legis- 
lature, then  in  session,  to  release  the  claim  of  the  State  on  his  mountain  lands. 

Here,  where  he  had  roved  in  an  unbroken  wilderness  in  the  early  day,  now  stood 
a  flourishing  city,  but  he  walked  up  and  down  its  streets,  an  object  of  curiosity 
to  the  boys,  a  stranger,  recosrnized  by  no  one.  A  new  generation  had  arisen  to 
people  and  possess  the  land  which  he  had  defended,  and  his  old  friends  and  com- 
panions were  gone.  At  length  (Jeneral  Thomas  Fletcher,  from  Bath  county,  saw 
and  knew  him,  and  by  his  means  the  old  pioneer  was  clothed  in  a  decent  suit, 
and  entertained  in  a  kind  and  becominur  manner.     When  it  became  known  that 


SIMON    KENTON.  393 

Simon  Kenton  was  in  the  town,  numbers  speedily  assembled  to  see  the  celebra- 
ted warrior  and  hunter,  and  testify  their  reo^ard  for  him.  He  was  taken  to  the 
Capitol  and  placed  in  the  speaker's  chair,  "and  then  was  introduced  the  second 
great  adventurer  of  the  west,  to  a  crowded  assembly  of  legislators,  judges,  offi- 
cers of  the  government,  and  citizens  generally."  This  the  simple  hearted  old 
man  was  wont  to  call  *'  the  proudest  day"  of  his  life.  His  lands  were  at  once 
released,  and  shortly  afterwards,  by  the  exertions  of  Judge  Burnet  and  General 
Vance  of  Congress,  a  pension  of  two  hundred  and  forty  dollars  a  year  was  ob- 
tained for  him,  securing  his  old  age  from  absolute  want. 

Without  any  further  reward  from  his  government,  or  particular  notice  from  his 
fellow-citizens  and  contemporaries,  General  Kenton  lived  in  his  quiet  and  obscure 
home  to  the  age  of  eighty-one,  beloved  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  In 
April,  1836,  in  sight  of  the  place  where  the  Indians,  fifty-eight  years  before,  pro- 
posed to  torture  him  to  death,  he  breathed  his  last,  surrounded  by  his  family  and 
neighbors,  and  supported  by  the  consolatios^s  of  the  gospel. 

The  following  is  a  description  of  the  appearance  and  character  of  this  remark- 
able man,  by  one  who  often  shared  with  him  in  the  dangers  of  the  forest  and  the 
fight: 

"  General  Kenton  was  of  fair  complexion,  six  feet  one  inch  in  height.  He  stood  and 
walked  very  erect ;  and,  in  the  prime  of  life,  weighed  about  one  hundred  and  ninety  pounds. 
He  never  was  inclined  to  be  corpulent,  although  of  sufficient  fullness  to  form  a  graceful  per- 
son. He  had  a  soft,  tremulous  voice,  very  pleasing  to  the  hearer.  He  had  laughing,  gray 
eyes,  which  appeared  to  fascinate  the  beholder,  and  dark  auburn  hair.  He  was  a  pleasant, 
good-humored,  and  obliging  companion.  When  excited,  or  provoked  to  anger,  (which  was 
seldom  the  case),  the  fiery  glance  of  his  eye  would  almost  curdle  the  blood  of  those  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact.  His  rage,  when  roused,  was  a  tornado.  In  his  dealing,  he  was 
perfectly  honest ;  his  confidence  in  man,  and  his  credulity,  were  such,  that  the  same  man 
might  cheat  him  twenty  times ;  and  if  he  professed  friendship,  he  might  cheat  him  still." 

The  thing  which  strikes  us  most  forcibly,  in  contemplating  the  lives  of  the 
great  leading  men,  who  pioneered  the  march  of  civilization  to  the  west,  is  their 
complete  simplicity  of  character.  Some  have  not  hesitated  to  pronounce  this 
stupidity,  but  we  can  not  agree  with  them.  The  pioneers  of  the  west,  in  addi- 
tion to  a  plentiful  lack  of  education  and  mental  discipline,  were  certainly  chil- 
dren in  their  knowledge  of  the  great  book  of  human  nature.  Still  the  courage, 
skill,  sagacity,  perseverance  and  endurance  exhibited  in  their  life  of  privation 
and  danger,"  prove  them  to  have  been  men  of  no  ordinary  mould,  and  the  same 
intellectual  and  physical  forces  called  into  action  in  any  other  sphere  of  life, 
expressed  with  the  same  energy,  would  have  rendered  their  possessors  distin- 
guished. 

We  can  easily  see  how  unfit  for  civilized  life,  were  Boone  and  Kenton,  sud- 
denly transposed  from  an  almost  primitive  and  savage  state  of  society,  unsophis- 
ticated and  simple-minded  as  they  were.  The  great  questions  of  property,  regu- 
lated by  law,  and  liberty,  regulated  by  policy,  in  their  profound  mysteries,  were 
to  them  as  sealed  books  :  they  had  not  studied  them  ;  but  for  more  than  twenty 
years,  battling  with  the  savages,  and  enduring  bitter  privations  with  constant  and 
necessary  activity,  they  lived  in  the  free  wilderness,  where  action  was  unfettered 
by  law,  and  where  property  was  not  controlled  by  form  and  technicality,  but  rest- 
ed on  the  natural  and  broader  foundation  of  justice  and  convenience.  They  knew 
how  to  beat  back  the  invader  of  their  soil,  or  repel  the  aggression  of  the  private 
wrong-doer — they  knew  how  to  bear  down  a  foe  in  the  open  field,  or  circumvent 
him  by  stratagem,  or  destroy  him  by  ambush.  But  they  knew  not  how  to  swindle 
a  neisihbor  out  of  his  acres,  by  declaration,  demurrer,  plea  and  replication,  and  all 
the  scientific  pomp  of  chicanery — they  knew  not  how  da?nages  could  salve  a  pri- 
vate injury  or  personal  wrong,  or  how  the  verdict  of  a  jury  could  remove  the 
poison  from  the  tongue  of  the  slanderer,  or  medicine  the  incurable  wounds 
inflicted  by  the  seducer.  Hence,  in  the  broad  and  glorious  light  of  civilization, 
they  were  stupid.  Their  confidence  in  men,  their  simplicity,  their  stupidity,  by 
whatever  name  proper  to  call  it,  rendered  them  an  easy  pre)'  to  selfish  and  un- 
principled speculators.  Certain  it  is,  that  hundreds  arose  to  prey  upon  the  sim- 
ple Fathers  of  the  West;  and  they  were  driven  out  in  their  old  age  yet  farther  into 
the  wilderness.  Instead  of  seeing  their  children  possess  and  people  the  beauti- 
ful land  won  by  their  fathers,  after  so  long  and  terrible  a  conflict,  we  see  them, 


394 


KENTON    COUNTY. 


like  their  sires,  on  the  horders  of  civilization,  beating  back  the  savage,  them- 
selves ever  driven  back  b)'  that  wave  of  population  which  follows  on  their  steps, 
by  a  strange  decree,  the  exterminators  of  the  red  rnan,  soon  thereafter,  them- 
selves to  be  exterminated. 

It  is  now  perhaps  too  late,  to  repair  the  injustice  done  to  these  old  heroes  by 
the  west ;  yet  one  act  remains  to  Kentucky,  demanded  alike  by  gratitude  and  a 
just  sense  of  honor.  It  is  to  gather  up  the  sacred  remains  of  Simon  Kenton,  from 
their  last,  obscure  resting  place,  and  placing  them  in  the  cemetery  of  her  capi- 
tal, in  the  bosom  of  that  beloved  soil  which  he  was  among  the  first  and  stoutest 
to  defend  ;  to  erect  a  monument  over  his  grave,  conuuemorating  throughout 
all  succeeding  years  the  services  and  virtues  of  her  Great  Pioneer.  Will  it  ever 
be  done'? 

Bank  Lick  is  a  beautiful  stream,  emptying  into  the  Licking  river,  five  miles 
from  its  confluence  with  the  Ohio,  in  Kenton  county.  Tliis  stream  received  its 
name  from  the  early  settlers,  and  its  banks  have,  doubtless,  been  trodden  by 
Boone  and  Kenton.  The  engraving  represents  a  scene  on  this  stream,  about  a 
mile  above  its  junction  with  the  Licking.  The  picture  is  by  Frankenstein,  a 
young  artist  of  Cincinnati. 


VIEW    OF    BANK    LICK,    KENTON  ^CO.,    KY. 


KNOX  COUNTY.  395 

Among  the  prominent  citizens  of  Kenton  county,  is  the  Honorahle  James  T. 
MoREHEAD,  late  Senator  in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States.  He  enjoys  a  rep- 
utation for  ability  and  eloquence,  which  is  co-extensive  with  the  limits  of  the  Un- 
ion, and  ranks  among  the  first  public  men  of  the  State.  He  was  born  on  the  24th 
May,  1797,  near  Shepherdsville,  in  the  county  of  Bullitt.  When  he  was  three  or 
four  years  old,  his  father  removed  to  Russellville,  Logan  county,  where  he  enjoyed 
the  advantages  of  the  village  schools.  In  the  spring  of  1813,  he  was  sent  to 
Transylvania  University,  where  he  continued  until  1815.  The  University  was 
then  under  the  charge  of  Dr.  Blythe,  as  principal.  Rev.  Mr.  Bishop,  professor  of 
moral  philosophy,  and  Mr.  Ebenezer  Sharpe,  professor  of  languages.  On  his 
return  to  Russellville,  Mr.  Morehead  commenced  the  study  of  the  law  under  the 
Honorable  H.  P.  Brodnax,  then  one  of  the  circuit  court  judges;  and  he  contin- 
ued it  in  the  office  of  the  Honorable  J.  J.  Crittenden,  who  was  then  living  at 
Russellville.  In  the  spring  of  1818,  Mr.  Morehead  settled  at  Bowling  Green, 
and  commenced  the  practice  of  law.  In  August,  1828,  he  was  elected  to  the 
legislature  from  the  county  of  Warren,  and  was  re-elected  in  1829-1830.  In 
the  winter  of  1831-2,  while  attending  the  convention  at  Baltimore  which  nomina- 
ted Mr.  Clay  for  the  presidency  and  John  Sergeant  for  vice  president,  he  was 
nominated  by  the  state  convention  that  met  at  Frankfort  as  candidate  for  lieu- 
tenant governor.  He  was  elected  to  this  office  in  August,  1832.  He  presided 
over  the  senate  until  the  death  of  Governor  Breathitt,  in  February,  1834,  and 
succeeded  that  gentleman  in  the  administration  of  the  government.  In  his  first 
message  to  the  legislature,  he  recommended  an  enlarged  system  of  internal  im- 
provements, which  the  legislature,  on  the  28th  of  February,  1835,  provided  for 
by  "an  act  for  the  internal  improvement  of  the  State  of  Kentucky,"  creating  a 
board  of  internal  improvement,  of  which  Mr.  Morehead  was  made  ex-nfficio  the 
president.  In  the  fall  of  1836,  he  resumed  the  practice  of  the  law  in  Frankfort. 
In  March,  1837,  he  was  commissioned  by  Governor  Clark,  as  the  agent  of  the 
State,  for  the  sale  of  the  bonds  for  internal  improvement  purposes.  In  August, 
1837,  he  was  elected  to  the  legislature  in  Franklin  county.  In  the  spring  of  1838, 
he  was  appointed  by  Governor  Clark,  president  of  the  board  of  internal  improve- 
ments. In  the  winter  of  the  next  year,  he  was  selected  by  the  legislature,  in 
conjunction  with  Colonel  J.  Speed  Smith,  of  Madison,  as  a  commissioner  to  the 
State  of  Ohio,  to  obtain  the  passage  of  a  law  for  the  protection  of  the  property 
of  the  citizens  of  Kentucky  in  their  slaves.  The  mission  was  entirely  successful. 
Mr.  Morehead  remained  in  the  board  of  internal  improvement  until  the  latter  part 
of  February,  1841,  when  he  was  elected  to  the  senate  of  the  United  States  for 
the  term  of  six  years.  In  the  senate,  as  a  debater,  few  men  ranked  higher  than 
Governor  Morehead,  An  announcement  that  he  was  to  speak,  never  failed  to  fill 
the  lobbies  and  galleries  with  spectators.  As  a  speaker,  he  is  remarkably  fluent 
and  energetic,  with  a  manner  eminently  graceful  and  dignified.  His  political 
information  is  extensive,  and  his  opinions  as  a  statesman,  sound  and  conserva- 
tive. Governor  Morehead  is  now  living  in  Covington,  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
his  profession. 


KNOX     COUNTY. 

Knox  county  was  formed  in  1790,  and  named  in  honor  of  Gen- 
eral Henry  Knox.  It  is  situated  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the 
State,  and  lies  on  both  sides  of  the  Cumberland  river  :  Bounded 
on  the  north  by  Laurel  and  Clay ;  northeast  by  Clay  ;  southeast 
by  Harlan  ;  south  by  Tennessee  line ;  and  west  by  Whitley. 
The  Pine  mountain,  a  spur  of  the  great  Cumberland,  skirts  this 
county  on  the  southeast.  The  face  of  the  country,  except  on  the 
river  bottoms,  is  hilly  and  mountainous — the  staple  products,  corn 


396  KNOX  COUNTY. 

and  oats,  though  other  grains  are  produced,  and  horses,  cattle, 
hogs  and  sheep  are  raised  in  considerable  numbers. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  in  1840,  $707,326 ;  number  of 
acres  of  land  in  the  county,  150,308;  average  value  of  land  per 
acre,  $2.74 ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of 
age,  1,027  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  old, 
1,688.     Population  in  1840,  5,722. 

Barboursville,  the  county  seat  and  only  town,  is  situated  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  Cumberland  river,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  from  Frankfort.  It  contains  three  churches,  one  school, 
court-house,  five  stores  and  groceries,  one  tavern,  three  lawyers, 
two  physicians  and  six  mechanical  trades — population  225.  Es- 
tablished in  1812. 

The  State  road  from  Frankfort  to  the  State  of  Tennessee,  crosses  at  the  Cum- 
berland ford  in  this  county,  thence  passes  out  of  the  State  at  the  Cumberland 
Gap,  The  Pine  mountain,  which  is  situated  on  the  border  of  this  county,  presents 
to  the  eye  all  the  grandeur  and  sublimity  of  nature  in  her  wildest  and  most 
romantic  aspect,  through  which  the  Cumberland  river  seems  to  have  forced  its 
way,  the  cliffs  on  either  side,  consisting  of  almost  interminable  heaps  of  lime- 
stone, rising  to  the  height  of  thirteen  hundred  feet.  In  the  vicinity  of  this  cliff, 
there  is  a  cave  of  considerable  magnitude. 

Three  miles  from  Barboursville,  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Cumberland,  there 
are  the  remains  of  an  ancient  fortress,  around  which  a  circular  ditch  is  discerni- 
ble, enclosing  about  four  acres  of  ground. 

It  was  through  the  Cumberland  Gap,  in  this  county,  that  the  distinguished  pi- 
oneer, Daniel  Boone,  first  penetrated  Kentucky. 

General  Henry  Knox,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its  name,  was  a 
native  of  Massachusetts,  having  been  born  at  Boston,  on  the  25th  July,  1750. 
He  received  a  good  education,  and  at  an  early  period  of  his  life  was  a  booksel- 
ler. At  the  age  of  eighteen,  he  was  chosen  one  of  the  officers  of  a  company  of 
grenadiers,  and  evinced  a  fondness  and  ability  for  the  military  profession.  At 
the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  he  served  as  a  volunteer;  and  soon  after  undertook  the 
perilous  task  of  procuring  from  the  Canada  frontier  some  pieces  of  ordnance, 
greatly  needed  by  the  American  army,  which  he  successfully  accomplished.  For 
this  daring  feat,  he  received  the  most  flattering  testimonials  from  the  commander- 
in-chief  and  congress,  and  was  soon  after  entrusted  with  the  command  of  the 
artillery  department,  with  the  rank  of  a  brigadier  general.  In  the  battles  of 
Trenton  and  Princeton,  Germantown  and  Monmouth,  he  displayed  peculiar  skill 
and  bravery  ;  and  subsequently  contributed  greatly  to  the  capture  of  Cornwallis 
at  Yorktown.  Immediately  after  this  event,  he  was  created  a  major-general.  He 
was  subsequently  one  of  the  commissioners  to  adjust  the  terms  of  peace — was 
deputed  to  receive  the  surrender  of  New  York  from  the  English  forces — and  af- 
terwards appointed  commander  at  West  Point,  where  he  executed  the  delicate 
and  difficult  task  of  disbanding  the  army,  which  he  executed  with  extraordinary 
address.  In  1785,  he  was  appointed  secretary  at  war,  the  duties  of  which  office 
he  discharged  with  general  approbation  until  the  year  1794,  when  he  retired  to 
his  estate,  in  the  then  district,  but  now  State  of  Maine.  In  1798,  when  the  state 
of  our  affairs  with  France  indicated  a  rupture,  he  was  again  appointed  to  a  com- 
mand in  the  army  ;  hut  the  re-establishment  of  amicable  relations  with  that  power, 
enabled  him  soon  to  return  to  his  retirement.  He  died  October  25,  1806,  at  his 
seat  in  Thomastoii,  Maine,  at  the  age  of  5G.  General  Knox  was  as  amiable  in 
private,  as  he  was  eminent  in  public  life.  But  few  men  in  the  stirring  times  in 
which  he  lived,  possessed  in  a  higher  degree  those  traits  of  character  which  dig- 
nify and  ennoble  human  nature. 


9^ 


LARUE   COUNTY.  397 


LARUE   COUN  TY. 

Larue  county  was  formed  in  1843,  and  named  for  John  Larue. 
It  lies  on  Salt  river,  in  the  middle  portion  of  the  State  :  Boun- 
ded on  the  north  by  Hardin  and  Neltion  ;  east  by  Nelson  and 
Washington  ;  south  by  Hart  and  Greene  ;  and  southwest  and 
northwest  by  Hart  and  Hardin.  The  surface  is  generally  undu- 
lating, a  portion  rolling  or  hilly — the  celebrated  Muldrow's  hill 
skirting  the  county  on  the  north.  The  soil  is  good  in  the  more 
level  portion — the  hills  producing  fine  grasses,  and  well  adapted 
for  sheep  culture.  Principal  products,  corn,  tobacco  and  hogs. 
The  Rolling  fork  of  Salt  river,  and  Nolin  and  Otter  creeks,  are 
the  principal  streams. 

Value  of  taxable  property  in  1846,  $727,344  ;  number  of  acres 
of  land  in  the  county,  123,157  ;  average  value  of  land  per  acre, 
$3.58;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
872 ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  old,  1,207. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are — Hodgenville,  the  county  seat, 
and  Levelwood.  Hodgenville  is  about  ninety  miles  from  Frank- 
fort, and  is  a  pleasant  place,  of  some  business — containing  a  neat 
court-house  with  the  usual  county  buildings,  and  has  five  law- 
yers, two  physicians,  six  stores,  with  a  number  of  mechanics'  shops. 

About  one  mile  above  Hodgenville  on  the  south  side  of  Nolin  creek,  there  is  a 
knoll  which  may  be  appropriately  termed  a  natural  curiosity.  It  is  about  thirty 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  creek,  and  contains  about  two  acres  of  ground,  the  top 
of  which  is  level,  and  a  comfortable  house  has  been  erected  upon  it.  Benjamin 
Lynn  and  others,  early  pioneers  of  the  county,  encamped  on  this  knoll.  In  a 
hunting  excursion,  shortly  after  they  made  their  encampment,  Lynn  got  lost. 
The  remainder  of  the  company  returned  to  camp,  and  not  finding  their  companion, 
some  one  remarked,  "  Here  is  the  Nnle  (knoll)  but  No  Lynn,  from  which  circum- 
stance the  creek  which  runs  near  the  knoll  took  its  name — Nolin.  They  imme- 
diately started  in  search  of  Lynn,  and  traveled  a  south  course  about  fifteen  miles, 
and  found  where  he  had  encamped  on  a  creek,  from  which  circumstance  they 
called  the  creek  Lynn-carnp  creek.  [The  creek  lies  within  the  present  county  of 
Hart.]  Philip  Piiillips  erected  a  fort  about  one  fourth  of  a  mile  from  the  knoll, 
on  the  nortli  side  of  Nolin,  about  the  year  1780  or  '81,  where  the  first  settlement 
of  the  county  was  made.     Phillips  was  from  Pennsylvania,  and  a  surveyor. 

John  Lakuk,  for  whom  the  county  was  named,  emigrated  with  a  considerable 
company,  from  Virginia,  and  settled  in  Phillips'  fort.  When  they  left  the  fort, 
Larue  bought  and  settled  the  land  which  includes  the  knoll.  Robert  Hodgen, 
his  brother-in-law,  bought  and  settled  the  land  on  which  Hodgenville  has  been 
erected.  They  were  both  noted  for  their  uprightness  and  sterling  moral  worth — 
both  of  them  members  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  beloved  for  their  unobtrusive 
and  devoted  piety.  Benjamin  Lynn  was  a  minister  of  the  same  church,  and  also 
distinguished  for  his  zeal  and  piety. 

On  the  farm  of  Mr.  .Tohn  Duncan,  about  five  miles  from  Hodgenville,  on  the 
Big  South  fork  of  Nolin,  there  are  several  mounds.  Two  of  these  have  been 
opened,  and  found  to  contain  human  bones,  beads  of  ivory  or  b(me,  and  a  quantity 
of  sea  shells.  Near  the  mounds,  there  appear  to  be  the  remains  of  a  town  or 
fortification,  and  within  the  area  covered  by  this  relic  of  antiquity,  several  curi- 


398 


LAUREL   AND   LAWRENCE   COUNTIES. 

ous  articles  have  been  found,  amoncr  them  the  image  of  a 
bird,  cut  out  of  a  rock,  with  several  lio'.es  drilled  through  it. 
On  one  of  the  bluffs  of  the  Rolling  Fork,  where  the  creek 
makes  a  short  elbow,  is  to  be  seen  a  stone  wall,  now  three  or 
four  feet  high.  The  wall  at  the  elbow  extends  across  the 
level  land,  from  cliff  to  cliff,  somewiiat  in  the  shape  of  the 
annexed  drawing,  and  must  have  constituted,  at  the  time  of 
its  construction,  an  impregnable  fortress.  The  cliff  is  about 
two  hundred  feet  high,  and  so  precipitous  that  an  invading 
army  could  not  possibly  scale  it,  where  there  was  any  show  of 
resistance. 


LAUREL    COUNTY. 

Laurel  county  was  formed  in  1825,  and  derived  its  name  from 
the  river  Laurel,  which  runs  partly  through  the  county — and  the 
river  is  supposed  to  derive  its  name  from  the  quantity  of  laurel 
growing  upon  its  banks.  The  face  of  the  country  is  elevated 
and  generally  rolling — the  staple  products  corn  and  oats. 

Value  of  taxable  property  in  1846,  $333,099;  number  of  acres 
of  land  in  the  county,  184,595;  average  value  of  land  per  acre, 
$1.10;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  714 ; 
number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  old,  1,133. 
Population  in  1840,3,079. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are  London  and  Hazlepatch.  Loxdox, 
the  seat  of  justice,  is  one  hundred  and  two  miles  from  Frankfort 
— contains  a  court-house  and  jail,  post-office,  tavern,  one  physi- 
cian, two  lawyers,  a  store,  and  a  few  mechanics'  shops.  Hazle- 
patch is  a  small  village,  containing  a  post  office  and  a  few  houses. 

Boone's  old  trace,  which  ran  through  this  county,  is  yet  perceivable,  passing 
immediately  over  the  spot  where  the  court-house  is  built.  A  quantity  of  iron  ore 
has  been  discovered  in  the  county,  and  some  appearances  of  lead.  Swift's  old 
mine  is  supposed  to  be  in  this  county.  Coal  is  found  in  great  abundance,  and 
several  fine  chalybeate  springs  have  been  discovered.  The  water  power  is  un- 
surpassed. There  are  the  remains  of  some  old  Indian  towns  in  the  county, 
among  which  vessels  apparently  used  for  cooking,  and  other  implements,  have 
been  found. 


LAWRENCE     COUNTY. 

Lawrence  county  was  formed  in  1821,  and  named  after  Captain 
James  Lawrence,  of  the  United  States'  navy.  It  is  situated  in  the 
eastern  portion  of  the  State,  lying  on  the  waters  of  Big  Sandy 
river — bounded  on  the  north  by  Carter,  west  by  Morgan,  south  l)y 
Johnson,  and  on  the  east  by  Big  Sand)^  river,  the  separating  line 
between  Virginia  and  Kentucky.  The  surface  is  hilly  and  bro- 
ken, but  the  soil  fertile,  producing  wheat,  corn,  oats,  rye,  and  all 
kinds  of  vegetables,  in  abundance.     The  county  is  well  watered 


JAMES   LAWRENCE.  399 

and  the  timber  fine,  such  as  beech,  poplar,  chesnut,  black  and 
white  walnut,  and  oak  of  various  kinds.  Steamboats  have  as- 
cended the  Big  Sandy  as  far  as  Piketon,  in  Pike  county.  The 
soil  along  the  whole  valley  of  the  Big  Sandy  is  remarkably  rich, 
while  the  hills  abound  in  coal  and  iron  ore.  The  county  con- 
tains many  natural  curiosities,  a  description  of  which,  it  is  to  be 
regretted,  has  not  been  received. 

Value  of  taxable  property  in  1846,  .$394,535  ;  number  of  acres 
of  land  in  the  county,  131,587 ;  average  value  of  land  per  acre, 
$1.75;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
850;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  old,  1,- 
467.     Population  in  1840,  3,079. 

Louisa,  the  county  seat  and  only  town  in  Lawrence,  is  located 
at  the  forks  of  Big  Sandy,  about  one  hundred  miles  from  Frank- 
fort. It  contains  a  court-house,  church,  post-office,  four  stores, 
two  doctors,  two  lawyers,  and  several  mechanics'  shops.  Estab- 
lished in  1822. 

Richard  Apperson,  Esq.  of  Mount  Sterlinof,  has  in  his  possession  one  of  the 
oldest  patents  probably  now  in  Kentucky.  It  was  issued  by  the  crown  of  Great 
Britain  in  1772,  to  John  Fry,  for  2081  acres  of  land,  embracing  the  town  of  Louisa, 
in  this  county.  Nearly  one-third  of  the  land  lies  on  the  Virginia  side  of  Big 
Sandy  river.  The  survey  upon  which  the  patent  issued  was  made  by  General 
Washington  between  17(j7  and  1770,  inclusive,  and  upon  the  beginning  corner 
he  cut  the  initials  of  his  name.  Nearly  every  corner  was  found  well  marked.  It 
has  not  heretofore  been  generally  known  that  George  Washington  was  ever  in 
Kentucky.  Another  survey  was  made  by  him  for  John  Fry,  on  Little  Sandy 
river,  eleven  miles  from  its  mouth,  and  in  the  present  county  of  Greenup.  The 
town  of  Louisa,  and  the  whole  of  the  lands  included  in  the  patent,  are  held  under 
the  title  of  Fry. 

In  the  year  1789,  Charles  Vancouver  settled  in  the  forks  of  Big  Sandy,  and 
employed  ten  men  to  build  a  fort  and  cultivate  some  corn.  This  settlement  lasted 
but  a  year,  as  the  Indians  in  a  few  weeks  after  Vancouver  took  possession,  stole 
ail  the  horses,  and  continued  to  be  troublesome. 

James  Lawrence,  (in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its  name,)  a  distin- 
guished American  naval  commander,  was  born  in  New  Jersey  in  1781.  In  1798, 
he  entered  the  navy  as  a  midshipman.  In  1801  he  was  promoted,  and  in  1803, 
during  the  Tripoli  war,  was  sent  out  to  the  Mediterranean  as  first  lieutenant  of 
the  schooner  Enterprise.  While  there,  he  performed  a  conspicuous  part  in  the 
destruction  of  the  Philadelphia  frigate,  which  had  been  captured  by  the  Tripoli- 
tans — and  took  an  active  part  in  the  subsequent  bombardment  of  the  city  of  Tri- 
poli. In  1806,  he  returned  to  the  United  States  as  first  lieutenant  of  the  John 
Adams.  In  1812,  after  war  was  declared  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United 
States,  Lawrence  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  sloop  of  war,  Hornet,  In 
February  1813,  oflT  the  Brazil  coast,  the  Hornet  fell  in  with  the  fine  British  sloop 
Peacock,  which  she  captured  after  a  furious  action  of  fifteen  minutes.  The  Pea- 
cock was  so  much  cut  up  in  the  short  action,  that  she  sunk  before  all  the  pris- 
oners could  be  removed.  For  this  gallant  action,  Lawrence  received  the  thanks 
of  Congress,  with  the  present  of  a  sword  ;  and  his  return  to  the  LTnited  States 
was  welcomed  with  the  applause  due  to  his  conduct.  Shortly  after  his  return, 
he  was  ordered  to  Boston,  to  take  command  of  the  frigate  Chesapeake,  confess- 
edly one  of  the  worst  ships  in  the  navy.  He  had  been  but  a  short  time  there, 
when  the  British  frisjate  Shannon,  Captain  Brooke,  appeared  hefore  the  harbor 
and  challenged  the  Chesapeake  to  combat.  Lawrence  did  not  refuse  the  chal- 
lenge, although  his  ship  was  not  in  condition  for  action.  On  the  1st  of  June, 
1813,  he  sailed  out  of  the  harbor  and  engaged  his  opponent.  After  the  ships  had 
exchanged  several  broadsides,  and  Lawrence  had  been  wounded  in  the  leg,  he 


400  LETCHER  COUNTY. 

called  his  boarders,  when  he  received  a  musket  ball  in  his  body.  At  the  same 
time  the  enemy  boarded,  and  after  a  desperate  resistance,  succeeded  m  taking  pos- 
session of  the  ship.  Almost  all  the  officers  of  the  Chesapeake  were  either  killed 
or  wounded.  The  last  exclamation  of  Lawrence,  as  they  were  carrying  him  below, 
after  the  fatal  wound,  was,  "  Don't  give  up  the  ship."  He  died  on  the  fourth  day 
after  the  action,  and  was  buried  with  naval  honors  at  Halifax. 


LETCHER    COUNTY. 

Letcher  county  was  formed  in  1842,  and  named  after  Governor 
Robert  P.  Letcher.  It  is  situated  in  the  extreme  eastern  section 
of  the  State,  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Kentucky  river — bounded 
north  by  Floyd ;  east  by  Pike  and  the  Virginia  line  ;  south  by 
Harlan,  and  west  by  Perry.  The  face  of  the  country  is  hilly  and 
mountainous — the  Cumberland  and  Black  mountains  bordering 
the  south-east,  while  the  Pine  mountain  passes  through  a  portion 
of  the  county.  The  principal  articles  of  export  are,  cattle,  horses, 
hogs,  ginseng  and  wool. 

Value  of  taxable  property  in  1846,  $126,989;  number  of  acres 
of  land  in  the  county,  52,507  ;  average  value  of  land  per  acre, 
$1 .71  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  320 ; 
number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  old,  590. 

Whitesburg,  the  county  seat,  is  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles 
from  Frankfort — contains  a  Methodist  and  a  Baptist  church,  court 
house  and  jail,  one  school,  three  stores  and  groceries,  one  tavern, 
one  lawyer,  one  doctor,  and  three  or  four  mechanics'  shops,  and 
about  fifty  inhabitants.  Named  after  Mr.  C.  White,  a  member  of 
the  legislature. 

Robert  P.  Letcher,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  was  named,  is  a  native  of 
Garrard  county.  In  his  youth  he  received  a  good  education,  and  studied  law.  He 
represented  his  native  county  frequently  in  the  legislature  of  Kentucky,  and  in 
1822  was  elected  to  Congress.  He  continued  a  member  of  Congress  from  1823 
to  1833.  He  was  always  a  firm  and  consistent  whig,  and  the  last  term  he  served 
in  Congress,  he  received  the  vote  of  the  entire  whig  party  for  speaker.  Returning 
to  Kentucky,  he  devoted  his  attention  to  the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  was 
subsequently  elected  to  the  legislature,  of  which  body  he  was  long  a  useful  and 
influential  member.  In  1838  he  was  chosen  speaker  of  the  house  of  represen- 
tatives, in  which  office  he  was  distinguished  for  the  energy,  promptitude  and 
ability  with  which  he  discharged  its  various  duties.  In  1840  he  was  selected  as 
the  whig  candidate  for  governor,  and  when  the  election  came  on,  received  the 
largest  majority  ever  obtained  by  any  candidate  for  that  office.  Upon  retiring 
from  the  gubernatorial  chair.  Governor  Letcher  resumed  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession in  Frankfort,  where  he  now  resides.  As  a  popular  electioneerer.  Governor 
Letcher  has  no  superior  in  the  State.  He  has  a  pleasing  manner  and  fine  address, 
tells  an  anecdote  with  inimitable  grace  and  humor,  and  is  a  general  favorite  with 
the  people  as  a  stump  orator.  In  his  domestic  and  social  relations,  he  is  kind, 
hospitable,  and  generous — a  man  of  stern  integrity,  and  uniformly  correct  in  all 
his  business  transactions. 


r 

i 


LEWIS  COUNTY.  401 


LEWIS    COUNTY. 

Lewis  county  was  formed  in  1806,  and  named  after  Captain 
Meriwether  Lewis.  It  is  situated  in  tlie  north-eastern  section  of 
the  State,  lying  upon  the  Ohio  river — bounded  north  by  the  Ohio; 
east  by  Greenup;  south  by  Fleming,  and  west  by  Mason.  The 
surface  of  the  county  is  generally  hilly  ;  but  the  western  portion 
is  fertile  and  productive,  while  the  vallies  of  the  Ohio  river,  and 
Kinnoekonnick  and  Cabin  creeks,  are  very  rich.  The  products 
are,  corn,  wheat,  rye  and  oats.  The  exports,  horses,  cattle  and 
hogs,  principally. 

Value  of  taxable  property  in  1846,  $967,740 ;  number  of  acres 
of  land  in  the  county,  191,789  ;  average  value  of  land  per  acre, 
$3.70;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
1,229  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  old, 
1,417.     Population  in  1840,  6,306. 

The  towns  of  Lewis,  are  Clarksburg,  Concord,  Vanceburg,  Mid- 
dleburg  and  Poplar  Flat.  Clarksburg,  the  county  seat,  is  about 
ninety  miles  from  Frankfort — contains  a  good  brick  court-house 
and  public  offices,  two  la\^yers,  one  physician,  one  tavern,  one 
blacksmith,  tan-yard  and  shoe-shop.  Population  about  fifty, — 
called  for  General  George  Rogers  Clark.  Vanceburg  is  situated  on 
the  Ohio  river,  twenty  miles  above  Maysville,  and  three  miles  from 
Clarksburg:  contains  three  taverns,  three  stores,  two  physicians, 
and  five  or  six  mechanical  trades.  Population  150.  Incorpo- 
rated in  1827.  Coiword  is  situated,  also,  on  the  Ohio,  about  14 
miles  below  Vanceburg — contains  four  stores,  two  taverns,  two 
doctors,  post  office,  one  school,  one  free  church,  and  six  or  eight 
mechanical  trades.  Population  125.  Middlehij-g  and  FoplarFlai 
are  very  small  places,  with  post  offices. 

Near  Vanceburg,  in  this  county,  is  a  large  quarry  of  slate  stone ;  and  immedi- 
ately at  the  water's  edge  at  a  common  stage  of  the  river,  at  the  same  place,  is  a 
quarry  of  white  limestone  rock,  which  produces  remarkably  white  lime,  and  is 
said  to  contain  from  fifty  to  sixty  per  cent,  of  magnesia.  Free  white  or  sand 
stone  is  found  in  great  abundance  on  the  Ohio,  a  few  miles  above  Vanceburg, 
where  there  is  also  a  large  quarry  of  alum  rock.  On  Salt  Lick  creek,  near  Vance- 
burg, there  is  a  copperas  bed,  from  which  the  people  of  the  county  supply  them- 
selves with  that  article;  and  one  mile  distant,  there  is  an  extensive  blue  clay 
bank,  suitable  for  stone  ware  ard  fire  brick.  There  are  also  in  the  neighborhood, 
two  salt  wells,  three  hundred  feet  deep,  which  afford  a  large  quantity  of  water, 
from  which  this  pait  of  the  state  was  formerly  supplied  with  salt. 

Esculupia  or  Sulphur  Springs. — This  celebrated  watering  place  in  Lewis  county, 
is  situated  in  a  romantic  valley,  surrounded  by  tall  hills  of  easy  ascent,  from 
which  the  view  is  picturesque  and  enchanting.  The  improvements  have  been 
greatly  extended  within  a  few  years,  and  now  afford  ample  accommodations  for 
two  hundred  visitors.  There  are  two  springs,  one  of  white  sulphur,  the  other 
chalybeate,  said  to  be  equal,  if  not  superior,  to  the  waters  of  a  similar  kind  in 
Virginia. 

This  county  was  named  in  honor  of  Captain  Meriwether  Lewis,  the  compan- 
ion of  Clark  in  the  celebrated  exploring  expedition  over  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
He  was  born  near  Charlottesville,  in  Virginia,  in  1774.     At  twenty  years  of  age, 
26 


402  LINCOLN   COUNTY. 

he  acted  as  a  volunteer,  in  the  suppression  of  the  whisky  insurrection,  and  after- 
wards received  an  appointment  in  the  regular  service.  In  1801,  Mr.  Jefferson 
appointed  him  his  private  secretary,  which  situation  he  held  till  1803,  when,  with 
William  Clark,  he  started  on  his  exploring  expedition  to  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
Mr.  Jefferson,  in  recommending  him  for  this  service,  gave  him  a  high  character 
for  courage,  firmness  and  perseverance,  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  Indian 
character,  fidelity,  intelligence,  and  all  those  peculiar  combinations  of  qualities  that 
eminently  fitted  him  for  so  arduous  an  undertaking.  They  were  absent  three  years, 
and  were  highly  successful  in  accomplishing  the  objects  contemplated  in  their  tour. 
Shortly  after  his  return,  in  1806,  he  was  appointed  governor  of  the  territory  of 
Louisiana.  On  his  arrival  at  St.  Louis,  the  seat  of  administration,  he  found  the 
country  torn  by  dissension  ;  but  his  moderation,  impartiality  and  firmness  soon 
brought  matters  into  a  regular  train.  He  was  subject  to  constitutional  hypochon- 
dria, and  while  under  the  influence  of  a  severe  attack,  shot  himself  on  the  bor- 
ders of  Tennessee,  in  1809,  at  the  age  of  36.  The  account  of  the  expedition, 
written  by  him,  was  published  in  1814. 


LINCOLN    COUNTY. 

Lincoln  county  was  formed  in  1780,  and  was  one  of  the  three 
original  counties  organized  in  the  district  of  Kentucky  by  the 
legislature  of  Virginia.  It  was  named  in  honor  of  General  Ben- 
jamin Lincoln,  a  distingushed  officer  of  the  revolutionary  army. 
The  original  territory  of  Lincoln,  which  comprised  nearly  one- 
third  of  the  State,  has  been  reduced,  by  the  formation  of  new 
counties,  to  comparatively  small  dimensions  ;  but  it  is  still  a  com- 
pact and  well-formed  county :  Bounded  on  the  north  by  Boyle 
and  Garrard  ;  east  by  Garrard  and  Rockcastle  ;  south  by  Pulaski ; 
and  west  by  Casey.  The  exports  of  the  county  are,  horses,  mules, 
cattle,  hogs  and  wool ;  while  wheat,  corn,  oats  and  rye  are  exten- 
sively cultivated. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  Lincoln  county,  178,557  ;  average 
value  per  acre,  $9.26  ;  total  valuation  of  taxable  property  in 
1846,  $3,490,144  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twent}^-one  years 
of  age,  338;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years 
old,  1,679.     Population  in  1830,  11,012— in  1840,  10,187. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are — Stanford,  Crab  Orchard,  Hus- 
ton ville,  Waynesburg  and  Walnut  Flat.  Stanford,  the  county 
seat,  is  fifty-one  miles  from  Frankfort — and  contains  a  court-house, 
one  Presbyterian  and  one  Christian  church,  one  academy,  seven 
stores  and  groceries,  three  taverns,  eight  lawyers,  four  physi- 
cians and  twelve  mechanics'  shops:  population  400.  Croh  Or- 
chard has  one  church,  one  academy,  eight  stores  and  groceries, 
two  taverns,  two  physicians  and  eight  mechanics'  shops  :  popu- 
lation 350.  HustonvUh  contains  one  church,  one  school,  four 
stores,  one  tavern,  two  physicians  and  six  mechanics'  shops  :  pop- 
ulation, 200.  Wai/ncsbur<r  is  a  small  village,  with  three  stores, 
three  mechanics'  shops,  and  one  doctor:  population  40.  Walnut 
Flat  has  a  republican  church,  one  tavern  and  five  mechanics' 
shops  :  population  60. 


BENJAMIN   LOGAN.  403 

The  Knob  Licks,  in  this  county,  is  a  locality  of  some  curiosity.  What  are 
called  Knobs,  are  detached  hills  of  a  soft  clay  slate  formation,  in  some  instances 
the  slate  having  been  decomposed  and  abraded  to  a  considerable  depth  by  the  ac- 
tion of  the  elements,  leaving  large  hollows  on  the  side  of  the  hills,  intersected  in 
every  direction  with  ravines,  and  entirely  destitute  of  vegetation.  The  greatest 
height  of  these  knobs  is  about  two  hundred  feet,  and  the  highest  has  a  base  of 
some  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  in  diameter. 

In  the  year  1775,  Col.  Benjamin  Logan,  a  sketch  of  whose  life  will  be  found 
under  the  head  of  "  Logan  county,"  arrived  at  St.  Asaph's,  about  a  mile  west  of 
the  present  town  of  Stanford,  and  established  a  fort,  called  Logan's  fort.  On  the 
20th  of  May,  1777,  this  fort  was  invested  by  a  force  of  a  hundred  Indians;  and, 
on  the  morning  of  that  day,  as  some  of  the  females  belonging  to  it  were  engaged, 
outside  of  the  gate,  in  milking  the  cows,  the  men  who  acted  as  the  guard  for  the 
occasion  were  fired  upon  by  a  party  of  the  Indians,  who  had  concealed  themselves 
in  a  thick  canebrake.  One  man  was  shot  dead,  another  mortally  wounded,  and 
a  third  so  badly,  as  to  be  disabled  from  making  his  escape ;  the  remainder  made 
good  their  retreat  into  the  fort,  and  closed  the  gate.  Harrison,  one  of  the  wound- 
ed men,  by  a  violent  exertion,  ran  a  few  paces  and  fell.  His  struggles  and  ex- 
clamations attracted  the  notice,  and  awakened  the  sympathies,  of  the  inmates  of 
the  station.  The  frantic  grief  of  his  wife  gave  additional  interest  to  the  scene. 
The  enemy  forbore  to  fire  upon  him,  doubtless  from  the  supposition  that  some  of 
the  garrison  would  attempt  to  save  him,  in  which  event  they  were  prepared  to  fire 
upon  them  from  the  canebrake.  The  case  was  a  trying  one ;  and  there  was  a 
strong  conflict  between  sympathy  and  duty,  on  the  part  of  the  garrison.  The 
number  of  effective  men  had  been  reduced  from  fifteen  to  twelve,  and  it  was  ex- 
ceedingly hazardous  to  put  the  lives  of  any  of  this  small  number  in  jeopardy; 
yet  the  lamentations  of  his  family  were  so  distressing,  and  the  scene  altogether 
so  moving,  as  to  call  forth  a  resolute  determination  to  save  him,  if  possible.  Lo- 
gan, always  alive  to  the  impulses  of  humanity,  and  insensible  to  fear,  volunteered 
his  services,  and  appealed  to  some  of  his  men  to  accompany  him.  But  so  appal- 
ling was  the  danger,  that  all,  at  first,  refused.  At  length,  John  Martin  consented, 
and  rushed,  with  Logan,  from  the  fort;  but  he  had  not  gone  far,  before  he  shrunk 
from  the  imminence  of  the  danger,  and  sprung  back  within  the  gate.  Logan 
paused  for  a  moment,  then  dashed  on,  alone  and  undaunted — reached,  unhurt,  the 
spot  where  Harrison  lay — threw  him  on  his  shoulders,  and,  amidst  a  tremendous 
shower  of  rifle  balls,  made  a  safe  and  triumphant  retreat  into  the  fort. 

The  fort  was  now  vigorously  assailed  by  the  Indian  force,  and  as  vigorously 
defended  by  the  garrison.  The  men  were  constantly  at  their  posts,  whilst  the 
women  were  actively  engaged  in  moulding  bullets.  But  the  weakness  of  the 
garrison  was  not  their  only  grievance.  The  scarcity  of  powder  and  ball,  one  of 
the  greatest  inconveniences  to  which  the  settlers  were  not  unfrequently  exposed, 
began  now  to  be  seriously  felt.  There  were  no  indications  that  the  siege  would 
be  speedily  abandoned  ;  and  a  protracted  resistance  seemed  impracticable,  with- 
out an  additional  supply  of  the  munitions  of  war.  The  settlements  on  Holston 
could  furnish  a  supply — but  how  was  it  to  be  obtained  1  And,  even  if  men  could 
be  found  rash  and  desperate  enough  to  undertake  the  journey,  how  improbable 
was  it  that  the  trip  could  be  accomplished  in  time  for  the  relief  to  be  available. 
Logan  stepped  forward,  in  this  extremity,  determined  to  take  the  dangerous  oflice 
upon  himself.  Encouraging  his  men  with  the  prospect  of  a  safe  and  speedy  re- 
turn, he  left  the  fort  under  cover  of  the  night,  and,  attended  by  two  faithful  com- 
panions of  his  own  selection,  crept  cautiously  through  the  Indian  lines  without 
discovery.  Shunning  the  ordinary  route  through  Cumberland  Gap,  he  moved, 
with  incredible  rapidity,  over  mountain  and  valley — arrived  at  the  settlement  on 
the  Holston — procured  the  necessary  supply  of  powder  and  lead — immediately 
retraced  his  steps,  and  was  again  in  the  fort  in  ten  days  from  the  time  of  his  de- 
parture. He  returned  alone.  The  necessary  delay  in  the  transportation  of  the 
stores,  induced  him  to  entrust  them  to  the  charge  of  his  companions  ;  and  his 
presence  at  St.  Asaph's  was  all-important  to  the  safety  of  its  inhabitants.  His 
return  inspired  them  with  fresh  courage;  and,  in  a  few  days,  the  appearance  of 
Col.  Bowman's  party  compelled  the  Indians  to  retire. 

In  the  fall  of  the  year  1779,  Samuel  Daviess,  who  resided  in  Bedford  county, 


404  LINCOLN   COUNTY. 

Virginia,  moved  with  his  family  to  Kentucky,  and  lived  for  a  time  at  Whitley'a 
station,  in  Lincoln.  He  subsequently  moved  to  a  place  called  Gilmer's  Lick, 
some  six  or  seven  miles  distant  from  said  station,  where  he  built  a  cabin,  cleared 
some  land,  which  he  j)ut  in  corn  next  season,  not  apprehending  any  danger  from 
the  Indians,  although  he  was  considered  a  frontier  settler.  But  this  imaginary 
state  of  security  did  not  last  long;  for  on  a  morning  in  the  month  of  August,  in 
the  year  1782,  having  stepped  a  few  paces  from  his  door,  he  was  suddenly  sur- 

firised  by  an  Lidian's  appearing  between  him  and  the  door,  with  tomahawk  up- 
ifted,  almost  within  striking  distance.  In  this  unexpected  condition,  and  being 
entirely  unarmed,  his  first  thought  was,  that  by  running  around  the  house,  he 
could  enter  the  door  in  safety ;  but,  to  his  surprise,  in  attempting  to  effect  thig 
object,  as  he  approached  the  door  he  found  the  house  full  of  Indians.  Being 
closely  pursued  by  the  Indian  first  mentioned,  he  made  his  way  into  the  corn 
field,  where  he  concealed  himself,  with  much  difficulty,  until  the  pursuing  Indian 
had  returned  to  the  house. 

Unable  as  he  was  to  render  any  relief  to  his  family,  (there  being  five  Indians), 
he  ran  with  the  utmost  speed  to  the  station  of  his  brother  .Tames  Daviess — a  dis- 
tance of  five  miles.  As  he  approached  the  station — his  undressed  condition  told 
the  tale  of  his  distress,  before  he  was  able  to  tell  it  himself.  Almost  breathless, 
and  with  a  faltering  voice,  he  could  only  say,  his  wife  and  children  were  in  the 
hands  of  the  Indians.  Scarcely  was  the  communication  made,  when  he  obtained 
a  spare  gun,  and  the  five  men  in  the  station,  well  armed,  followed  him  to  his  resi- 
dence. When  they  arrived  at  the  house,  the  Indians,  as  well  as  the  family,  were 
found  to  be  gone,  and  no  evidence  appeared  that  any  of  the  family  had  been 
killed.  A  search  was  made  to  find  the  direction  the  Indians  had  taken  ;  but  ow- 
ing to  the  dryness  of  the  ground,  and  the  adroit  manner  in  which  they  had 
departed,  no  discovery  could  be  made.  In  this  state  of  perplexity,  the  party,  be- 
ing all  good  woodsmen,  took  that  direction  in  pursuit  of  the  Indians,  which  they 
thought  it  most  probable  they  would  take.  After  going  a  few  miles,  their  atten- 
tion was  arrested  by  the  howling  of  a  dog,  which  afterwards  turned  out  to  be  a 
house-dog  that  had  followed  the  family,  and  which  the  Indians  had  undertaken 
to  kill,  so  as  to  avoid  detection,  which  might  happen  from  his  occasionally  bark- 
ing. In  attempting  to  kill  tiie  dog,  he  was  only  wounded,  which  produced  the 
howling  that  was  heard.  The  noise  thus  heard  satisfied  them  that  they  were 
near  the  Indians,  and  enabled  them  to  rush  forward  with  the  utmost  impetuosity. 
Two  of  the  Indians  being  in  the  rear  as  spies,  discovering  the  approach  of  the 
party,  ran  forward  where  the  other  Indians  were  with  the  family — one  of  them 
knocked  down  the  oldest  boy,  about  eleven  years  old,  and  while  in  the  act  of 
scalping  him,  was  fired  at,  but  without  effect.  Mrs.  Daviess,  seeing  the  agita- 
talion  and  alarm  of  the  Indians,  saved  herself  and  sucking  child  by  jumping  into 
a  sink  hole.  The  Indians  did  not  stand  to  make  fight,  but  fled  in  the  most  pre- 
cipitate manner.  In  that  way  the  family  was  rescued  by  nine  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  without  the  loss  of  a  single  life,  and  without  any  injury  but  that  above 
mentioned.  So  soon  as  the  boy  had  risen  on  his  feet,  the  first  word  he  spoke 
was,  "  curse  that  Indian,  he  has  got  my  scalp.^^ 

After  the  family  had  been  rescued,  Mrs.  Daviess  gave  the  following  account 
of  the  manner  in  which  the  Indians  had  acted.  A  few  minutes  after  her  husband 
had  opened  the  door  and  stepped  out  of  the  house,  four  Indians  rushed  in,  whilst 
the  fifth,  as  she  afterwards  found  out,  was  in  pursuit  of  her  husband.  Herself 
and  children  were  in  bed  when  the  Indians  entered  the  house.  One  of  the  Indi- 
ans immediately  made  signs,  by  which  she  understood  him  to  enquire  how  far  it 
was  to  the  next  house.  With  an  unusual  presence  of  mind,  knowing  how  im- 
portant it  would  be  to  make  the  distance  as  far  as  possible,  she  raised  both  hands, 
first  counting  the  fingers  of  one  hand  then  of  the  other — making  a  distance  of 
eight  miles.  The  Indian  then  signed  to  her  that  she  must  rise;  she  immediately 
got  up,  and  as  soon  as  she  could  dress  herself,  commenced  showing  the  Indians 
one  article  of  clothing  and  then  another,  which  pleased  them  very  much  :  and  in 
that  way  delayed  them  at  the  house  nearly  two  hours.  In  the  mean  time,  the  In- 
dian who  had  been  in  pursuit  of  her  husband  returned,  with  his  hands  stained 
with  poke  berries,  which  he  held  up,  and  with  some  violent  gestures  and  waving 
of  his  tomahawk,  attempted  to  induce  the  belief,  that  the  stain  on  his  hands  was 
the  blood  of  her  husband,  and  that  he  had  killed  him.     She  was  enabled  at  once 


A   COURAGEOUS   WOMAN.  405 

to  discover  the  deception,  and  instead  of  producing  any  alarm  on  her  part,  she 
was  satisfied  that  her  husband  had  escaped  uninjured. 

After  the  savages  had  plundered  the  house  of  every  thing  that  they  could  con- 
veniently carry  off  with  them,  they  started,  taking  Mrs.  Daviess  and  her  chil- 
dren— seven  in  number — as  prisoners,  along  with  them.  Some  of  the  children 
were  too  young  to  travel  as  fast  as  the  Indians  wished,  and  discovering,  as  she 
believed,  their  intention  to  kill  such  of  them  as  could  not  conveniently  travel,  she 
made  the  two  oldest  boys  carry  them  on  their  backs.  The  Indians,  in  starting 
from  the  house,  were  very  careful  to  leave  no  signs  of  the  direction  they  had  ta- 
ken, not  even  permitting  the  children  to  break  a  twig  or  weed  as  they  passed 
along.  They  had  not  gone  far,  before  an  Indian  drew  his  knife  and  cut  oti"  a  few 
inches  of  Mrs.  Daviess'  dress,  so  that  she  would  not  be  interrupted  in  traveling. 

Mrs.  Daviess  was  a  woman  of  cool  deliberate  courage,  and  accustomed  to  han- 
dle the  gun,  so  that  she  could  shoot  well,  as  many  of  the  women  were  in  the 
habit  of  doing  in  those  days.  She  had  contemplated,  as  a  last  resort,  that  if  not 
rescued  in  the  course  of  the  day,  when  nigiit  came  on  and  the  Indians  had  fallen 
asleep,  she  would  deliver  herself  and  children  by  killing  as  many  of  the  Indiana 
as  she  could — thinking  that  in  a  night  attack  as  many  of  them  as  remained  would 
most  probably  run  off.  Such  an  attempt  would  now  seem  a  species  of  madness; 
but  to  those  who  were  acquainted  with  Mrs.  Daviess,  little  doubt  was  entertained, 
that  if  the  attempt  had  been  made,  it  would  have  proved  successful. 

The  boy  who  had  been  scalped  was  greatly  disfigured,  as  the  hair  never  after 
grew  upon  that  part  of  his  head.  He  often  wished  for  an  opportunity  to  avenge 
himself  upon  the  Indians  for  the  injury  he  had  received.  Unfortunately  for  him- 
self, ten  years  afterwards,  the  Indians  came  to  the  neighborhood  of  his  father  and 
stole  a  number  of  horses.  Himself  and  a  party  of  men  went  in  pursuit  of  thera, 
and  after  following  them  for  some  days,  the  Indians  finding  that  they  were  likely 
to  be  overtaken,  placed  themselves  in  ambush,  and  when  their  pursuers  came  up, 
killed  young  Daviess  and  one  other  man  ;  so  that  he  ultimately  fell  into  their 
hands  when  about  twenty-one  years  old. 

The  next  year  after,  the  father  died  ;  his  death  being  caused,  as  it  was  sup- 
posed, by  the  extraordinary  efforts  he  made  to  release  his  family  from  the  Indians. 

An  act  of  courage  subsequently  displayed  bj'  Mrs.  Daviess  is  calculated  to  ex- 
hibit her  character  in  its  true  point  of  view. 

Kentucky,  in  its  early  days,  like  most  new  countries,  was  occasionally  troubled 
by  men  of  abandoned  character,  who  lived  by  stealing  the  property  of  others,  and 
after  committing  their  depredations,  retired  to  their  hiding  places,  thereby  eluding 
the  operation  of  the  law.  One  of  these  marauders,  a  man  of  desperate  character, 
who  had  committed  extensive  thefts  from  Mr.  Daviess  as  well  as  from  his  neigh- 
bors, was  pursued  by  Daviess  and  a  party  whose  property  he  had  taken,  in  order 
to  bring  him  to  justice.  While  the  party  were  in  pursuit,  the  suspected  individ- 
ual, not  knowing  any  one  was  pursuing  him,  came  to  the  house  of  Daviess, 
armed  with  his  gun  and  tomahawk — no  person  being  at  home  but  Mrs.  Daviess 
and  her  children.  After  he  had  stepped  in  the  house,  Mrs.  Daviess  asked  him  if 
he  would  drink  something — and  having  set  a  bottle  of  whisky  upon  the  table, 
requested  him  to  help  himself.  The  fellow,  not  suspecting  any  danger,  set  hia 
gun  up  by  the  door,  and  while  drinking,  Mrs.  Daviess  picked  up  his  gun,  and 
placing  herself  in  the  door,  had  the  gun  cocked  and  levelled  upon  him  by  the 
time  he  turned  around,  and  in  a  peremptory  manner  ordered  him  to  take  a  seat, 
or  she  would  shoot  him.  Struck  with  terror  and  alarm,  he  asked  what  he  had 
done.  She  told  him  he  had  stolen  her  husband's  property,  and  that  she  intended 
to  take  care  of  him  herself  In  that  condition,  she  held  him  a  prisoner,  until  the 
party  of  men  returned  and  took  him  into  their  possession. 

Sallust  says  :  "  The  actions  of  the  Athenians  doubtless  were  great,  yet  I  believe 
they  are  somewhat  less  than  fame  would  have  us  conceive  them."  Not  so  with 
the  pioneers  of  Kentucky.  But  we  may  say  nf  their  exploits,  as  this  author  says 
of  the  actions  of  the  Romans  :  "History  has  left  a  thousand  of  their  more  brilliant 
actions  unrecorded,  which  would  have  done  them  great  honor,  but  for  want  of 
eloquent  historians." 

In  the  fall  of  1779,  William  Montgomery  the  elder,  the  father-in-law  of  Gen- 
eral Logan,  with  his  family,  and  son-in-law,  Joseph  Russell,  and  his  family, 
moved  from  Virginia  to  Kentucky,  and  took  refuge  in  Logan's  fort.     Here  they 


..»at. 


406  LINCOLN  COUNTY. 

remained  but  a  few  months,  when,  apprehending  no  danger  from  Indians,  the  old 
man,  with  his  sons,  William,  John,  Thomas  and  Robert,  and  his  son-in-law,  Rus- 
sell, built  four  log  cabins  on  the  head  waters  of  Greene  river,  about  twelve  miles 
in  a  south-west  direction  from  Logan's  fort,  to  which  they  removed  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  winter  or  early  in  the  spring  of  1780.  They  had,  however,  been  there 
but  a  short  time,  when  the  savages  discovered  and  attacked  the  cabins.  In  one 
of  the  cabins  lived  William  Montgomery  the  elder  and  wife,  and  his  sons  Thomas 
and  Robert,  and  daughters  Jane  and  Betsey,  with  two  younger  children,  James 
and  Flora.  Mrs.  Montgomery  with  her  youngest  child,  Flora,  were  then  at  Lo- 
gan's fort;  and  Thomas  and  Robert  were  absent  spying.  William  Montgomery, 
jr.,  his  wife  and  one  child,  the  late  Judge  Thomas  Montgomery,  son  of  a  former 
wife,  and  a  bound  boy,  occupied  another.  John  Montgomery,  then  but  lately 
married,  occupied  a  third  ;  and  Joseph  Russell,  his  wife  and  three  children,  the 
fourth.     These  were  all  the  white  persons,  but  there  were,  besides,  several  slaves. 

In  the  month  of  March,  1780,  at  night,  a  small  body  of  Indians  surrounded  the 
cabins,  which  were  built  close  to  each  other,  and  rather  in  a  square.  On  the  suc- 
ceeding morning,  between  daylight  and  sunrise,  William  Montgomery  the  elder, 
followed  by  a  negro  boy,  stepped  out  at  the  door  of  his  cabin.  They  were  imme- 
diately fired  at  and  both  killed  by  the  Indians,  the  boy's  head  falling  back  on  the 
door-sill.  Jane,  the  daughter,  then  a  young  woman,  afterwards  the  wife  of  Col. 
William  Casey,  late  of  Adair  county,  sprang  to  the  door,  pushed  out  the  negro's 
head,  shut  the  door  and  called  for  her  brother  Thomas'  gun.  Betsey,  her  sister, 
about  twelve  years  of  age,  clambered  out  at  the  chimney,  which  was  not  higher 
than  a  man's  head,  and  took  the  path  to  Pettit's  station,  distant  about  two  and  a 
half  miles.  An  Indian  pursued  her  for  some  distance,  but  being  quite  active,  she 
was  too  fleet  for  him,  and  reached  the  station  in  safety.  From  Pettit's  a  mes- 
senger was  immediately  dispatched  to  Logan's  fort. 

From  some  cause  or  other,  probably  the  call  of  Jane  for  her  brotlier's  rifle,  which 
was  doubtless  overheard  by  the  Indians,  they  did  not  attempt  to  break  into  the 
cabin.  William  Montgomery,  jr.,  on  hearing  the  first  crack  of  a  gun,  sprang  to 
his  feet,  seized  a  large  trough  which  had  been  placed  in  his  cabin  to  hold  sugar- 
water,  placed  it  against  the  door,  and  directing  the  apprentice  boy  to  hold  it, 
grasped  his  rifle,  and  through  a  crevice  over  the  door,  fired  twice  at  the  Indians, 
in  rapid  succession,  before  they  left  the  ground,  killing  one  and  severely  wound- 
ing another.  John  Montgomery  was  in  bed,  and  in  attempting  to  rise,  was  fired 
upon  through  a  crack,  and  mortally  wounded,  his  door  forced  open,  and  his  wife 
made  prisoner.  Joseph  Russell  made  his  escape  from  his  cabin,  leaving  his  wife 
and  three  children  to  the  mercy  of  the  savages.  They,  with  a  mulatto  girl,  were 
also  made  prisoners. 

The  Indians  commenced  an  early  retreat,  bearing  off  their  wounded  companion, 
and  taking  with  them  their  captives.  A  few  minutes  after  their  departure,  and 
when  they  were  barely  out  of  sight,  the  Indian  who  had  pursued  Betsey  Mont- 
gomery returned,  and  being  ignorant  of  what  had  occurred  in  his  absence,  mounted 
a  large  beech  log  in  front  of  the  younger  William  Montgomery's  door,  and  com- 
menced hallooing.  Montgomery,  who  had  not  yet  ventured  to  open  his  door, 
again  fired  through  the  crevice,  and  shot  him  dead. 

As  soon  as  the  messenger  reached  Logan's  fort.  General  Logan,  with  his  horn, 
sounded  the  well  known  note  of  alarm,  Avhen,  in  a  few  minutes,  as  if  by  magic, 
a  company  of  some  twelve  or  fifteen  men,  armed  and  equipped  for  battle,  were  at 
his  side.  They  instantly  commenced  their  march,  passed  the  cabins  where  the 
attack  had  been  made,  and  took  the  trail  of  the  Indians.  By  the  aid  of  some  signs 
which  Mrs.  Russell  had  the  presence  of  mind  to  make,  by  occasionally  breaking 
a  twig  and  scattering  along  their  route  pieces  of  a  white  handkerchief  which  she 
had  torn  in  fragments,  Logan's  party  found  no  difliculty  in  the  pursuit.  After 
traveling  some  distance,  they  came  upon  the  yellow  girl,  who  had  been  toma- 
hawked, scalped  and  left  for  dead;  but  who,  on  hearing  the  well-known  voice  of 
General  Logan,  sprang  to  her  feet,  and  afterwards  recovered. 

The  Indians,  as  vi'as  known  to  be  their  habit  when  expecting  to  be  pursued, 
had  a  spy  in  the  rear,  who  was  discovered  by  Logan's  party  at  the  same  instant 
he  got  his  eyes  upon  them,  and  a  rapid  march  ensued.  In  a  few  minutes  they 
came  in  sight  of  the  savages,  when  Logan  ordered  a  charge,  which  was  made 
with  a  shout,  and  the  Indians  fled  with  great  precipitancy,  leaving  their  wounded 


FIGHT  WITH  INDIANS.  407 

companion,  whj  was  quickly  dispatched.  A  daughter  of  Mrs.  Russell,  about 
twelve  years  of  age,  upon  hearing  Logan's  voice,  exclaimed  in  ecstacy,  '■'■  there^ 
uncle  Ben,'''  when  the  savage  who  had  her  in  charge  struck  her  dead  with  his 
tomahawk.  The  remainder  of  the  prisoners  were  recaptured  without  injury.  As 
the  force  of  the  Indians  was  about  equal  to  that  of  the  whites,  Gen.  Logan,  now 
encumbered  with  the  recaptured  women  and  children,  wisely  determined  to  return 
immediately ;  and  reached  the  cabins,  in  safety,  before  dark  on  the  same  day. 

The  particulars  of  the  foregoing  narrative  have  been  received  from  the  Mont- 
gomery family — but  principally  from  Mrs.  Jane  Casey,  who  was  an  actor  in  the 
drama. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year  1784,  three  young  men — Davis,  Caffree  and  M'Clure 
— pursued  a  party  of  southern  Indians,  who  had  stolen  horses  from  Lincoln  county; 
and  were  resolved,  if  they  could  not  previously  overtake  them,  to  proceed  as  far 
as  their  towns  on  the  Tennessee  river,  and  make  reprisals.  They  had  reached, 
as  they  supposed,  within  a  few  miles  of  the  Indian  town  called  Chickamotigo, 
when  they  fell  in  with  three  Indians,  traveling  in  the  same  direction  with  them- 
selves. By  signs  the  two  parties  agreed  to  travel  together ;  but  each  was  evi- 
dently suspicious  of  the  other.  The  Indians  walked  upon  one  side  of  the  road 
and  the  whites  upon  the  other,  watching  each  other  attentively.  At  length,  the 
Indians  spoke  together  in  tones  so  low  and  earnest,  that  the  whites  became  satis- 
fied of  their  treacherous  intentions,  and  determined  to  anticipate  them.  Caffree 
being  a  very  powerful  man,  proposed  that  he  himself  should  seize  one  Indian, 
while  Davis  and  McClure  should  shoot  the  other  two.  He  accordingly  sprung  upon 
the  nearest  Indian,  grasped  his  throat  firmly,  hurled  him  to  the  ground,  and,  draw- 
ing a  cord  from  his  pocket,  attempted  to  tie  him.  At  the  same  instant,  Davis  and 
McClure  leveled  their  rifles  at  the  others.  McClure  fired  and  killed  his  man, 
but  Davis'  gun  missed  fire.  Davis,  McClure,  and  the  Indian  at  whom  the  former 
had  flashed,  immediately  took  trees,  and  prepared  for  a  skirmish,  while  Caffree 
remained  upon  the  ground  with  the  captured  Indian,  both  exposed  to  the  fire  of 
the  others.  In  a  few  seconds,  the  savage  at  whom  Davis  had  flashed,  shot  Caf- 
free as  he  lay  upon  the  ground,  and  gave  him  a  mortal  wound,  and  was  instantly 
shot  in  turn  by  McClure,  who  had  reloaded  his  gun.  Caffree,  becoming  very 
weak,  called  upon  Davis  to  come  and  assist  him  in  tyii.g  the  Indian,  and  instantly 
afterwards  expired.  As  Davis  was  running  up  to  the  assistance  of  his  friend,  the 
Indian,  now  released  by  the  death  of  his  captor,  sprung  to  his  feet,  and  seizing 
Caffree's  rifle,  presented  it  menacingly  at  Davis,  whose  gun  was  not  in  order  for 
service,  and  who  ran  off  into  the  forest,  closely  pursued  by  the  Indian.  McClure 
hastily  reloaded  his  gun,  and  taking  up  the  rifle  which  Davis  had  dropped,  fol- 
lowed them  for  some  distance  into  the  forest,  making  all  those  signals  which  had 
been  concerted  between  them,  in  case  of  separation.  All,  however,  was  vain ; 
he  saw  nothing  more  of  Davis,  nor  could  he  ever  afterwards  learn  his  fate.  As 
he  never  returned  to  Kentucky,  however,  he  probably  perished. 

McClure,  finding  himself  alone  in  the  enemy's  country,  and  surrounded  by 
dead  bodies,  thought  it  prudent  to  abandon  the  object  of  the  expedition  and  re- 
turn to  Kentucky.  He  accordingly  retraced  his  steps,  still  bearing  Davis'  rifle  in 
addition  to  iiis  own.  He  had  scarcely  marched  a  mile,  before  he  saw  advancing, 
from  the  opposite  direction,  an  Indian  warrior,  riding  a  horse  with  a  bell  around 
its  neck,  and  accompanied  by  a  boy  on  foot.  Dropping  one  of  the  rifles,  which 
might  have  created  suspicion,  McClure  advanced  with  an  air  of  confidence,  ex- 
tending his  hand  and  making  other  signs  of  peace.  The  opposite  party  appeared 
frankly  to  receive  his  overtures,  and  dismounting,  seated  himself  upon  a  log,  and 
drawing  out  his  pipe,  gave  a  few  puffs  himself,  and  then  handed  it  to  McClure. 

In  a  few  minutes  another  bell  was  heard,  at  the  distance  of  half  a  mile,  and  a 
second  ))arty  of  Indians  appeared  upon  horseback.  The  Indian  with  McClure 
now  coolly  infornied  him  by  signs,  that  when  the  horsemen  arrived,  he  (McClure) 
was  to  be  bound  and  carried  off  as  a  prisoner,  with  his  feet  tied  under  the  horse's 
belly.  In  order  to  explain  it  more  fully,  the  Indian  got  astride  of  the  log,  and 
locked  his  legs  together  underneath  it.  McClure.  internally  thanking  the  fellow 
for  his  excess  of  candor,  determined  to  disappoint  him,  and  while  his  enemy  was 
busily  engaged  in  riding  the  log  and  mimicking  the  actions  of  a  prisoner,  he  very 


408  LINCOLN   COUNTY. 

quietly  blew  his  brains  out,  and  ran  off  into  the  woods.   The  Indian  boy  instantly 
mounted  the  belled  horse,  and  rode  off  in  an  opposite  direction. 

McClure  was  fiercely  pursued  by  several  small  Lidian  dogs,  that  frequently 
ran  between  his  legs  and  threw  him  down.  After  falling  five  or  six  times,  his 
eyes  became  full  of  dust,  and  he  was  totally  blind.  Despairing  of  escape,  he 
doggedly  lay  upon  his  face,  expecting  every  instant  to  feel  the  edge  of  the  toma- 
hawk. To  his  astonishment,  however,  no  enemy  appeared;  and  even  the  Indian 
dogs,  after  tugging  at  him  for  a  few  minutes,  and  completely  stripping  him  of  his 
breeches,  left  him  to  continue  his  journey  unmolested.  Finding  every  thing  quiet, 
in  a  few  moments  he  arose,  and  taking  up  his  gun,  continued  his  march  to  Ken- 
tucky.    He  reached  home  in  safety. 

In  the  year  1784  or  5,  near  the  Crab  Orchard,  in  Lincoln  county,  a  very  singu- 
lar adventure  occurred  at  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Woods.  One  morning  he  left  his 
family,  consisting  of  a  wife,  a  daughter  not  yet  grown,  and  a  lame  negro  man, 
and  rode  off  to  the  station  near  by,  not  expecting  to  return  till  night.  Mrs. 
Woods  being  a  short  distance  from  her  cabin,  was  alarmed  by  discovering  sev- 
eral Indians  advancing  towards  it.  She  instantly  screamed  loudly  in  order  to 
give  the  alarm,  and  ran  with  her  utmost  speed,  in  the  hope  of  reaching  the  house 
before  them.  In  this  she  succeeded,  but  before  she  could  close  the  door,  the  fore- 
most Indian  had  forced  his  way  into  the  house.  He  was  instantly  seized  by  the 
lame  negro  man,  and  after  a  short  scufiile,  they  both  fell  with  violence,  the  negro 
underneath.  Mrs.  Woods  was  too  busily  engaged  in  keeping  the  door  closed 
against  the  party  without,  to  attend  to  the  combatants ;  but  the  lame  negro,  hold- 
ing the  Indian  tightly  in  his  arms,  called  to  the  young  girl  to  take  the  axe  from 
under  the  bed  and  dispatch  him  by  a  blow  on  the  head.  She  immediately 
attempted  it;  but  the  first  attempt  was  a  failure.  She  repeated  the  blow  and  killed 
him.  The  other  Indians  were  at  the  door,  endeavoring  to  force  it  open  with  their 
tomahawks.  The  negro  rose  and  proposed  to  Mrs.  Woods  to  let  in  another,  and 
they  would  soon  dispose  of  the  whole  of  them  in  the  same  way.  The  cabin 
was  but  a  short  distance  from  the  station,  the  occupants  of  which  having  discov- 
ered the  perilous  situation  of  the  family,  fired  on  the  Indians  and  killed  another, 
when  the  remainder  made  their  escape. 

In  1793,  a  number  of  families  removing  to  Kentucky,  were  attacked  near  the 
Hazle  Patch,  on  the  Cumberland  road,  by  a  strong  party  of  Indians.  A  portion 
of  the  men  fought  bravely,  and  several  of  them  were  killed.  The  others  ran 
away,  and  left  the  women  and  children  to  be  made  captives.  The  fate  of  the 
prisoners  is  not  mentioned  by  the  historian.* 

In  the  year  1780,  Captain  Joseph  Daveiss,  (the  father  of  Colonel  Joseph  H. 
and  Captain  Samuel  Daveiss,)  residing  at  that  time  on  Clark's  run,  while  break- 
ing up  the  ground  in  a  field  lying  near  the  creek,  turned  up  fourteen  conch  shells, 
quite  smooth,  and  of  a  larger  size  than  any  now  imported  into  the  country.  Sev- 
en of  these  shells  were  in  a  perfect  state  of  preservation — the  others  somewhat 
decomposed.  A  portion  of  them  were  used,  for  many  years,  by  the  family  of 
Captain  Daveiss,  for  summoning  the  hands  to  their  meals. 

In  the  month  of  May,  1781,  a  hail  storm  passed  over  this  section  of  Kentucky, 
of  a  remarkable  character.  The  hail,  which  fell  in  great  quantities,  was  gener- 
ally about  the  size  of  hen's  eggs,  but  some  measured  nine  inciies  in  circumference. 
The  dark  cloud,  which  overhung  the  heavens,  the  vivid  flashes  of  lightning,  the 
terrible  rattling  of  hail,  and  the  deafening  roar  of  thunder,  produced  general  con- 
sternation. The  destruction  was  complete  to  the  growing  crops,  while  a  large 
portion  of  the  young  animals,  both  domestic  and  wild,  in  the  route  of  the  storm 
were  destroyed. 

In  the  year  1786,  Colonel  John  Logan,  of  Lincoln  county,  received  intelli- 
gence that  one  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  county,  by  the  name  of  Luttrell,  had 
been  killed  by  the  Indians  on  Fishing  creek.     He  immediately  collected  a  small 

*  Marshall. 


I- 


Vi  1  T  I-.  L  A  N  D ,    K  Y. 


LIVINGSTON   COUNTY.  409 

militia  force,  repaired  to  tlie  place  of  the  outracre,  and  getting  upon  the  trail,  pur- 
sued the  Indians  across  the  Cumberland  river  into  their  own  territory.  Here  he 
overtook  the  marauders,  and  a  conflict  ensued,  in  which  the  Indians  were  speed- 
ily defeated — several  of  their  number  being  killed  and  the  remainder  dispersed. 
Colonel  Logan  retook  the  property  which  the  Indians  had  carried  off  from  the 
white  settlements,  with  all  the  furs  and  skins  belonging  to  the  camp,  and  returned 
home  in  triumph. 

General  Benjamin  Lincoln,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its  name, 
was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  an  eminent  American  revolutionary  general. 
In  1776,  when  he  had  attained  his  4-2d  year,  the  council  of  Massachusetts 
appointed  him  a  brigadier  general,  and  soon  after  a  major-general  of  militia.  The 
congress  subsequently,  by  the  recommendation  of  General  Washington,  conferred 
on  him  the  appointment  of  major-general  of  the  continental  forces.  He  served 
as  second  in  command  under  General  Gates,  at  the  capture  of  Burgoyne's  army, 
where  he  was  severely  wounded.  In  1778,  he  was  designated  by  Congress  to 
conduct  the  war  in  the  southern  states.  He  continued  in  command  of  the  south- 
ern army  until  the  capture  of  Charleston  in  1780,  where  he  was  made  a  prisoner 
of  war.  In  1781,  having  been  previously  exchanged,  he  commanded  a  division 
at  Yorktown,  and  was  honored  by  General  Washington  with  the  otRce  of  receiv- 
ing and  directing  the  distribution  of  the  conquered  troops.  In  October  of  the 
same  year,  he  was  appointed  by  Congress  secretary  of  war,  which  situation  he 
held  till  1784,  when  he  retired  to  his  farm.  He  was  afterwards  instrumental  in 
suppressing  the  insurrection  of  Shays  in  Massachusetts  ;  and  filled  several  im- 
portant appointments  under  the  national  and  state  governments.  He  was  also  a 
member  of  several  learned  societies.     He  died  in  1810,  aged  77  years. 


LIVINGSTON   COUNTY. 

Livingston  county  was  formed  in  1798,  and  named  for  the  Hon. 
Robert  R.  Livingston,  of  New  York.  It  is  situated  in  the  extreme 
western  part  of  the  State,  lying  on  the  Cumberland,  Tennessee 
and  Ohio  rivers — bounded  on  the  north  by  Crittenden  and  the 
Ohio  river  ;  on  the  east  by  Crittenden  and  Caldwell ;  on  the  south 
by  Marshall,  and  on  the  west  by  the  Ohio  river.  Salkm,  the  seat 
of  justice  ;  Smithland,  the  chief  town — the  former  about  two  hun- 
dred miles  from  Frankfort.  The  general  appearance  of  the  county 
is  undulating,  but  hilly  and  broken  in  places,  interspersed  with 
sandstone  and  limestone,  and  mostly  well  timbered — river  bot- 
toms remarkably  rich.  Staple  products,  Indian  corn,  tobacco,  Irish 
potatoes  and  oats.     Exports,  horses,  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs. 

This  county  abounds  in  iron-ore,  of  excellent  quality  ;  and  veins 
of  bituminous  coal  have  been  found,  but  not  worked  to  any  extent. 
Possessing  very  superior  advantages,  from  the  border  and  central 
navigation — the  Ohio  river  bounding  it  about  forty  miles  on  the 
north-west,  the  Tennessee  about  twenty-seven  miles  on  the  south- 
west, and  the  Cumberland  passing  through  it — the  facilities  for 
the  export  of  its  raw  materials,  manufactures,  stock  and  agricul- 
tural products,  are  equal  to  any  county  in  the  State. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  Livingston,  146,996  ;  average  value 
per  acre,  $2.97  ;  valuation  of  taxable  property  in  1846,  $1,052,- 
409;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  873; 


410  LOGAN  COUNTY. 

number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  old,  947.    Pop- 
ulation in  1840,  9,025. 

S?nithland  is  situated  on  the  Ohio  river,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Cumberland, — contains  a  population  of  about  1000;  with  two 
churches,  Episcopal  and  Methodist ;  two  schools  ;  fourteen  stores, 
besides  several  small  groceries  ;  four  taverns,  eight  lawyers,  seven 
physicians ;  the  most  extensive  tannery  in  the  west ;  one  foundry, 
finishing  and  steam  engine  shop,  and  thirty  mechanics'  shops. 
Salem  has  a  population  of  about  one  hundred — with  two  stores, 
one  tavern,  one  school  and  two  physicians. 

Robert  R.  Livingston,  a  distinguished  American  statesman,  was  born  in  the 
city  of  New  York  in  1746.  He  studied  and  practiced  law  with  great  success. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  first  general  Congress  ;  was  one  of  the  committee  which 
prepared  the  declaration  of  independence  ;  in  1780  was  appointed  secretary  of  for- 
eign affairs,  and  throughout  the  revolution  signalized  himself  by  his  zeal  and 
efficiency  in  the  cause.  He  was  for  many  years  chancellor  of  his  native  state, 
and  in  1801,  was  appointed  by  president  Jefferson  minister  to  France.  He  was 
a  general  favorite  at  the  French  capital,  and  in  conjunction  with  Mr.  Monroe  con- 
ducted the  treaty  which  resulted  in  the  cession  of  Louisiana  to  the  United  States. 
After  his  return  from  Europe,  he  devoted  his  life  chiefly  to  the  cause  of  agricul- 
tural and  general  science — was  president  of  the  New  York  society  for  the  pro- 
motion of  the  fine  arts,  and  also  of  the  society  for  the  promotion  of  agriculture. 
He  died  in  1813,  with  the  reputation  of  an  able  statesman,  a  learned  lawyer,  and 
a  most  useful  citizen. 


LOGAN    COUNTY. 

Logan  county  Avas  formed  in  1792,  and  named  in  honor  of  Gen. 
Benjamin  Logan,  a  distinguished  pioneer.  It  is  situated  in  the 
southern  section  of  the  State — bounded  on  the  north  by  Muh- 
lenburg  and  Butler  ;  east  by  Warren  and  Simpson  ;  west  by  Todd, 
and  south  by  the  Tennessee  line.  Russellville  is  the  county  seat, 
one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  from  Frankfort.  Red  river  passes 
through  the  southern  part  of  the  county,  nearly  parallel  with  the 
state  line,  and  the  whole  is  finely  watered  with  large  mill  streams, 
over  which  have  been  erected  about  twenty  substantial  bridges. 
The  surface  is  beautifully  diversified  by  ranges  of  hills,  covered 
with  timber,  with  an  occasional  Indian  mound  to  arouse  the  im- 
agination to  scenes  of  former  ages.  There  are  several  mineral 
springs  in  the  county,  some  of  which  have  become  places  of  con- 
siderable resort.  Wheat,  oats,  corn  and  tobacco  are  the  staple 
products. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  Logan  county,  300,129  ;  average 
value  of  land  per  acre,  $5.49  ;  total  valuation  of  taxable  property 
in  1846,  $4,479,903  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  2  050  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen 
years  old,  2,588.     Population  in  1840,  13,615. 

Russellville  is  situated  near  the  centre  of  the  county,  on  the 
head  waters  of  Muddy  river,  and  on  the  state  road  from  Louis- 


BENJAMIN  LOGAN.  411 

ville  to  Nashville.  It  contains  a  good  court-house,  one  Baptist, 
one  Methodist  Episcopal,  and  one  Union  church ;  one  academy 
and  three  schools,  eight  lawyers,  ten  physicians,  seventeen  dry 
goods  stores,  three  groceries,  three  taverns,  two  drug-stores,  one 
iron  store,  one  oil  mill,  one  wool  carding  establishment,  one  print- 
ing office  (the  "Russellville  Herald"),  and  about  fifty  mechanics' 
shops.  Population  1200.  Established  in  1810,  and  named  for 
General  William  Russell,  a  distinguished  officer  of  the  revolu- 
tionary army,  and  owner  of  the  land.  Adairville  is  a  handsome 
village,  thirteen  miles  south  of  Russellville,  and  contains  one 
school,  three  physicians,  four  stores,  two  groceries,  one  tavern, 
and  twelve  mechanical  shops.  Established  in  1812,  and  named 
in  honor  of  General  John  Adair.  Kcasburg  is  a  small  village 
about  sixteen  miles  south-west  from  Russellville,  containing  one 
Union  church,  three  doctors,  two  schools,  four  stores,  two  taverns 
and  nine  or  ten  mechanics'  shops, — named  after  the  proprietor, 
John  Keas.  South  Union  is  a  small  Shaker  village,  quite  neat 
and  attractive,  about  fifteen  miles  from  Russellville. 

The  only  historical  incident  we  have  from  Logan  county,  is  contained  in  the 
following  short  paragraph  from  Marshall's  History,  volume  2,  page  81:  "In  Jan- 
uary, 1793,  the  Indians  stole  horses  in  Logan  county;  were  pursued,  and  one  of 
them  killed,  after  he  wounded  one  of  the  pursuers." 

General  Benjamin  Logan,  from  whom  Logan  county  received  its  name,  was 
among  the  earliest  and  most  distinguished  of  those  bold  pioneers  who,  penetrat- 
ing the  western  wilds,  laid  the  foundation  of  arts,  civilization,  religion  and  law, 
in  what  was  then  the  howling  wilderness  of  Kentucky.  It  is  among  the  proud- 
est of  those  distinctions  which  have  exalted  the  character  of  our  venerable  com- 
monwealth, that  she  numbers  among  her  founders,  men  beneath  whose  rough 
and  home  spun  hunting  shirts  resided  qualities  of  heroism  which  would  have 
made  them  prominent  in  Greece  and  Rome.  As  the  eye  wanders  along  the  ser- 
ried ranks  of  those  stern  and  iron  men,  who  stand  so  firm  and  fearless  amid  the 
gloom  of  the  overhanging  forest,  it  is  arrested  by  a  commanding  form  which  tow- 
ers conspicuous  among  them  all — tall,  athletic,  dignified — a  face  cast  in  the  finest 
mould  of  manly  beauty,  dark,  grave  and  contemplative,  and  which,  while  it  evin- 
ces unyielding  fortitude  and  impenetrable  reserve,  invites  to  a  confidence  which 
never  betrays.     Such  was  Benjamin  Logan. 

His  parents  were  Irish.  When  young,  they  removed  to  Pennsylvania,  and 
there  intermarried.  Shortly  afterwards  they  removed  to  Augusta  county,  in  the 
then  colony  of  Virginia,  where  Benjamin  Logan  was  born.  At  the  age  of  four- 
teen he  lost  his  father,  and  found  himself  prematurely  at  the  head  of  a  large  fam- 
ily. Neither  the  circumstances  of  the  country,  then  newly  settled,  nor  the  pe- 
cuniary resources  of  his  father,  had  been  favorable  to  the  education  of  the  son; 
nor  is  it  to  be  supposed  that  the  widowed  mother  had  it  more  in  her  power,  what- 
ever her  inclination  might  have  been,  to  bestow  upon  him  a  literary  education. 
His  mind  was  not  only  unadorned  by  science,  but  almost  unaided  by  letters;  and 
in  his  progress  through  life,  he  rather  studied  men  than  books. 

His  father  died  intestate,  and  as  a  consequence  of  the  laws  then  in  force,  the 
lands  descended  to  him  by  right  of  primogeniture,  to  the  exclusion  of  his  broth- 
ers and  sisters.  He  did  not,  however,  avail  himself  of  this  advantage,  but  with 
his  mother's  consent,  sold  the  land  not  susceptible  of  a  division,  and  distributed 
the  proceeds  among  those  whom  the  law  had  disinherited.  To  provide  for  his 
mother  a  comfortable  residence,  he  united  his  funds  to  those  of  one  of  his  broth- 
ers, and  with  the  joint  stock  purchased  another  tract  of  land  on  a  fork  of  .Tames 
river,  which  was  secured  to  the  parent  during  her  life,  if  so  long  she  chose  to  re- 
side on  it,  with  the  remainder  to  his  brother  in  fee.  Having  seen  his  mother  and 
family  comfortably  settled,  he  next  determined   to  provide  a  home  for  himself. 


412  LOGAN   COUNTY. 

He  accordingly  removed  to  the  Holston  river,  purchased  lands,  married,  and 
commenced  farming. 

At  an  early  age  he  had  evinced  a  decided  predilection  for  military  life,  and 
when  only  twenty-one  had  accompanied  Colonel  Beauqiiette  in  his  expedition 
against  the  Indians  of  the  north,  in  the  capacity  of  sergeant.  In  1774  he  was 
with  Dunmore  in  his  expedition  to  the  north-west  of  Ohio. 

In  1775  he  determined  to  come  to  Kentucky,  and  accompanied  by  only  two  or 
three  slaves,  set  out  to  see  the  lands  and  make  a  settlement.  In  Powell's  valley 
he  met  with  Boone,  Henderson  and  others,  also  on  their  way  to  Kentucky.  With 
them  he  traveled  through  the  wilderness  ;  but  not  approving  of  their  plan  of  set- 
tlement, he  separated  from  them  on  their  arrival  in  Kentucky,  and  turning  his 
course  westwardly,  after  a  few  days'  journey,  pitched  his  camp  in  the  present 
county  of  Lincoln,  where  he  afterwards  built  his  fort.  Here,  during  the  same 
year,  he  and  William  Galaspy  raised  a  small  crop  of  Indian  corn.  In  the  latter 
end  of  June  he  returned  to  Holston  to  his  family.  In  the  fall  of  the  year  he  re- 
moved his  cattle  and  the  residue  of  his  slaves  to  the  camp  ;  and  leaving  them  in 
the  care  of  Galaspy,  returned  to  his  home  alone,  with  the  intention  of  removing 
his  family.  These  journeys,  attended  with  considerable  peril  and  privation, 
evince  the  hardihood  and  energy  of  his  mind,  as  well  as  his  bodily  vigor  and  ac- 
tivity.    He  removed  his  family  to  Kentucky  in  1776. 

The  year  1776  is  memorable  in  the  early  history  of  Kentucky  as  one  of 
peculiar  peril.  The  woods  literally  swarmed  with  the  Indians,  who  seemed  ex- 
cited to  desperation  by  the  formation  of  settlements  in  their  old  hunting  grounds, 
and  abandoned  themselves  to  the  commission  of  every  species  of  outrage.  Savage 
ingenuity  seemed  stimulated  to  the  utmost  to  devise  new  modes  of  annoyance  to 
the  settlers,  and  Mr.  Logan  judged  it  prudent  to  place  his  wife  and  family  be- 
hind the  more  secure  defences  of  Harrodsburgh,  where  they  would  be  less  ex- 
posed to  danger  than  in  his  own  remote  and  comparatively  undefended  station. 
He  himself  remained  with  his  slaves,  and  attended  to  the  cultivation  of  his  farm. 
The  year  passed  without  his  being  engaged  in  any  adventure  of  consequence. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year  1777  Mrs.  Logan  returned  to  her  husband,  and  hav- 
ing been  reinforced  by  the  arrival  of  several  white  men,  he  determined  to  remain 
and  maintain  himself  at  all  hazards.  His  resolution  was  soon  put  to  the  test. 
On  the  20th  of  May,  1777,  one  hundred  Indians  appeared  before  the  fort,  and 
having  fired  on  the  garrison,  then  engaged  in  the  fields,  commenced  a  regular 
siege.  This,  in  the  end,  proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  determined  and  well  sus- 
tained investments  ever  executed  by  Indian  hostility  and  enterprise.  The  garri- 
son were  in  continual  danger  for  several  weeks,  and  many  incidents  occurred  which 
even  at  this  distance  of  time,  makes  the  blood  curdle.  Never  did  the  high  and 
manly  qualities  of  courage,  sagacity  and  fortitude,  for  which  Mr.  Logan  was  so 
eminently  distinguished,  display  themselves  more  gloriously  than  during  those 
terrible  days,  when  his  little  garrison  was  beset  for  weeks  by  those  howling 
devils  of  the  forest.  A  full  account  of  this  siege  will  be  found  under  the  head 
of  Lincoln  county,  to  which  tlie  reader  is  referred  for  particulars. 

During  this  same  year,  (1777),  while  on  one  of  his  excursions,  in  search  of 
Indian  signs,  he  discovered  a  camp  of  Indians,  at  the  Big  Fiat  lick,  about  two 
miles  from  his  station.  He  immediately  returned,  and  raising  a  party  of  men, 
attacked  them  with  great  resolution.  The  Indians  fled,  without  nmch  loss  on 
their  part  and  none  on  his.  He  was  again  at  the  same  lick, — it  being  the  resort 
of  game  as  well  as  of  Indians, — when  he  received  a  fire  from  a  concealed  party 
of  Indians,  which  broke  his  right  arm  and  wounded  him  slightly  in  the  breast. 
The  savages  then  rushed  upon  him,  and  so  near  was  he  falling  in  their  hands, 
that  they  at  one  time  had  hold  of  his  horse's  tail.  No  sooner  had  his  wounds 
healed,  than  he  resumed  his  active  course  of  life — shunning  no  danger,  when  to 
incur  it  was  for  the  benefit  of  his  country  or  his  friends. 

In  the  year  1779,  an  expedition  was  set  on  foot  against  the  Indian  town  of  Chil- 
licothe.  In  this  expedition,  Logan  served  as  second  in  command;  Col.  Bowman 
commanded  in  ciiief.  The  detachment  amounted  to  one  hundred  and  sixty  men  ; 
consisted  entirely  of  volunteers,  accustomed  to  Indian  warfare;  and  was  well  of- 
ficered, with  the  exception  of  its  commander.  The  following  account  of  the  ex- 
pedition, is  from  the  graphic  pen  of  Mr.  McClung — (see  his  interesting  Sketches 
of  Western  Adventure,  page  113)  : 


BENJAMIN  LOGAN.  413 

•'They  left  Harrodsburg  in  July,  and  took  their  preliminary  measures  so  well, 
that  they  arrived  within  a  mile  of  Chillicothe,  witiiout  giving  llie  sligiitest  alarm 
to  the  enemy.  Here  the  detachment  halted  at  an  early  hour  in  the  night,  and,  as 
usual,  sent  out  spies  to  examine  the  condition  of  the  village.  Before  midnight 
they  returned,  and  reported  that  the  enemy  remained  unapprised  of  their  being  in 
the  neighborhood,  and  were  in  the  most  unmilitary  security.  The  army  was  in- 
stantly put  in  motion.  It  was  determined  that  Logan,  with  one  half  of  the  men, 
should  turn  to  the  left  and  march  half  way  around  the  town,  while  Bowman,  at 
the  head  of  the  remainder,  should  make  a  corresponding  march  to  the  right;  that 
both  parties  should  proceed  in  silence,  until  they  had  met  at  the  opposite  extremity 
of  the  village,  when,  having  thus  completely  encircled  it,  the  attack  was  to  com- 
mence. 

"  Logan,  who  was  bravery  itself,  performed  his  part  of  the  combined  operation, 
with  perfect  order,  and  in  profound  silence ;  and  having  reached  the  designated 
spot,  awaited  with  impatience  the  arrival  of  his  commander.  Hour  after  hour 
stole  away,  but  Bowman  did  not  appear.  At  length  daylight  appeared.  Logan, 
still  expecting  the  arrival  of  his  colonel,  ordered  the  men  to  conceal  themselves 
in  the  high  grass,  and  await  the  expected  signal  to  attack.  No  orders,  however, 
arrived.  In  the  mean  time,  the  men,  in  shifting  about  through  the  grass,  alarmed 
an  Indian  dog,  the  only  sentinel  on  duty.  He  instantly  began  to  bay  loudly,  and 
advanced  in  the  direction  of  the  man  who  had  attracted  his  attention.  Presently 
a  solitary  Indian  left  his  cabin,  and  walked  cautiously  towards  the  party,  halting 
frequently,  rising  upon  tiptoes,  and  gazing  around  him. 

'•  Logan's  party  lay  close,  with  the  hope  of  taking  him  without  giving  the 
alarm  ;  but  at  that  instant  a  gun  was  fired  in  an  opposite  quarter  of  the  town,  as 
was  afterwards  ascertained,  by  one  of  Bowman's  party,  and  the  Indian,  giving 
one  shrill  whoop,  ran  swiftly  back  to  the  council  house.  Concealment  was  now 
impossible.  Logan's  party  instantly  sprung  up  from  the  grass,  and  rushed  upon 
the  village,  not  doubting  for  a  moment  that  they  would  be  gallantly  supported. 
As  they  advanced,  they  perceived  Indians  of  all  ages  and  of  both  sexes  running  to 
the  great  cabin,  near  the  centre  of  the  town,  where  they  collected  in  full  force,  and 
appeared  determined  upon  an  obstinate  defence.  Logan  instantly  took  possession 
of  the  houses  which  had  been  deserted,  and  rapidly  advancing  from  cabin  to  cab- 
in, at  length  established  his  detachment  within  close  rifle  shot  of  the  Indian  re- 
doubt. 

"  He  now  listened  impatiently  for  the  firing  which  should  have  been  heard  from 
the  opposite  extremity  of  the  town,  where  he  supposed  Bowman's  party  to  be, 
but,  to  his  astonishment,  every  thing  remained  quiet  in  that  quarter.  In  the  mean 
time,  his  own  position  had  become  critical.  The  Indians  had  recovered  from  their 
panic,  and  kept  up  a  close  and  heavy  fire  upon  the  cabins  which  covered  his  men. 
He  had  pushed  his  detachment  so  close  to  the  redoubt,  that  they  could  neither  ad- 
vance nor  retreat  without  great  exposure.  The  enemy  outnumbered  him,  and  gave 
indications  of  a  disposition  to  turn  both  flanks  of  his  position,  and  thus  endanger 
his  retreat. 

"  Under  these  circumstances,  ignorant  of  the  condition  of  his  commander,  and 
cut  ofl:'  from  communication  with  him,  he  formed  the  bold  and  judicious  resolu- 
tion, to  make  a  moveable  breastwork  of  the  planks  which  formed  the  floor  of  the 
cabins,  and,  under  cover  of  it,  to  rush  upon  the  stronghold  of  the  enemy  and  carry 
it  by  main  force.  Had  this  gallant  determination  been  carried  into  effect,  and 
had  the  movement  been  promptly  seconded,  as  it  ought  to  have  been,  by  Bowman, 
the  conflict  would  have  been  bloody,  and  the  victory  decisive.  Most  probably 
not  an  Indian  would  have  escaped,  and  the  consternation  which  such  signal  ven- 
geance would  have  spread  throughout  the  Indian  tribes,  might  have  repressed  their 
incursions  for  a  considerable  time.  But  before  the  necessary  steps  could  be  taken, 
a  messenger  arrived  from  Bowman,  with  orders  'to  retreat!' 

"Astonished  at  such  an  order,  at  a  time  when  honor  and  safety  required  an  of- 
fensive movement  on  their  part,  Logan  hastily  asked  if  Bowman  had  been  over- 
powered by  the  enemy  ?  No  !  Had  he  ever  beheld  an  enemy  ]  No  !  What, 
then,  was  the  cause  of  this  extraordinary  abandonment  of  a  design  so  prosper- 
ously begun  ]  He  did  not  know:  the  colonel  had  ordered  a  retreat!  Logan, 
however  reluctantly,  was  conipelled  to  obey.  A  retreat  is  always  a  dispiriting 
movement,  and  with  militia,  is  almost  certain  to  terminate  in  a  complete  rout.    As 


414  LOGAN    COUx\TY. 

soon  as  the  men  were  informed  of  the  order,  a  most  irregular  p.nd  tumultuous 
scene  commenced.  Not  being  buoyed  up  by  the  mutual  confidence  which  is  the 
offspring  of  discipline,  and  which  sustains  regular  soldiers  under  all  circumstan- 
ces, they  no  longer  acted  in  concert. 

"  Each  man  selected  the  time,  manner,  and  route  of  his  retreat  for  himself. 
Here  a  solitary  Kentuckian  would  start  up  from  behind  a  stump,  and  scud  away 
through  the  grass,  dodging  and  turning  to  avoid  the  balls  which  whistled  around 
him.  There  a  dozen  men  would  run  I'rom  a  cabin,  and  scatter  in  every  direction, 
each  anxious  to  save  himself,  and  none  having  leisure  to  attend  to  their  neighbors. 
The  Indians,  astonished  at  seeing  men  rout  themselves  in  this  manner,  sallied  out 
of  their  redoubts  and  pursued  the  stragglers,  as  sportsmen  would  cut  up  a  flock 
of  wild  geese.  They  soon  united  themselves  to  Bowman's  party,  who,  from 
some  unaccountable  panic  of  their  commander,  or  fault  in  themselves,  had  stood 
stock  still  near  the  spot  where  Logan  had  left  them  the  night  before. 

"  All  was  confusion.  Some  cursed  their  colonel ;  some  reproached  other  offi- 
cers :  one  shouted  one  thing;  one  bellowed  another;  but  all  seemed  to  agree  that 
they  ought  to  make  the  best  of  their  way  home,  without  the  loss  of  a  moment's 
time.  By  great  exertions  on  the  part  of  Logan,  well  seconded  by  Harrod,  Bul- 
ger, and  the  present  Major  Bedinger,  of  the  Blue  Licks,  some  degree  of  order 
was  restored,  and  a  tolerably  respectable  retreat  commenced.  The  Indians,  how- 
ever, soon  surrounded  them  on  all  sides,  and  kept  up  a  hot  fire,  which  began  to 
grow  fatal.  Colonel  Bowman  appeared  totally  demented,  and  sat  upon  his  horse 
like  a  pillar  of  stone,  neither  giving  an  order,  nor  taking  any  measures  to  repel 
the  enemy.  The  sound  of  the  rifle  shots  had,  however,  completely  restored  the 
men  to  their  senses,  and  they  readily  formed  in  a  large  hollow  square,  took  trees, 
and  returned  the  fire  with  equal  vivacity.  The  enemy  were  quickly  repelled,  and 
the  troops  recommenced  their  march. 

"  But  scarcely  had  they  advanced  half  a  mile,  when  the  Indians  re-appeared, 
and  again  opened  a  fire  upon  the  front,  rear,  and  both  flanks.  Again,  a  square 
was  formed  and  the  enemy  repelled  ;  but  scarcely  had  the  harassed  troops  re- 
commenced their  march,  when  the  same  galling  fire  was  opened  upon  them  from 
every  tree,  bush  and  stone,  capable  of  concealing  an  Indian.  Matters  now  began 
to  look  serious.  The  enemy  were  evidently  endeavoring  to  detain  them,  until 
fresh  Indians  could  come  up  in  sufficient  force  to  compel  them  to  lay  down  their 
arms.  The  men  began  to  be  unsteady,  and  the  panic  was  rapidly  spreading  from 
the  colonel  to  the  privates.  At  this  crisis,  Lngan,  Harrod,  Bedinger,  &c.,  select- 
ed the  boldest,  and  best  mounted  men,  and  dashing  into  the  bushes  on  horseback, 
scoured  the  woods  in  every  direction,  forcing  the  Indians  from  their  coverts,  and 
cutting  down  as  many  as  they  could  overtake. 

"This  decisive  step  completely  dispersed  the  enemy,  and  the  weary  and  dis- 
pirited troops  continued  their  retreat  unmolested.  They  lost  nine  killed  and  a 
few  others  wounded." 

No  other  affair  of  importance  occurred,  until  the  rash  and  disastrous  battle  of 
the  Blue  Licks,  in  which  Logan  was  unable  to  participate,  although  in  full  march 
for  that  place  at  the  head  of  a  well  appointed  force  when  he  received  intelligence 
of  the  defeat  of  his  countrymen.  He  immediately  retraced  his  steps  to  Bryant's 
station,  where  he  remained  until  the  I'ollovving  day,  when  he  proceeded  to  the  bat- 
tle ground  for  the  purpose  of  burying  the  dead.  Having  performed  this  duty,  he 
disbanded  his  men  and  returned  home. 

He  remained  quietly  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  until  the  summer  of  1788, 
when  he  conducted  an  expedition  against  the  north-western  tribes,  which  as  usual 
terminated  in  burning  their  villages  and  cutting  up  their  corn,  serving  to  irritate 
but  not  to  subdue  the  enemy. 

From  this  time  until  the  period  of  his  death.  General  Logan  devoted  himself  to 
the  cultivation  of  his  farm,  and  engaged  actively  in  the  civil  and  political  con- 
tests which  had  begun  to  occupy  a  large  share  of  public  attention.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  convention  of  \192,  which  formed  the  first  constitution  of  Ken- 
tucky, and  when  in  1709,  a  convention  was  called  for  the  purpose  of  remodel- 
ing that  instrument,  he  was  a  delegate  from  the  county  of  Shelby,  and  assisted  in 
the  fonuajjion  of  the  present  constitution.  He  was  repeatedly  a  member  of  the 
Stale  legislature,  and  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add,  stood  high  in  the  esteem  and 
confidence  of  his  legislative  compeers.     After  having  discharged  faithfully  and 


BENJAMIN   LOGAN.  415 

with  ability  all  the  duties  of  the  man,  the  soldier,  the  patriot,  and  statesman,  he 
died  at  an  advanced  age,  full  of  years  and  full  of  honors,  beloved  and  mourned 
by  all  who  knew  him.  General  Logan  was  the  father  of  the  Honorable  William 
Logan,  twice  a  judge  of  the  court  of  appeals. 

Closely  connected  with  the  history  of  General  Benjamin  Logan  is  that  of  a 
young  Indian,  distinguished  for  his  high  qualities  of  bravery,  generosity,  and  all 
those  rude  virtues  which  at  times  impart  such  nobility  to  the  character  of  the 
American  aborigines.  He  was  taken  prisoner  by  General  Logan  in  1786,  when 
a  youth.  On  parting  with  him  to  send  him  back  to  his  people,  the  general  had 
given  him  his  name,  which  he  retained  to  the  end  of  his  life.  Before  the  treaty 
of  Greenville  he  had  distinguished  himself  as  a  warrior,  though  still  very  young. 
His  mother  was  a  sister  to  the  celebrated  Tecumseh  and  the  Prophet.  His  death 
occurred  under  very  tragical  circumstances — for  an  account  of  which  we  are 
indebted  to  M'Afee's  history  of  the  late  war. 

Shortly  after  General  Tupper's  expedition  to  the  Miami  Rapids  in  1812,  Logan 
was  sent  by  General  Harrison  with  a  small  party  of  his  tribe  to  reconnoitre  in 
the  direction  of  the  Rapids.  He  met  with  a  superior  force  of  the  enemy  near  that 
place,  by  which  he  was  so  closely  pursued  that  his  men  were  obliged  to  disperse 
for  safety  in  their  retreat.  Logan  and  two  of  his  companions,  Captain  John  and 
Bright  Horn,  arrived  safe  at  General  Winchester's  camp,  where  he  faithfully 
reported  the  incidents  of  the  excursion.  But  there  were  certain  persons  in  the 
army  who  suspected  his  fidelity,  and  reproached  him  with  being  friendly  to  and 
with  communicating  intelligence  to  the  enemy.  The  noble  spirit  of  Logan  could 
not  endure  the  ungenerous  charge.  With  the  sensibility  of  a  genuine  soldier,  he 
felt  that  his  honor  should  be  not  only  pure  and  firm,  but  unsuspected.  He  did 
not,  however,  demand  a  court  of  enquiry — following  the  natural  dictate  of  a  bold 
and  generous  spirit,  he  determined  to  prove  by  unequivocal  deeds  of  valor  and 
fidelity,  that  he  was  calumniated  by  his  accusers. 

On  the  22d  of  November,  he  set  out  the  second  time,  accompanied  by  only  the 
two  persons  before  named,  determined  either  to  bring  in  a  prisoner  or  a  scalp,  or 
to  perish  himself  in  the  attempt.  When  he  had  gone  about  ten  miles  down  the 
north  side  of  the  Miami,  he  met  with  a  British  officer,  the  eldest  son  of  Colonel 
Elliott,  accompanied  by  five  Indians,  As  the  party  was  too  strong  for  him,  and 
he  had  no  chance  to  escape,  four  of  them  being  mounted,  he  determined  to  pass 
them  under  the  disguise  of  friendship  for  the  British,  He  advanced  with  confi- 
dent boldness  and  friendly  deportment  to  the  enemy — but  unfortunately  one  of 
them  was  Winnemac,  a  celebrated  Potawatamie  chief,  to  whom  the  person  and 
character  of  Captain  Logan  were  perfectly  well  known.  He  persisted  however 
in  his  first  determination,  and  told  them  he  was  going  to  the  Rapids  to  give  infor- 
mation to  the  British,  After  conversing  some  time  he  proceeded  on  his  way,  and 
Winnemac,  with  all  his  companions,  turned  and  went  with  him.  As  they  trav- 
eled on  together,  Winnemac  and  his  party  closely  watched  the  others,  and  when 
they  had  proceeded  about  eight  miles,  he  proposed  to  the  British  officer  to  seize 
and  tie  them,  Tiie  officer  replied  that  they  were  completely  in  his  power;  that 
if  they  attempted  to  run,  they  could  be  shot ;  or  failing  in  that,  the  horses 
could  easily  run  them  down.  'I'he  consultation  was  overheard  by  Logan  ;  he  had 
previously  intended  to  go  on  peaceably  until  night,  and  then  make  his  escape; 
but  he  now  formed  the  bold  design  of  extricating  himself  by  a  combat  with 
double  his  number. 

Having  signified  his  resolution  to  his  men,  he  commenced  the  attack  by  shoot- 
ing down  Winnemac  himself.  The  action  lasted  till  they  had  fired  three  rounds 
apiece,  during  which  time  Logan  and  his  brave  companions  drove  the  enemy 
some  distance,  and  separated  them  from  their  horses.  By  the  first  fire  Winnemac 
and  Elliott  fell  ;  by  the  second  a  young  Ottawa  chief  lost  his  life ;  and  another  of 
the  enemy  was  mortally  wounded  about  the  conclusion  of  the  combat,  at  which 
time  Logan  himself,  as  he  was  stooping  down,  received  a  ball  just  below  the 
breast  bone  ;  it  ranged  downwards,  and  lodged  under  the  skin  on  his  back.  In 
the  mean  time  Bright  Horn  was  also  wounded  by  a  ball  which  passed  through 
his  thigh.  As  soon  as  Logan  was  shot  he  ordered  a  retreat;  himself^and  Bright 
Horn,  wounded  as  they  were,  jumped  on  the  horses  of  the  enemy  and  rode  to  Win- 
chester's camp,  a  distance  of  twenty  miles,  in  five  hours.     Captain  John,  at'ter 


416  MADISON   COUNTY. 

taking  the  scalp  of  the  Ottowa  chief,  also  retreated  in  safety,  and  arrived  at  the 
camp  the  next  morning.  After  lingering  with  his  wounds,  Logan  expired  at 
W  inchester's  camp  on  the  third  day  after  his  arrival.  He  was  buried  with  all  the 
honors  due  to  his  rank. 


MADISON    COUNTY. 

IMadisoxV  county  was  formed  in  1785,  and  named  in  honor  of 
James  Madison,  president  of  the  United  States.  It  is  situated  in 
the  middle  portion  of  the  State,  and  lies  on  the  waters  of  Ken- 
tucky river,  which  skirts  it  on  the  north  and  west — bounded  on 
the  north  by  Fayette  and  Clark,  east  by  Estill,  south  by  Laurel 
and  Rockcastle,  and  west  by  Rockcastle,  Garrard  and  Jessamine. 
Madison  is  one  of  the  largest  counties  in  the  State,  with  a  diver- 
sified surface — the  greater  portion  being  gently  undulating,  with 
a  rich  and  productive  soil — while  other  portions  are  level  and 
hilly,  and  not  so  productive.  The  principal  streams  are  Down- 
ing, Muddy,  Silver,  Tate,  and  Otter  creeks,  all  named  by  Daniel 
Boone,  and  flowing  into  the  Kentucky  river.  The  exports  of  the 
county  consist  of  horses,  mules,  cattle,  and  hogs,  the  latter  being 
raised  in  vast  quantities.  Indian  corn  and  tobacco  are  exten- 
sively cultivated,  but  the  hemp  and  wheat  crops  are  limited  to 
domestic  consumption. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  Madison  county,  277,608 ;  average 
value  per  acre  in  1846,  $12;  total  valuation  of  taxable  property 
in  1846,  $6,935,495;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  2,594 ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  six- 
teen years  of  age,  2,943.     Population  in  1840, 16,385. 

The  towns  of  Madison  are  Richmond  and  Boonsborough. 
Richmond,  the  county  seat,  lies  fifty  miles  from  Frankfort.  It  is 
a  handsome  town,  with  a  thriving  and  intelligent  population  of 
some  1,000  or  1,200  souls,  and  surrounded  by  a  beautiful  country' 
and  a  rich  and  enlightened  community — contains  a  court-house, 
four  churches,  (Baptist,  Presbyterian,  Methodist  and  Christian), 
twelve  la\Ayers,  eleven  doctors,  two  female  schools,  one  academy, 
a  public  library,  fourteen  dr}'  goods  stores,  six  grocery  stores,  two 
taverns,  two  newspapers,  (the  Richmond  Chronicle  and  Review), 
a  branch  of  the  bank  of  Kentucky,  one  rope  factory,  and  about 
forty  mechanics'  shops.  This  place  was  first  settled  by  John 
Miller  in  1785,  but  was  not  incorporated  until  1809. 

Boonsborough  is  a  small  and  dilapidated  village,  situated  on  the 
western  bank  of  the  Kentucky  river.  There  is  nothing  in  its  ap- 
pearance calculated  to  impress  the  beholder ;  but  the  mime  and 
the  locality  have  become  classical.  It  was  here  that  Daniel  Boone, 
the  great  pioneer,  built  the  first  fort  ever  erected  in  Kentucky, 
and  made  the  commencement  of  a  permanent  settlement ;  and  it 
Was  here  there  was  convened,  more  than  seventy  years  ago,  the 


OLD  FORT  AT  B  UON  S  B  0  HOU  G  H,  1775. 


27 


OLD  FORT  AT  BOONSBOROUGH.  419 

first  legislative  assembly  of  the  great  valley  of  the  west.*  This 
fort  was  built  in  1775,  having  been  commenced  on  the  1st  of  April, 
and  completed  on  the  14th  of  June.  An  engraving  of  the  fort, 
from  a  drawing  of  Colonel  Henderson,  is  here  given. 

It  was  situated  adjacent  to  the  river,  with  one  of  the  angles 
resting  on  its  bank  near  the  water,  and  extending  from  it  in  the 
form  of  a  parallelogram.  The  length  of  the  fort,  allowing 
twenty  feet  for  each  cabin  and  opening,  must  have  been  about 
two  hundred  and  sixty,  and  the  breadth  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet.f  In  a  few  days  after  the  work  was  commenced,  one  of  the 
men  was  killed  b}^  the  Indians. 

There  are  several  mineral  springs  and  mounds  in  Madison,  but 
none  of  sufficient  interest  to  require  particular  notice  in  this 
w^ork.  There  is  a  black  sulphur  spring,  highly  impregnated  with 
salt,  at  Boonsborough.  This  was  a  great  resort  of  buffalo,  deer  and 
other  animals,  when  Kentucky  was  first  explored,  and  no  doubt 
Boone  was  induced,  from  this  fact,  to  select  that  place  for  the  lo- 
cation of  his  fort.  One  of  the  mounds  has  been  partially  ex- 
plored, but  no  relics  discovered.  A  large  fire  must  have  been 
burned  near  the  base  before  the  mound  was  reared,  as  the  coals 
are  so  well  preserved  as  to  show  clearly  the  wood  from  which 
they  were  burned. 

In  the  summer  of  1775,  after  the  completion  of  the  fort  at  Boonsborough, 
Daniel  Boone  returned  to  Clinch  river  for  his  family.  He  brought  them  to  the 
new  fort  as  soon  as  the  journey  could  be  performed,  and  Mrs.  Boone  and  her  daugh- 
ters were  the  first  white  women  who  ever  stood  upon  the  banks  of  the  Kentucky 
river.:}:  They  were  soon  reinforced  by  the  arrival  of  three  more  families,  at  the 
head  of  which  were  Mrs.  McGary,  Mrs.  Hogan  and  Mrs.  Denton. 

Boonsborough  soon  became  the  central  object  of  Indian  hostilities.  On  the 
24th  of  December,  1775,  the  garrison  was  suddenly  attacked  by  a  partj"^  of  Indians, 
and  one  of  the  number  killed. 

On  the  7th  of  July,  1776,  a  much  more  alarming  incident  occurred.  A  daugh- 
ter of  Daniel  Boone,  in  company  with  Miss  Betsey  and  Miss  Frances  Calloway, 
the  first  and  last  named  about  thirteen  years  of  age,  the  other  grown,  while 
amusing  themselves  in  a  canoe,  were  captured  by  a  party  of  Indians,  in  sight  of 
the  fort.  The  screams  of  the  terrified  girls  quickly  alarmed  the  families  in  the 
garrison;  but  as  it  was  near  night  fall,  and  the  canoe  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river,  pursuit  was  not  commenced  in  time  to  follow  more  than  five  miles  during 
the  night.  By  day-light  next  morning,  a  party  consisting  of  Daniel  Boone,  Col. 
Floyd  and  six  others,  got  upon  their  track,  and  continued  the  pursuit.  The  ex- 
ceeding caution  of  the  Indians,  rendered  it  difficult  for  the  pursuing  party  to  keep 
on  their  trail ;  but,  notwithstanding,  they  pressed  forward  in  the  direction  they 
supposed  the  Indians  would  take,  with  almost  incredible  rapidity.     Having  trav- 

*  See  biographical  sketch  of  Colonel  Henderson. 

-[•  A  fort  in  these  rude  military  times,  consisted  of  pieces  of  timber  sharpened  at  the  end 
and  firmly  lodged  in  the  ground :  rows  of  these  pickets  enclosed  the  desired  space,  which 
embraced  the  cabins  of  the  inhabitants.  A  block-house  or  more,  of  superior  care  and 
strength,  commanding  the  sides  of  the  fort,  with  or  without  a  ditch,  completed  the  fortifica- 
tions, or  stations,  as  they  were  called.  Generally  the  sides  of  the  interior  cabins  formed  the 
sides  of  the  fort.  Slight  as  this  advance  was  in  the  art  of  war,  it  was  more  than  sufiicient 
against  attacks  of  small  arms,  in  the  hands  of  such  desultory  warriors,  as  their  irregular 
supply  of  provisions  necessarily  rendered  the  Indians.  Such  was  the  nature  of  the  military 
structures  of  the  pioneers  against  their  enemies.     They  were  ever  more  formidable  in  the 

cane-brakes  and  in  the  woods,  than  before  even  these  imperfect  fortifications Butler's 

IKstory,  page  28. 

t  See  eketch  of  Daniel  Boone. 


420  MADISON    COUNTY. 

eled  about  thirty-five  miles,  they  struck  a  buffalo  trace,  where  they  found  the 
tracks  quite  plain.  The  pursuit  was  urged  on  with  great  keenness,  and  at  the 
further  distance  of  ten  miles,  they  came  in  sight  of  the  savages,  just  as  they  were 
kindling  a  fire  to  cook.  Both  parties  saw  each  other  at  the  same  instant.  Four 
of  the  whites  fired,  and  then  charged  so  suddenly  and  furiously  upon  the  Indians, 
that  they  were  compelled  to  retreat  with  a  single  shot  gun  without  ammunition, 
and  without  time  to  tomahawk  their  captives.  The  girls  sustained  no  other  injury 
than  excessive  fright  and  fatigue.  Two  of  the  Indians  were  killed.  The  party 
were  so  much  elated  with  the  recovery  of  the  frightened  and  jaded  little  girls,  that 
they  did  not  pursue  the  Indians,  but  immediately  retraced  their  steps,  and  safely 
arrived  at  Boonsborough  on  the  succeeding  day. 

The  infant  settlement  at  Boonsborough  continued  to  be  incessantly  harassed 
by  flying  parties  of  Indians  ;  and  on  the  15th  of  April,  1777,  a  simultaneous 
attack  was  made  on  Boonsborough,  Harrodsburg  and  Logan's  fort,  by  a  large 
body  of  the  enemy.  But  being  destitute  of  artillery  and  scaling  ladders,  they 
could  produce  no  decided  impression  on  the  fort.  Some  loss  was  sustained  by 
Boonsborough  in  men,  and  the  corn  and  cattle  of  the  settlers  were  partially 
destroyed,  but  the  Indians  suffered  so  severely  as  to  retire  with  precipitation. 

On  the  4th  of  July,  following,  Boonsborough  was  again  attacked  by  about 
two  hundred  warriors.  The  onset  was  furious,  but  unsuccessful.  The  garrison, 
less  than  half  the  number  of  the  assailants,  made  a  vigorous  defence,  repulsing 
the  enemy  with  the  loss  of  seven  warriors  known  to  have  been  killed,  and  a  num- 
ber wounded.  The  whites  had  one  man  killed  and  two  wounded.  The  siege 
lasted  two  days  and  nights,  when  the  Indians  made  a  rapid  and  tumultuous  retreat. 

Some  time  in  June,  1777,  Major  Smith  with  a  party  of  seventeen  men,  followed 
a  small  body  of  Indians  from  Boonsborough  to  the  Ohio  river,  where  they  arrived 
in  time  to  kill  one  of  the  number,  the  remainder  having  crossed  over.  As  they 
returned,  about  twenty  miles  from  the  Ohio,  they  discovered  another  party  of 
about  thirty  Indians,  lying  in  the  grass,  but  were  themselves  unobserved.  They 
immediately  dismounted,  tied  their  horses  and  left  nine  men  to  take  care  of  them. 
Smith,  with  the  remaining  eight  men  of  his  party,  crept  forward  until  they  came 
near  the  Indians.  At  this  moment,  one  of  the  Indians  passed  partly  by  Smith, 
in  the  direction  of  the  horses.  He  was  shot  by  one  of  the  whites.  He  gave  a 
loud  yell,  and  his  friends  supposing  he  had  killed  some  wild  animal,  burst  out  in 
a  noisy  fit  of  laughter.  At  that  instant  Smith  and  his  party  fired  on  the  savages 
and  rushed  upon  them.  The  fire  was  returned,  but  the  Indians  speedily  gave  way 
and  fled.     Smith  had  one  man  (John  Martin)  wounded.* 

On  the  9th  of  September,  1778,  a  third  attack  was  made  upon  Boonsborough. 
The  enemy  appeared  in  great  force — the  Indians,  numbering  at  least  five  hundred 
warriors,  armed  and  painted  in  their  usual  manner,  were  conducted  by  Canadian 
officers,  well  skilled  in  the  usages  of  modern  warfare.  As  soon  as  ihey  were 
arrayed  in  front  of  the  fort,  the  British  colors  were  displayed,  and  an  officer,  with 
a  flag,  was  sent  to  demand  the  surrender  of  the  fort,  with  a  promise  of  quarter 
and  good  treatment  in  case  of  compliance,  and  threatening  "the  hatchet,"  in  case 
of  a  storm.  Boone  requested  two  days  for  consideration,  which  in  defiance  of 
all  experience  and  common  sense,  was  granted.  This  interval,  as  usual,  was 
employed  in  preparation  for  an  obstinate  resistance.  The  cattle  were  brought 
into  the  fort,  the  horses  secured,  and  all  things  made  ready  against  the  commence- 
ment of  hostilities. 

Boone  then  assembled  the  garrison,  and  represented  to  them  the  condition  in 
which  they  stood.  They  had  not  now  to  deal  with  Indians  alone,  but  with  Brit- 
ish officers,  skilled  in  the  art  of  attacking  fortified  places,  sufficiently  numerous 
to  direct,  but  too  few  to  restrain  their  savage  allies.  If  they  surrendered,  their 
lives  might  and  probably  would  be  saved  ;  but  they  would  suffer  much  inconve- 
nience, and  must  lose  all  their  property.  If  they  resisted  and  were  overcome, 
the  life  of  every  man,  woman  and  child  would  be  sacrificed.  The  hour  was  now 
come  in  which  they  were  to  determine  what  was  to  be  done.  If  they  were  inclined 
to  surrender,  he  would  announce  it  to  the  officer;  if  they  were  resolved  to  main- 
tain the  fort,  he  would  share  their  fate,  whether  in  life  or  death.  He  had  scarcely 
finished,  when  every  man  arose  and  in  a  firm  tone  announced  his  determination 

to  defend  the  fort  to  the  last. 

*  Notes  on  Kentucky. 


ATTACK  ON  BOONSBOROUGH.  421 

Boone  then  appeared  at  the  gate  of  the  fortress  and  communicated  to  Captain 
Duquesne  the  resolution  of  his  men.  Disappointment  and  chagrin  were  strongly 
painted  upon  the  face  of  the  Canadian  at  this  answer ;  but  endeavoring  to  dis- 
guise his  feelings,  he  declared  that  Governor  Hamilton  had  ordered  him  not  to 
injure  the  men  if  it  could  be  avoided,  and  that  if  nine  of  the  principal  inhabitants 
of  the  fort  would  come  out  into  the  plain  and  treat  with  them,  they  would  instantly 
depart  without  farther  hostility.  The  insidious  nature  of  this  proposal  was  evi- 
dent, for  they  could  converse  very  well  from  where  they  then  stood,  and  going 
out  would  only  place  the  officers  of  the  fort  at  the  mercy  of  the  savages,  not  to 
mention  the  absurdity  of  supposing  that  this  army  of  warriors  would  "  treat"  but 
upon  such  terms  as  pleased  them,  and  no  terms  were  likely  do  so  short  of  a  total 
abandonment  of  the  country. 

Notwithstanding  these  obvious  objections,  the  word  "treat,"  sounded  so  pleas- 
antly in  the  ears  of  the  besieged,  that  they  agreed  at  once  to  the  proposal,  and 
Boone  himself,  attended  by  eight  of  his  men,  went  out  and  mingled  with  the 
savages,  who  crowded  around  them  in  great  numbers,  and  with  countenances  of 
deep  anxiety.  The  treaty  then  commenced  and  was  soon  concluded.  What  the 
terms  were,  we  are  not  informed,  nor  is  it  a  matter  of  the  least  importance,  as  the 
whole  was  a  stupid  and  shallow  artifice.  This  was  soon  made  manifest.  Du- 
quesne, after  many,  very  many  pretty  periods  about  the  "  bienfaisance  el  humanit^^ 
which  should  accompany  the  warfare  of  civilized  beings,  at  length  informed 
Boone,  that  it  was  a  custom  with  the  Indians,  upon  the  conclusion  of  a  treaty 
with  the  whites,  for  two  warriors  to  take  hold  of  the  hand  of  each  white  man. 

Boone  thought  this  rather  a  singular  custom,  but  there  was  no  time  to  dispute 
about  etiquette,  particularly,  as  he  could  not  be  more  in  their  power  than  he 
already  was;  so  he  signified  his  willingness  to  conform  to  the  Indian  mode  of 
cementing  friendship.  Instantly,  two  warriors  approached  each  white  man,  with 
the  word  "  brother"  upon  their  lips,  but  a  very  different  expression  in  their  eyes, 
and  grappling  him  with  violence,  attempted  to  bear  him  off.  They  probably 
(unless  totally  infatuated)  expected  such  a  consummation,  and  all  at  the  same 
moment  sprung  from  their  enemies  and  ran  to  the  fort,  under  a  heavy  fire,  which 
fortunately  only  wounded  one  man. 

The  attack  instantly  commenced  by  a  heavy  fire  against  the  picketing,  and  was 
returned  with  fatal  accuracy  by  the  garrison.  The  Indians  quickly  sheltered  them- 
selves, and  the  action  became  more  cautious  and  deliberate.  Finding  but  little 
effect  from  the  fire  of  his  men,  Duquesne  next  resorted  to  a  more  formidable 
mode  of  attack.  The  fort  stood  on  the  south  bank  of  the  river,  within  sixty  yards 
of  the  water.  Commencing  under  the  bank,  where  their  operations  were  con- 
cealed from  the  garrison,  they  attempted  to  push  a  mine  into  the  fort.  Their 
object,  however,  was  fortunately  discovered  by  the  quantity  of  fresh  earth  which 
they  were  compelled  to  throw  into  the  river,  and  by  which  the  water  became 
muddy  for  some  distance  below.  Boone,  who  had  regained  his  usual  sagacity, 
instantly  cut  a  trench  within  the  fort  in  such  a  manner  as  to  intersect  the  line  of 
their  approach,  and  thus  frustrated  their  design. 

The  enemy  exhausted  ail  the  ordinary  artifices  of  Indian  warfare,  but  were 
steadily  repulsed  in  every  effort.  Finding  their  numbers  daily  thinned  by  the 
deliberate  but  fatal  fire  of  the  garrison,  and  seeing  no  prospect  of  final  success, 
they  broke  up  on  the  ninth  day  of  the  siege  and  returned  home.  The  loss  of  the 
garrison  was  two  men  killed  and  four  wounded.  On  the  part  of  the  savages, 
thirty-seven  were  killed  and  many  wounded,  who,  as  usual,  were  all  carried  off. 
This  was  the  last  siege  sustained  by  Boonsborough.  The  country  had  increased 
so  rapidly  in  numbers,  and  so  many  other  stations  lay  between  Boonsborough 
and  the  Ohio,  that  the  savages  could  not  reach  it  without  leaving  enemies  in  the 
rear.* 

Besides  Boonsborough,  there  were  several  other  forts  or  stations  in  Madison 
— among  them,  Hoy's,  Irvine's,  Estill's  and  Hart's,  or  White  Oak  stations.  The 
latter  station  was  situated  about  a  mile  above  Boonsborough,  in  the  same  bot- 
tom of  the  river,  and  was  settled  in  1779.  The  settlers  were  composed  princi- 
pally of  families  from  Pennsylvania — orderly,  respectable  people,  and  the  men 
good  soldiers.     But  they  were  unaccustomed  to  Indian  warfare,  and  the  conse- 

•  McClung's  sketches  of  Western  Adventure. 


422  MADISON  COUNTY. 

quence  was,  that,  of  some  ten  or  twelve  men,  all  were  killed  but  two  or  three.* 
During  the  fall  or  winter  of  1781-2,  Peter  Duree,  the  elder,  the  principal  man  of 
the  connexion,  determined  to  settle  a  new  fort  between  Estill's  station  and  the 
mouth  of  Muddy  creek.  Having  erected  a  cabin,  his  son-in-law,  John  Bullock 
and  his  family,  and  his  son  Peter  Duree,  his  wife  and  two  children  removed  to  it, 
taking  a  pair  of  hand-mill  stones  with  them.  They  remained  for  two  or  three 
days  shut  up  in  their  cabin,  but  their  corn  meal  being  exhausted,  they  were  com- 
pelled to  venture  out,  to  cut  a  hollow  tree  in  order  to  adjust  their  hand-mill. 
They  were  attacked  by  Indians — Bullock,  after  running  a  short  distance,  fell. 
Duree  reached  the  cabin,  and  threw  himself  upon  the  bed.  Mrs.  Bullock  ran  to 
the  door  to  ascertain  the  fate  of  her  husband — received  a  shot  in  the  breast, 
and  fell  across  the  door  sill.  Mrs.  Duree,  not  knowing  whether  her  husband  had 
been  shot  or  had  fainted,  caught  her  by  the  feet,  pulled  her  into  the  house  and 
barred  the  door.  She  grasped  a  rifle,  and  told  her  husband  she  would  help  him 
to  fight.  He  replied  that  he  had  been  wounded  and  was  dying.  She  then  pre- 
sented the  gun  through  several  port  holes  in  quick  succession — then  calmly  sat 
by  her  husband  and  closed  his  eyes  in  death.  After  waiting  several  hours,  and 
«eeing  nothing  more  of  the  Indians,  Mrs.  Duree  sallied  out  in  desperation  to 
make  her  way  to  the  White  Oak  Spring,  with  her  infant  in  her  arms,  and  a  son  three 
or  four  years  of  age,  following  her.  Afraid  to  pursue  the  trace,  she  entered  the 
woods,  and  after  running  till  she  was  nearly  exhausted,  she  came  at  length  to  the 
trace.  She  determined  to  follow  it  at  all  hazards,  and  having  advanced  a  few 
miles  further,  she  met  the  elder  Mr.  Duree,  with  his  wife  and  youngest  son,  with 
their  baggage,  on  their  way  to  the  new  station.  The  melancholy  tidings  induced 
them,  of  course,  to  return.  They  led  their  horses  into  an  adjoining  canebrake, 
unloaded  them,  and  regained  the  White  Oak  Spring  fort  before  daylight. 

About  the  same  time,  an  attack  was  made  on  Estill's  station,  three  miles  south 
of  Richmond,  by  a  party  of  about  twenty-five  Wyandots.  They  killed  one  man, 
took  a  negro  prisoner,  and  disappeared.  Captain  Estill  was  the  commander  of 
the  station,  and  he  immediately  raised  about  an  equal  number  of  men  and  pur- 
sued them.  He  overhauled  them  at  the  Little  Mountain,  where  the  bloody  bat- 
tle was  fought  recorded  under  the  head  of  Montgomery  county. 

In  August,  1792,  seven  Indians  attacked  the  dwelling  house  of  Mr.  Stephen- 
son, in  Madison  county.  They  approached  the  house  early  in  the  morning,  be- 
fore the  family  had  risen,  forced  open  the  door,  and  fired  into  the  beds  where  the 
members  of  it  lay.  Mrs.  Stephenson  was  severely  wounded,  having  her  thigh 
and  arm  broken ;  but  the  rest  of  the  family  escaped  unhurt.  Mr.  Stephenson 
sprang  from  his  bed,  seized  his  rifle,  and  returned  the  fire  of  the  savages.  Two 
young  men,  living  with  him,  came  to  his  assistance,  and  a  severe  conflict  ensued. 
The  assailants,  although  double  the  number  of  the  defenders  of  the  house,  were 
ultimately  expelled,  having  one  of  their  number  killed  and  several  wounded. 
Mr.  Stephenson  was  badly  wounded,  and  one  of  the  young  men  killed  in  the 
contest. 

Nathaniel  Hart,  the  elder,  came  to  Kentucky  in  1775,  being  among  the  first 
pioneers  to  the  State.  He  was  born  in  the  year  1734,  in  Hanover  county,  Vir- 
ginia. His  father  having  died  while  he  was  young,  his  mother  removed  with 
the  family  to  North  Carolina.  In  1760,  Mr.  Hart  married,  and  engaged  for  sev- 
eral years  in  the  mercantile  business.  In  1770  and  1771,  he  commanded  a  com- 
pany in  North  Carolina  in  suppressing  an  insurrection,  the  object  of  which  was 
to  shut  up  the  courts  of  justice  and  prostrate  government  itself.  For  his  gallant 
and  spirited  behaviour  while  in  the  discharge  of  the  arduous  and  hazardous  du- 
ties which  devolved  upon  him,  he  was  handsomely  complimented  by  the  oflicers 
of  the  government.  Shortly  after  this.  Captain  Hart,  who  had  listened  to  the 
glowing  descriptions  which  Boone  gave  of  the  beauty  and  fertility  of  the  soil  of 
Kentucky,  was  fired  with  the  idea  of  forming  a  permanent  settlement  in  a  region 
presenting  so  many  attractions  to  the  adventurer.  Accordingly,  through  his  in- 
strumentality, a  company  was  formed  composed  of  his  own  and  four  other  fami- 
lies, with  Colonel  Henderson  as  its  legal  head,  for  the  purpose  of  undertaking 

*  Letter  of  Nathaniel  Hart,  Sen.,  to  Governor  Morehead. 


WILLIAM  IRVINE.  423 

the  purchase  and  settlement  of  the  wilderness  of  Kentucky.  As  soon  as  the 
company  was  organized,  Captain  Hart  set  out  alone  on  a  trip  to  the  Cherokee 
towns,  on  Holston,  to  ascertain,  by  a  previous  conference  with  the  Indians, 
whether  the  purchase  could  be  effected.  After  a  propitious  interview,  he  returned 
to  North  Carolina,  taking  with  him  a  delegation  of  the  Indian  chiefs,  who  re- 
mained to  escort  the  company  back  to  the  treaty  ground,  when,  on  the  17th  of 
March,  1775,  they  negotiated  the  purchase  of  Transylvania  from  the  Indians, 
and  immediately  departed  for  the  Kentucky  river.  From  this  period  Captain 
Hart  spent  most  of  his  time  in  Kentucky,  although  he  did  not  attempt  to  bring 
his  family  out  till  the  fall  of  1779.  In  August,  1782,  as  he  was  carelessly  riding 
out  in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort,  he  was  killed  and  scalped  by  a  small  party  of  In- 
dians, who  made  their  escape,  although  warmly  pursued  by  Colonel  Boone.  His 
widow  survived  him  about  two  years.  Their  descendants  all  reside  in  Ken- 
tucky. 

In  the  final  settlement  of  the  affairs  of  Henderson  &  Co.,  the  company  allowed 
Captain  Hart  two  hundred  pounds  for  the  extraordinary  services  rendered  and 
risk  incurred  by  him  in  the  settlement  of  Kentucky. 

Capt.  Christopher  Irvine,  with  his  younger  brother,  the  late  Col.  William 
Irvine,  removed  to  Kentucky  in  1778  or  1779,  and  settled  in  the  present  county 
of  Madison,  near  where  the  town  of  Richmond  now  stands.  In  1786,  Capt.  Ir- 
vine raised  a  company,  and  joined  an  expedition  under  Gen.  Logan  against  the 
Indians  in  the  northern  part  of  Ohio.  While  on  this  expedition,  he  met  his  death 
in  rather  a  singular  manner.  In  a  skirmish  which  took  place,  an  Indian,  who 
had  been  severely  wounded, — a  brave  and  fearless  fellow, — made  great  efforts  to 
effect  his  escape.  Capt.  Irvine  and  a  part  of  his  company  gave  pursuit,  and  were 
enabled  to  trail  him  by  the  blood  which  flowed  from  his  wound,  and  stained  the 
high  grass  through  which  he  passed.  The  Indian  discovered  his  pursuers,  and 
when  the  foremost  approached  within  rifle  shot,  he  fired  and  killed  him.  He  re- 
treated again,  and  in  his  wounded  state,  loaded  his  rifle  as  he  ran.  Another  of 
Capt.  Irvine's  company  getting  considerably  in  advance  of  his  companions  in  the 
chase,  the  wounded  Indian  again  turned,  shot  him  dead,  and  resumed  his  retreat, 
reloading  his  rifle  as  he  fled.  The  delay  produced  by  the  fatal  effect  of  his  fire, 
enabled  him  to  get  some  distance  ahead  of  his  pursuers.  Capt.  Irvine,  after 
losing  two  of  his  men  by  the  fire  of  the  Indian,  became  very  much  excited,  and, 
contrary  to  the  earnest  advice  of  his  party,  determined  to  lead  in  the  pursuit.  He 
gave  chase,  and  in  a  few  minutes  was  within  a  short  distance  of  the  Indian,  when 
the  latter,  with  but  too  fatal  an  aim,  fired  a  third  time,  and  killed  him.  One  of  his 
men,  who  was  close  upon  his  heels,  instantly  sprang  to  the  place  where  the  In- 
dian had  concealed  himself,  and  found  him  again  loading  his  rifle!  As  quick 
as  thought,  he  struck  the  Indian  to  the  ground,  and  beat  out  his  brains  with  the 
breech  of  his  gun. 

Capt.  Irvine  was  a  man  of  high  character  and  standing — intrepid,  energetic, 
and  daring — with  a  strong  and  vigorous  intellect — popular  in  the  community,  and 
beloved  and  admired  by  his  pioneer  companions.  His  widow  married  Gen.  Rich- 
ard Hickman,  of  Clark  county,  afterwards  lieutenant-governor  of  Kentucky.  Ir- 
vine,  the  county  seat  of  Estill  county,  was  named  in  honor  of  Capt.  C.  Irvine, 
and  his  brother.  Col.  William  Irvine. 

Col.  William  Irvine  came  to  the  county  with  his  brother,  and  built  a  station, 
called  Irvine's  Stntion,  near  where  Richmond  stands.  Col.  Irvine  was  in  the 
hard-fought  and  bloody  battle  at  Little  Mountain,  known  as  '■'■  EstiW  s  defeat"  in 
the  year  1782.  About  the  close  of  the  action,  while  Joseph  Proctor,  Irvine,  and 
two  others,  were  endeavoring  to  cover  the  retreat  of  the  whites,  Irvine  was  se- 
verely wounded,  by  a  bullet  and  two  buck  shot  entering  his  body  a  little  above 
the  left  groin.  The  Indian  who  shot  him,  saw  him  fall,  and,  leaving  the  tree  be- 
hind which  he  was  sheltered,  made  a  rapid  advance  with  the  view  of  tomahawk- 
ing and  scalping  him.  Irvine,  as  he  approached,  raised  and  presented  his  gun, 
which  had  just  been  fired,  and  was  then  empty,  when  the  savage  rapidly  retreat- 
ed to  his  tree  for  protection.  Proctor,  who  was  about  fifty  yards  off,  seeing  the 
disabled  condition  of  Irvine,  called  to  him  to  mount,  if  he  could,  Capt.  Estill's 
horse,  (the  owner  having  been  previously  killed),  and  retreat  to  a  given  point  on 


424  MADISON   COUNTY. 

the  trace,  about  three  miles  distant, — promising  him  that  he  would,  from  that 
point,  conduct  him  to  his  station  in  Madison.  This  assurance  was  given  by  Proc- 
tor under  the  conviction  that,  from  the  severity  of  Irvine's  wounds,  combined  with 
the  great  loss  of  blood,  he  would  be  unable  to  proceed  further  on  the  retreat  than 
the  point  designated.  Irvine  determined  to  follow  the  advice  of  Proctor;  but  the 
Indian  who  had  wounded  him,  appeared  resolved  to  baffle  all  his  efforts  to  make  his 
escape.  As  Irvine  attempted  to  mount,  the  Indian  would  abandon  his  shelter,  and 
make  towards  him  with  his  tomahawk,  when  the  former  would  raise  and  present 
his  empty  gun,  and  the  latter  as  quickly  retreat  to  his  tree.  This  was  repeated 
four  times  in  succession.  On  the  fifth  trial,  Irvine  succeeded  in  mounting  the 
horse,  and  safely  reached  the  place  designated  by  Proctor.  Upon  his  arrival,  he 
was  exceedingly  faint  from  loss  of  blood,  but  had  sufficient  presence  of  mind  to 
diverge  from  the  main  trace,  and  shield  himself  in  a  thicket  near  by.  Here  he 
dismounted,  and  holding  on  to  his  horse's  bridle,  laid  himself  against  a  log  to 
die.  In  a  short  time,  Proctor  and  his  two  companions  reached  the  place  of  ren- 
dezvous, and  the  former,  true  to  his  promise,  determined  to  search  for  Irvine;  the 
latter  objected,  under  the  apprehension  that  the  Indians  were  in  close  pursuit. 
Proctor,  however,  persisted  in  the  search,  and,  in  a  few  minutes,  discovered, 
through  the  bushes,  the  white  horse  rode  by  Irvine.  He  approached  cautiously, 
and  with  a  stealthy  step,  fearing  an  Indian  ambuscade.  Irvine,  notwithstanding, 
caught  the  sound  of  his  footsteps,  and  suffered  all  the  horrors  of  death,  under  the 
impression  that  the  footsteps  were  those  of  an  enemy  and  not  a  friend.  He  was, 
however,  speedily  undeceived.  Proctor  bound  up  his  wounds,  and  relieving  his 
burning  thirst  by  a  supply  of  water  from  a  contiguous  branch,  mounted  him  on 
horseback,  and  placing  one  of  the  men  behind  to  hold  him,  safely  conveyed  him 
to  Bryant's  station,  where  they  arrived  on  the  succeeding  day.  Col.  Irvine  suf- 
fered severely  from  his  wounds,  and  did  not  fully  recover  his  health  for  several 
years.  The  bullet  and  shot  were  never  extracted,  and  he  carried  them  with  him 
to  his  grave.     He  died  in  1820,  thirty-eight  years  after  receiving  his  wound. 

Colonel  Irvine  was  a  man  of  estimable  character  and  high  standing.  When 
Madison  county  was  established,  he  was  appointed  clerk  of  the  quarter  session 
and  county  courts,  and  after  the  quarter  session  court  was  abolished,  was  made 
clerk  of  the  circuit  court.  These  offices  (clerk  of  the  county  and  circuit  courts) 
he  held  until  his  death.  While  clerk  of  the  former  courts,  and  before  the  sepa- 
ration of  Kentucky,  he  was  elected  to  the  legislature  of  Virginia — was  a  mem- 
ber of  several  conventions  held  at  Danville,  preparatory  to  the  introduction  of 
Kentucky  into  the  Union,  and  was  a  member  from  Madison,  of  the  convention 
which  formed  the  present  constitution  of  Kentucky.  He  was  repeatedly  elected 
an  elector  of  president  and  vice-president  of  the  United  States.  No  man  had  a 
stronger  hold  upon  the  affections  of  the  people,  and  but  few  have  gone  to  the 
grave  more  generally  lamented. 

Col.  John  Speed  Smith,  is  a  citizen  of  Madison  county,  and  has  been  long 
noted  as  one  of  the  most  prominent  politicians  in  the  State.  He  is  a  man  of  de- 
cided talents,  and  exercises  great  influence  over  those  with  whom  in  public  life 
he  is  associated.  He  has  repeatedly  served  in  the  legislature  of  Kentucky,  and 
presided  over  that  body  as  speaker.  During  Monroe's  administration  he  was  for 
two  years  a  member  of  Congress.  During  J.  Q.  Adams'  administration  he  was 
appointed  by  the  president,  secretary  of  legation  to  the  United  States'  mission 
sent  to  the  South  American  Congress,  which  was  to  assemble  at  Tacubaya.  Gen. 
Jackson  when  president,  appointed  liim  district  attorney  for  the  United  States  for 
the  district  of  Kentucky.  In  the  winter  of  1839,  he  was  appointed  by  the  legis- 
lature of  Kentucky  in  cdnjunction  with  the  Honorable  James  T.  Mnrehead,  a  com- 
missioner to  the  state  of  Ohio  to  obtain  the  passage  of  a  law  for  the  protection  of 
the  slave  property  of  Kentucky.  The  mission  was  entirely  successful.  Colonel 
Smith  is  now  living  in  Madison,  which  he  represents  in  tiie  senate.  In  the  cam- 
paign of  1813  he  served  as  aid-de-camp  to  General  Harrison,  and  proved  himself 
a  brave,  vigilant  and  efficient  officer. 

Jamks  Madison,  the  fourth  president  of  the  United  States,  in  honor  of  whom 
this  county  received  its  name,  was  born  in  Port  Royal,  a  town  on  the  south  side 
of  the  Rappahannock,  in  Virginia,  on  the  5th  of  March,  1751.     The  house  of  his 


MARION   COUNTY.  425 

parents,  however,  was  in  Orange  county,  where  he  always  resiiled.  Mr.  Madi- 
son received  the  very  best  education  the  country  afforded,  having  graduated  at 
Princeton  college,  during  the  presidency  of  the  celebrated  Dr.  Witherspoon. 
Upon  leaving  college,  he  studied  law,  not,  however,  with  a  view  of  making  it  a 
profession.  In  1776  he  was  elected  to  the  legislature  of  Virginia.  At  the  suc- 
ceeding county  election  he  was  not  returned,  but  when  the  legislature  assembled 
he  was  appointed  a  member  of  the  council  of  State,  which  place  he  held  until  he 
was  elected  to  Congress  in  1779.  Whilst  a  member  of  the  council  of  State,  he 
formed  an  intimate  friendship  with  Patrick  Henry  and  Thomas  Jefferson,  which 
was  never  afterwards  interrupted.  He  continued  in  Congress  from  1780  till  the 
expiration  of  the  allowed  term  computed  from  the  ratification  of  the  articles  of 
confederation  in  1781.  During  the  years  1780-81-82-83,  he  was  a  leading,  ac- 
tive and  influential  member  of  that  body,  and  filled  a  prominent  part  in  all  its 
deliberations.  In  the  years  1784-85-8(5,  he  was  elected  a  delegate  to  the 
State  legislature.  In  1786  he  was  a  member  of  the  convention  at  Annapo- 
lis, which  assembled  preliminary  to  the  convention  at  Philadelphia,  which 
formed  the  federal  constitution.  Of  the  latter  convention  he  was  also  a  member, 
and  assisted  to  frame  the  present  constitution  of  the  United  States.  He  continued 
a  member  of  the  old  Congress  by  re-appointment  until  its  expiration  in  1786.  On 
the  adoption  of  the  constitution,  he  was  elected  to  Congress  from  his  district,  and 
continued  a  member  from  1789  till  1797.  He  was  the  author  of  the  celebrated 
resolution  against  the  alien  and  sedition  laws  passed  by  the  Virginia  legislature 
in  1798.  When  Mr.  Jefferson  was  elected  president  in  1801,  he  appointed  Mr. 
Madison  secretary  of  state,  in  which  office  he  continued  during  the  eight  years 
of  Jefferson's  administration.  In  1809,  on  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Jefferson,  he 
was  elected  president,  and  administered  the  government  during  a  period  of  eight 
years.  At  about  sixty  years  of  age,  he  retired  from  public  life,  and  ever  after- 
wards resided  on  his  estate  in  Virginia,  except  about  two  months,  while  at  Rich- 
mond as  a  member  of  the  convention  in  1829,  which  sat  there  to  remould  the  con- 
stitution of  the  State.  His  farm,  his  books,  his  friends,  and  his  correspondence, 
were  the  sources  of  his  enjoyment  and  occupation  during  the  twenty  years  of  his 
retirement.  On  the  28th  of  June,  1836,  he  died,  as  serene,  philosophical  and 
calm  in  the  last  moments  of  his  existence  as  he  had  been  in  all  the  trying  occa- 
sions of  life.  When  they  received  intelligence  of  his  death,  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States  adopted  a  resolution  appointing  a  public  oration  to  commemorate 
his  life,  and  selected  the  Hon.  John  Q.  Adams  to  deliver  it. 


MARION     COUNTY. 

Marion  county  was  formed  in  1834,  and  named  after  General 
Francis  Marion,  a  distinguished  partizan  officer  of  the  revolution- 
ary war  It  is  situated  in  the  central  portion  of  the  state,  and 
lies  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Rolling  fork  of  Salt  river  : 
Bounded  on  the  north  by  Washington  ;  east  by  Boyle  and  Casey; 
south  by  Greene  ;  and  west  by  Larue.  The  face  of  the  country, 
in  the  greater  portion  of  Marion,  is  gently  undulating;  but  there 
are  several  chains  of  hills  or  "  knobs,"  as  they  are  called,  run- 
ning partially  or  entirely  through  the  county.  The  soil,  gener- 
ally, is  of  a  superior  quality  and  very  productive  ;  but  in  a  small 
portion  of  the  county  is  comparatively  poor.  Horses,  mules  and 
hogs  are  exported  in  large  quantities — and  tobacco  and  corn  are 
extensively  cultivated.  Iron  ore,  in  small  quantities,  is  found  in 
the  hills  of  the  county. 


426  FRANCIS   MARION. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  Marion,  194,117;  average  value 
per  acre,  $5.93  ;  total  value  of  taxable  property  in  the  county  in 
1846,  $2,650,401  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  1,648  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years 
old,  2,092.     Population  in  1840,  11,032. 

There  are  four  towns  in  Marion,  viz  :  Lebanon,  the  seat  of  jus- 
tice, Bradfordsville,  New  Market  and  Raywick.  Lebanon  is  a 
handsome  town,  about  sixty  miles  from  Frankfort — containing  a 
court-house,  three  churches,  (Roman  Catholic,  Methodist,  and 
Presbyterian,)  one  male  and  one  female  seminary,  six  physicians, 
eight  lawyers,  three  taverns,  fourteen  stores  and  groceries,  one 
steam  saw  mill,  fifteen  mechanics'  shops,  and  about  750  inhabi- 
tants :  Incorporated  in  1815,  and  took  its  name  from  the  surround- 
ing growth  of  cedars.  Bradfo?'dsville  is  a  small  village,  nine 
miles  south  of  Lebanon,  containing  two  churches,  (Methodist  and 
Christian,)  one  tavern,  and  120  inhabitants  :  Named  after  Peter 
Bradford.  Nciv  Market  lies  six  miles  south  of  Lebanon,  on  the 
Rolling  fork — contains  a  Presbyterian  church,  tavern,  store  and 
post-office,  with  about  50  inhabitants.  Raywick  is  also  situated 
on  the  Rolling  fork,  twelve  miles  west  of  Lebanon — containing  80 
inhabitants,  a  Catholic  church,  post-office,  &c.  Named  for  Messrs. 
Rai/  and  Wick-\iffe. 

St.  Mary's  College,  a  Roman  Catholic  institution,  is  situated  five  miles  from 
Lebanon,  in  this  county.  The  college  buildings  are  extensive  and  handsome, 
and  the  domain  embraces  about  seven  hundred  acres  of  first  rate  land.  W.  S. 
MuRPHV,  president,  assisted  by  eight  instructors.  Number  of  students  about 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five.  Library  contains  5,000  volumes.  Commencement 
on  the  last  week  in  July. 

General  Francis  Marion,  one  of  the  most  celebrated  partizan  officers  of  the 
revolution,  was  born  near  Georgetown,  in  South  Carolina,  in  1732.  In  early  life 
he  engaged  in  sea-faring,  but  from  the  solicitations  of  his  mother,  was  soon 
induced  to  abandon  it.  He  then  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  In  the  year 
1775,  he  was  elected  to  the  provincial  Congress  of  South  Carolina.  In  the  same 
year  he  was  made  captain  in  the  second  regiment  of  troops  raised  by  South  Car- 
olina on  the  breaking  out  of  the  war.  He  bore  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  engage- 
ment which  ensued  in  the  attack  made  on  Sullivan's  Island,  by  the  British.  He 
had  been  previously  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major,  and  for  his  conduct  in  this 
affair  was  made  a  lieutenant  colonel.  Upon  the  arrival  of  Count  D'Estaing, 
Marion,  with  the  second  regiment,  joined  General  Lincoln  before  Savannah.  The 
united  French  and  American  forces,  after  a  siege  of  three  weeks,  assaulted  the' 
works,  and  suffered  a  repulse  with  an  immense  loss.  The  fatal  battle  of  Cam- 
den left  South  Carolina  in  the  possession  of  the  British,  with  Marion,  Horry, 
and  only  thirty  men  to  oppose  their  victorious  and  disciplined  hosts.  On  hearing 
the  result  of  the  battle  of  Camden,  Marion  collected  his  little  band  of  patriots 
around  him,  and  having  addressed  them,  they  took  an  oath  never  to  serve  a 
tyrant,  or  be  the  slaves  of  Great  Britain,  and  to  fight  to  the  last  for  liberty. 

From  this  time  until  the  close  of  the  war  in  South  Carolina,  he  continued 
actively  engaged,  with  variable  success  against  the  British.  In  this  dangerous 
and  exciting  service,  he  proved  himself  one  of  the  most  efficient  partizan  officers 
of  whom  history  gives  any  account.  His  little  party  continually  received  acces- 
sions from  the  resolute  and  decided  whigs,  and  in  1780  he  was  made  a  brigadier 
general,  and  was  invested  with  the  command  of  the  military  district  extending 
from  Charleston  to  Camden,  and  along  the  coast  eastward  to  Georgetown.  He 
commanded  the  front  line  of  General  Greene's  army  in  the  successful  and  deci- 
sive battle  of  the  Eutaw.     In  this  battle  his  marksmen  did  great  execution,  and 


MARSHALL   COUNTY.  427 

behaved  with  their  accustomed  gallantry.  General  Marion's  services  in  this 
action  received  the  particular  acknowledgments  of  Congress.  In  1782  he  was 
elected  to  the  senate  of  the  State;  but  in  February  of  the  same  year  he  rejoined 
his  regiment.  He  served  in  the  convention  which  framed  the  constitution  of  the 
State,  in  1790,  after  which  he  declined  ail  public  service.  He  died  on  the  27th 
February,  1795.  In  person  he  was  below  the  middle  size,  thin  and  swarthy.  His 
nose  was  aquiline,  his  chin  projecting,  his  forehead  was  high,  and  eyes  dark  and 
piercing. 


MARSHALL    COUNTY. 

Marshall  county  was  formed  in  1841,  and  named  in  honor  of 
John  Marshall,  chief  justice  of  the  United  States.  It  is  situated 
in  the  western  part  of  the  State,  lying  on  the  Tennessee  river, 
which  skirts  it  on  the  north  and  east — bounded  on  the  north  by 
Livingston,  east  by  Caldwell,  south  by  Calloway,  and  west  by 
Graves  and  M'Cracken.  Indian  corn  and  tobacco  are  the  staple 
products. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  Marshall,  162,193  ;  average  value 
per  acre,  $1.62  ;  total  value  of  taxable  property  in  the  county  in 
1846,  $405,107 ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  827 ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  seventeen  years 
old,  1,326. 

Benton,  the  seat  of  justice  and  only  town  in  the  county,  con- 
tains three  stores,  one  grocery,  one  tavern,  one  lawyer,  one  doc- 
tor, one  tan-yard,  and  a  blacksmiths'  shop — population  not  given. 
Named  after  the  Hon.  Thomas  H.  Benton. 

John  Marshall,  chief  justice  of  the  United  States,  was  born  in  Virginia,  on 
the  24th  of  September,  1755;  and  as  early  as  the  summer  of  1775,  received  a 
commission  as  lieutenant  of  a  company  of  minute  men,  and  was  shortly  after- 
wards engaged  in  the  battle  of  Great  Bridge,  when  the  British  troops  under  Lord 
Dunmore  were  repulsed  with  great  gallantry.  He  was  subsequently  engaged  in 
the  memorable  battles  of  Brandy  wine,  Germantown,  and  Monmouth,  and  in  1780 
obtained  a  license  to  practice  law.  He  returned  to  the  army  shortly  after,  and 
continued  in  the  service  until  the  termination  of  Arnold's  invasion. 

In  the  spring  of  1782,  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  State  legislature,  and 
tn  the  autumn  of  the  same  year  a  member  of  the  executive  council.  He  married 
in  1783.  In  1788  he  was  elected  to  represent  the  city  of  Richmond  in  the  legis- 
lature, and  continued  to  occupy  that  station  during  the  years  1789,  1790,  1791, 
and  upon  the  recall  of  Mr.  Monroe  as  minister  to  France,  President  Washington 
solicited  Mr.  Marshall  to  accept  the  appointment  as  his  successor,  but  he  respect- 
fully declined.  In  1799  he  was  elected  and  took  his  seat  in  Congress,  and  in 
1800  was  appointed  secretary  of  war. 

On  the  3lst  of  January,  1801,  he  became  chief  justice  of  the  supreme  court  of 
the  United  States,  which  distinguished  station  he  continued  to  fill  with  unsullied 
dignity  and  pre-eminent  ability  until  the  close  of  his  mortal  career.  He  died  at 
Philadelphia  on  the  6th  of  July,  1837. 


428  MASON  COUNTY. 


MASON    COUNTY. 

Mason  county  was  established  in  1789,  being  formed  out  of  all 
that  part  of  the  then  county  of  Bourbon  which  lay  to  the  north- 
east of  Licking  river,  and  was  bounded  by  the  main  stream  of 
Licking,  from  its  mouth  to  its  source  ;  thence,  by  a  direct  line  to 
the  nearest  point  on  the  State  line  of  Virginia,  and  county  line 
of  Russell ;  thence,  along  said  line,  to  Big  Sandy  river,  down 
that  river  to  the  Ohio,  and  down  the  Ohio  to  the  mouth  of  Lick- 
ing :  comprehending  all  the  present  counties  of  Bracken,  Camp- 
bell, Carter,  Fleming,  Greenup,  Johnson,  Lawrence,  and  Lewis, 
and  parts  of  Floyd,  Morgan,  Nicholas,  Pendleton,  and  Pike. 

It  was  named  in  honor  of  George  Mason,  a  distinguished  states- 
man of  Virginia,  whom  Mr.  Jefferson  described  as  a  man  "  of  the 
first  order  of  wisdom  among  those  who  acted  on  the  theatre  of 
the  revolution ;  of  expansive  mind,  profound  judgment,  cogent 
in  argument,  learned  in  the  lore  of  our  former  constitution,  and 
earnest  for  the  republican  change  on  democratic  principles.  His 
eloquence  was  neither  flowing  nor  smooth,  but  his  language  was 
strong,  his  manner  most  impressive,  and  strengthened  by  a  dash 
of  biting  sarcasm,  when  provocation  made  it  seasonable."  Mr. 
Mason  was  the  framer  of  the  constitution  of  Virginia,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  convention  which  formed  the  federal  constitution,  al- 
though he  did  not  sign  that  instrument.  He  opposed  it  in  the 
Virginia  convention,  believing  that  its  tendency  would  be  to  mon- 
archy. He  also  opposed  the  slave  trade  with  great  zeal.  He 
died  at  his  country  seat,  Gunston  Hall,  on  the  Potomac,  in  the 
autumn  of  1792,  aged  sixty-seven  years. 

The  present  county  of  Mason  lies  in  the  northern  section  of 
the  State,  and  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Ohio  river,  east  by 
the  counties  of  Lewis  and  Fleming,  south  by  Fleming  and  Nicho- 
las, and  west  by  Bracken.  Bordering  the  Ohio  river  with  a  bold 
range  of  hills,  it  runs  back  into  the  interior,  maintaining,  gener- 
ally, the  same  high  and  healthy  elevation,  and  presenting  a  sur- 
face usually  uneven — sometimes  abrupt  and  broken — most  fre- 
quently gently  undulating — but  always  a  varied  and  beautiful 
landscape.  It  is  intersected  by  the  north  fork  of  Licking  river ; 
by  Lawrence,  Lee's,  Limestone,  Beasley's  and  Cabin  creeks  ;  and 
is  otherwise  abundantly  watered  by  smaller  streams  and  springs. 
The  soil  rests  upon  limestone,  and  is  deep,  rich,  and  highly  pro- 
ductive, except  in  the  north-eastern  and  south-western  angles  of 
the  county.  The  staple  productions  are  Indian  corn,  hemp,  and 
tobacco  ; — wheat,  barley,  rye,  horses,  hogs,  beef  cattle  and  sheep 
being  produced  also  in  considerable  quantities.  Its  agriculture  is 
good,  and  steadily  improving ;  it  is  probably  the  most  extensive 
hemp  growing  county  in  the  state  ;  and  "  Mason  county  tobacco  " 
is  famous  for  its  excellence,  in  the  markets  of  Europe.  The 
county  is  small  in  extent  and  compact  in  shape,  skirting  about 
seventeen  miles  on  the  Ohio,  and  running  back  about  the  same 


MASON   COUNTY.  429 

distance;  it  measures  236  square  miles,  and  contains  151,017 
acres,  averaging,  according  to  the  commissioner's  returns  for  the 
year  1846,  $22.78  per  acre,  and  giving  an  aggregate  value  of 
$3,439,960.  In  that  year,  its  taxable  wealth  amounted  to  $6,- 
968,326 ;  the  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  old 
to  2,875 ;  and  the  number  of  white  children,  between  five  and 
sixteen  years  old,  to  2,967.  In  1840,  its  entire  population  was 
15,719. 

The  towns  of  Mason  are  Washington,  Mayslick,  Minerva,  Do- 
ver, Germantown,  Lewisburg,  Orangeburg,  Helena,  Murphysville, 
Mount  Gilead,  Sardis,  and  the  city  of  Maysville. 

In  the  spring  of  1775,  Simon  Kenton  passed  down  the  Ohio 
river,  and  landed  at  the  mouth  of  a  small  creek  called,  after- 
wards, Limestone,  and  which  runs  through  the  present  city  of 
Maysville.  The  morning  after,  he  shouldered  his  rifle  and  went 
back  into  the  hills  to  look  for  game.  After  traveling  two  or  three 
miles,  to  his  great  joy  he  found  abundance  of  cane  growing  upon 
the  richest  land  he  had  ever  seen.  Finding  a  spring  of  good  wa- 
ter, he  and  his  companion,  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Thomas 
Williams,  made  themselves  a  comfortable  camp,  and,  with  their 
tomahawks,  cleared  a  small  piece  of  ground.  Their  clearing  was 
finished  in  May,  and  from  the  remains  of  some  corn  which  they 
had  got  from  a  French  trader,  for  the  purpose  of  parching,  they 
obtained  seed,  and  planted,  perhaps,  the  first  corn  ever  planted 
in  that  country,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Kentucky  river.  Here, 
tending  their  corn  with  their  tomahawks,  they  remained  the  un- 
disputed masters  of  all  they  could  see,  till  they  had  the  pleasure 
of  eating  roasting  ears,  and  of  seeing  their  corn  come  to  perfec- 
tion. This  place,  which  was  called  Kenton's  station,  is  about 
one  mile  from  where  the  town  of  Washington  stands,  and  is  now 
owned  and  cultivated  by  Mr.  Thomas  Forman. 

In  1784,  after  an  absence  of  several  years,  Kenton  returned; 
and  from  this  period  may  be  dated  the  real  commencement  of 
the  village. 

Washington  is  the  present  county  seat,  and  was  established  as  a 
town  in  1786  by  the  Virginia  legislature,  but  was  laid  out  the  year 
previous,  by  William  Wood,  a  Baptist  preacher,  and  Arthur  Fox, 
Sr.  It  seems  to  have  improved  very  rapidly  after  its  establish- 
ment, for  Judge  Goforth,  the  first  justice  of  the  peace  for  the 
county  of  Hamilton,  Ohio,  states  in  his  journal  under  date  8th 
of  January  1790,  as  published  in  the  first  volume  of  Cist's  Mis- 
cellany, page  173,  that  Washington  at  that  date  had  119  houses. 
In  the  years  1797-8,  the  "Kentucky  Palladium,"  one  of  the  earliest 
papers  in  the  State,  was  published  in  Washington  by  Hunter  & 
Beaumont,  who  afterwards  removed  to  Frankfort.  For  many 
years  Washington  was  the  principal  place  of  trade  for  a  very 
large  scope  of  country  around,  comprehending  many  of  the  pres- 
ent northern  counties,  and  at  one  time  it  contained  fifteen  or 
twenty  flourishing  mercantile  houses ;  but  within  the  last  thirty 
years  it  has  greatly  declined,  owing  principally  to  its  proximity 


430  MASON   COUNTY. 

to  the  city  of  Maysville,  which  has,  during  that  time,  sprung  into 
considerable  importance  as  the  commercial  agency  of  this  sec-  > 
tion  of  the  State.  Washington  is  beautifully  situated  in  the  '' 
heart  of  a  rich  and  highly  cultivated  country,  three  and  a  half 
miles  from  Maysville,  and  contains  a  court-house  and  public  offi- 
ces, three  churches,  (Baptist,  Methodist  and  Presbyterian,)  four 
retail  di'y  goods  stores,  four  grocery  stores,  two  taverns,  three  rope 
walks,  one  of  which  is  in  operation,  ten  mechanics'  shops  and  a 
post-office.  There  are  five  lawj^ers  and  four  physicians  living  in 
the  place,  and  a  population  of  between  six   and  seven  hundred. 

Mayslick,  situated  twelve  miles  from  Maysville,  on  the  Lexing- 
ton turnpike  road,  in  a  fine  section  of  the  county,  was  named 
after  Mr.  May,  of  Virginia,  the  former  proprietor  of  the  soil,  and 
a  famous  lick  near  the  place  ;  and  contains  two  churches  (Baptist 
and  Christian),  four  stores,  one  tavern,  a  rope-walk  and  seven 
mechanics'  shops.  There  are  four  physicians  resident  in  the  vil- 
lage, and  a  population  of  about  400. 

The  village  of  Minerva  lies  in  the  lower  part  of  the  county, 
about  ten  miles  west  of  Maysville,  in  the  centre  of  the  tobacco 
region  ;  and  contains  two  churches  (Baptist  and  Methodist),  one 
tavern,  two  dry  goods  stores,  six  mechanics'  shops,  and  four 
physicians.  Dover,  four  miles  from  Minerva  and  ten  or  twelve 
from  Maysville,  is  situated  on  the  Ohio  river,  and  is  a  thriving 
village,  with  two  churches  (Methodist  and  Christian),  two  taverns, 
six  stores  and  groceries,  three  large  tobacco  warehouses,  a  large 
brick  Hour-mill,  one  steam  saw-mill,  and  ten  mechanics'  shops. 
It  has  three  resident  physicians  and  a  population  of  five  or  six 
hundred.  This  is  a  place  of  considerable  business,  being  the 
point  whence  much  of  the  tobacco  raised  in  the  counties  of  Ma- 
son and  Bracken  is  shipped.  Germantown,  seven  or  eight  miles 
south  of  Dover,  lies  partly  in  Mason  and  partly  in  Bracken  county, 
the  smaller  portion  lying  in  Mason.  It  has  two  churches,  two 
taverns,  five  stores,  several  mechanics'  shops,  three  physicians, 
and  a  population  of  two  or  three  hundred.  Orangeburg  is  eight 
miles  from  Maysville,  Lewisburg  seven  miles,  (on  the  Flemings- 
burg  turnpike  road,)  Mount  Gilcad  eleven  or  twelve  miles,  and  all 
in  the  eastern  section  of  the  county ;  Helena  is  about  eleven  miles 
south-east  from  Maysville  ;  Murphysvillc  about  nine  miles  south, 
and  Sarclis  fourteen  miles  south  from  Maysville.  They  are  all 
small  country  villages,  with  one  or  two  stores  each,  a  church,  a 
few  mechanics,  a  physician,  and  a  population  varying  from  fifty 
to  one  hundred. 

Maysville,  known  for  many  years  as  Limestone,  from  the  creek 
of  that  name  which  empties  in  the  Ohio  at  that  place,  is  situated 
on  the  Ohio  river,  sixty  miles  above  Cincinnati,  and  was  named 
after  John  May,  the  owner  of  the  land,  and  an  intelligent  and 
highly  respectable  gentleman  from  Virginia.  In  1784  the  first 
settlement  at  this  place  was  made,  and  a  double  log  cabin  and 
block  house  built  by  Edward  Waller,  John  Waller  and  George 
Lewis,  of  Virginia.     Colonel  Daniel  Boone  resided  there  in  the 


CITY  HALL  OF  MAYSVILLE. 


431 


year  1786.  During  his  residence  there,  a  party  of  seventy-five 
Indians  came  to  the  mouth  of  Fishing  Gut,  on  the  Ohio  river,  op- 
posite Maysville,  to  treat  for  the  exchange  of  prisoners.  Colonel 
Boone,  Jacob  Boone,  Colonel  Sharpe  and  Colonel  Logan  went 
over  to  meet  them.  The  wife  of  Colonel  Sharpe  was  one  of  the 
prisoners  released.  Colonel  Boone  killed  a  fat  beef,  and  the  In- 
dians had  a  feast  and  a  dance.  They  were  under  the  chief  Blue 
Jacket,  of  the  Shawanee  tribe,  and  were  so  delighted  with  Col. 
Boone  and  the  entertainment  he  gave  them,  that  they  made  a 
solemn  pledge  to  him  that  if  ever  they  met  with  a  citizen  of 
Maysville  in  suffering  or  captivity,  they  would  do  all  in  their 
power  to  relieve  him.  This  pledge  they  religiously  kept.  Samuel 
Blackburn,  of  Maysville,  vv^as  afterwards  taken  prisoner ,  the  In- 
dians having  ascertained  that  he  was  from  Maysville,  treated  him 
with  every  mark  of  attention,  released  him  from  captivity  and 
restored  him  to  his  friends. 

In  1788  the  town  was  established.  In  1790  the  first  school  was 
opened  in  Maysville  by  Israel  Donaldson,  who  had  been  held  in 
captivity  for  a  long  time  by  the  Indians.     It  was  the  principal 


CITY    HALL,    MAVSVILLE,    KY. 


432  MASON    COUNTY. 

point  where  the  immigrants  to  Kentucky  landed,  and  through 
which  the  merchandize  and  supplies  for  the  interior  passed. 
There  also,  as  well  as  at  Logan's  Gap,  four  miles  below,  the  pre- 
datory bands  of  the  warlike  Indians  of  the  north-west  frequently 
crossed  the  Ohio  in  their  hostile  incursions  into  the  white  settle- 
ments of  the  interior.  Its  frontier  and  exposed  position  retarded 
its  progress  for  many  years,  and  kept  it  in  the  rear  of  towns  alto- 
gether inferior  to  it  in  natural  commercial  advantages ;  and  it  was 
not  until  about  the  year  1815  that  its  steady  and  permanent  im- 
provement may  be  said  to  have  fairly  commenced. 

Maysville  was  incorporated  as  a  city  in  1833,  is  well  and  com- 
pactly built,  contains  a  handsome  and  imposing  public  edifice 
called  the  City  Hall,  five  churches  (Presbyterian,  Baptist,  Christian, 
Methodist  Episcopal  south,  and  Catholic),  and  one  building  in 
progress  for  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church;  two  seminaries,  one 
(that  of  Rand  &  Richeson),  very  large,  well  established  and  flour- 
ishing ;  two  public  free  schools,  seven  private  schools,  six  taverns, 
one  large  new  and  substantial  stone  jail,  one  hospital  and  alms 
house,  one  bank  with  a  capital  of  $450,000,  two  printing  offices, 
each  publishing  weekly  and  tri-weekly  papers,  the  "Maysville 
Eagle"  the  fourth  oldest  paper  in  the  state,  and  the  "Maysville  Her- 
ald" recentty  established,  two  steam  cotton  factories,  one  large 
power  loom  bagging  factory  with  an  actual  capital  paid  in  of 
$80,000,  one  wool  carding  factory,  two  founderies,  five  rope-walks, 
two  steam  saw-mills,  one  large  steam  flour-mill,  one  tallow  and 
candle  factory,  twelve  plow  factories,  three  wagon  factories, 
two  coach  manufactories,  two  stone  cutting  establishments,  five 
tin-ware  manufactories,  three  tobacco  manufactories  and  ware- 
houses, one  saddle-tree  manufactory,  one  large  tannery,  four  sad- 
dle, harness  and  trunk  manufactories,  three  wooden  ware  manu- 
factories, twelve  storage  and  commission  ware  houses,  fourteen 
wholesale  groceries,  thirty  retail  groceries,  three  wholesale  dry 
goods  stores,  twenty-three  retail  dry  goods  stores,  two  wholesale 
and  retail  hard- ware  houses,  one  wholesale  and  retail  China,  glass 
and  queensware  store,  one  cotton  store,  five  stove  and  hollow- 
ware  stores,  two  iron  stores,  three  drug  stores,  three  shoe  stores, 
two  book  stores,  two  hat  stores,  three  pork  houses,  four  lumber 
yards,  twelve  lawyers,  eleven  physicians,  three  resident  dentists, 
one  Daguerrean  artist,  three  principal  cabinet  makers,  three  jew- 
elers, one  gunsmith,  ten  blacksmith  shops,  fourteen  carpenters' 
shops,  five  principal  stonemasons,  five  principal  bricklayers,  two 
mattress  makers,  eight  shoe  shops,  one  hatters'  shop,  fifteen  prin- 
cipal milliners  and  mantua  makers,  ten  principal  tailors,  five 
bakeries  and  confectionaries,  eight  painters,  glaziers  and  paper 
hangers,  five  coopers'  shops,  and  five  livery  stables. 

The  progress  of  Maysville  has  been  slow  but  steady.  The 
capital  she  now  wields,  which  is  very  considerable,  has  been 
gradually  realized  and  accumulated  within  the  city,  by  her  own 
citizens,  by  a  long  course  of  persevering  and  enterprising  indus- 
try.    Within  the  last  six  years  her  improvement  has  been  much 


^  ^fyji'ip'i';i^""!ilf!. 


EARL^  SETTLEMENT.  433 

more  rapid  than  for  years  back.  Twenty  years  ago  her  whole 
grocery  business  did  not  equal  the  half  of  what  is  singly  done  by 
several  of  the  larger  houses,  and  within  the  last  two  years  that 
branch  has  more  than  doubled,  so  that  during  the  present  year 
(1847)  more  than  half  a  million  will  be  realized  for  groceries. 
The  sales  of  hardware,  which  in  1838  amounted  to  not  more 
than  $15,000,  will  this  year  reach  $75,000.  A  few  years  since, 
there  was  but  a  single  tinware  manufactory  and  stove  ware- 
house, now  there  are  jive  large  establishments,  doing  a  lucrative 
and  greatly  extended  business.  Maysville  is  the  largest  hemp 
market  in  the  United  States,  and  this  year  her  purchases  will 
amount  to  6,500  tons.  She  is  the  point  of  reception,  storage 
and  transhipment  of  all  the  merchandise  and  produce  imported 
and  exported  by  the  north-eastern  section  of  Kentucky.  And 
although  the  slackwater  improvements  on  the  Kentucky  river 
had  the  effect  for  a  time  of  diverting  the  trade  of  some  of  the 
midland  counties,  yet  her  superior  position  and  facilities,  united 
to  the  energy  of  her  citizens,  are  compelling  its  return.  As  a 
corporation,  she  has  expended  seventy  thousand  dollars  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  different  turnpike  roads  which  concentrate  upon 
her  as  a  terminus,  in  addition  to  the  individual  subscriptions  of 
her  citizens.  Jn  the  midst  of  one  of  the  most  extended,  imposing 
and  attractive  landscapes  of  the  '  beautiful  river,'  surrounded  by 
a  fertile  and  highly  cultivated  country  directly  dependant  upon 
and  tributary  to  her,  herself  the  commercial  agent  for  north-eas- 
tern Kentucky,  with  great  manufacturing  advantages  from  her 
proximity  to  many  of  the  most  important  of  the  raw  materials, 
and  from  her  facilities  of  transportation,  Maysville,  with  a  labori- 
ous, substantial,  energetic  and  enterprising  population  of  near 
5,000,  must  continue,  with  an  increasing  progression,  to  advance 
in  prosperity,  population  and  wealth. 

The  early  settlement  of  Mason  county  was,  like  that  of  many  other  sections  of 
the  state,  attended  with  great  hardship,  danger  and  suffering ;  and  being  a  border 
county,  and  one  through  which  the  daring  and  bloody  incursions  of  the  Indians  of 
the  north  were  made,  the  adventurous  pioneers  who  settled  it  were  necessarily 
exposed  to  constant  and  peculiar  hazards.  And  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  so  few 
authentic  accounts  of  the  romantic  and  thrilling  adventures  of  those  hardy  heroes 
of  the  west  have  been  preserved  to  us  by  legend  or  tradition. 

As  early  as  1785,  many  families  came  down  the  Ohio  river  in  boats,  landed  at 
Maysville,  and  continued  their  route  to  such  parts  of  the  country  as  pleased  them. 
Among  them,  Colonel  Thomas  Marshall,  formerly  commander  of  the  third  Vir- 
ginia regiment  on  continental  establisliment,  subsequently  colonel  of  the  regiment 
of  Virginia  artillery,  embarked  with  a  numerous  family  on  board  a  flat  boat,  and 
descended  the  Ohio  without  any  incident  of  note  until  he  passed  the  mouth  of 
the  Kenawha.  Here  about  ten  o'clock  at  night,  he  was  hailed  from  the  northern 
shore  by  a  man  who  announced  himself  as  James  Girty,  the  brother  of  the  noto- 
rious Simon  Girty.  The  boat  dropped  slowly  down  within  one  hundred  and  fifty 
yards  of  the  shore,  and  Girty  making  a  corresponding  movement  on  the  beach, 
the  conference  was  kept  up  for  several  minutes.  He  began  by  mentioning  his 
name,  and  enquiring  that  of  the  master  of  the  boat. 

Having  been  satisfied  upon  this  head,  he  assured  him  that  he  knew  him  well, 

respected   him   highly,  &c.,  &c.,  and   concluded  with  some  rather  extraordinary 

remarks:    "He  had   been  posted  there,"  he  said,  "by  the  order  of  his  brother 

Simon,  to  warn  all  boats  of  the  danger  of  permitting  themselves  to  be  decoyed 

28 


434  MASON    COUNTY. 

ashore.  The  Indians  had  become  jealous  of  him,  and  he  had  lost  that  influence 
which  he  formerly  held  amongst  them.  He  deeply  regretted  the  injury  which  he 
had  inflicted  upon  his  countrymen,  and  wished  to  be  restored  to  their  society.  In 
order  to  convince  them  of  tlie  sincerity  of  his  regard,  he  had  directed  him  to  warn 
all  boats  of  the  snares  spread  for  them.  Every  effort  would  be  made  to  draw 
passengers  ashore.  White  men  would  appear  upon  the  bank  ;  and  children  would 
be  heard  to  supplicate  for  mercy.  But,"  continued  he,  "do  you  keep  the  middle 
of  the  river,  and  steel  your  heart  against  every  mournful  application  you  may 
receive."  The  colonel  thanked  him  for  his  intelligence,  and  continued  his  course. 
He  arrived  safely  at  Maysville,  and  settled  in  that  part  of  the  then  county  of 
Fayette  which  afterwards  became  the  county  of  Mason.  Colonel  Marshall  was 
a  gentleman  of  high  standing  in  Virginia.  He  had  been  a  member  of  the  gen- 
eral assembly  in  1774,  and  was  one  of  the  band  of  patriots,  who  with  Washing- 
ton and  Henry,  resolved  to  resist  the  assumptions  of  the  British  government  at 
the  hazard  of  ail  that  was  dear  to  men.  He  attached  himself  in  1775  to  the  army, 
and  in  the  capacity  of  major  was  conspicuous  for  his  gallantry  in  the  battle  of 
the  Great  Bridge  on  the  9th  of  December,  1775.  He  also  distinguished  himself 
as  colonel  in  the  battles  of  Brandywine  and  Germantown. 

About  the  same  time.  Captain  James  W^ard,  lately  a  highly  respectable  citi- 
zen of  Mason  county,  Kentucky,  was  descending  the  Ohio,  under  circumstances 
which  rendered  a  rencounter  with  the  Indians  peculiarly  to  be  dreaded.  He,  to- 
gether with  half  a  dozen  others,  one  of  them  his  nephew,  embarked  in  a  crazy 
boat,  about  forty-five  feet  long  and  eight  feet  wide,  with  no  other  bulwark  than  a 
single  pine  plank,  above  each  gunnel.  The  boat  was  much  encumbered  with 
baggage,  and  seven  horses  were  on  board.  Having  seen  no  enemy  for  several 
days,  they  had  become  secure  and  careless,  and  permitted  the  boat  to  drift  within 
fifty  yards  of  the  Ohio  shore.  Suddenly,  several  hundred  Indians  showed  them- 
selves on  the  bank,  and  running  down  boldly  to  the  water's  edge,  opened  a  heavy 
fire  upon  the  boat.     The  astonishment  of  the  crew  may  be  conceived. 

Captain  Ward  and  his  nephew  were  at  the  oars  when  the  enemy  appeared,  and 
the  captain  knowing  that  their  safety  depended  on  their  ability  to  regain  the  mid- 
dle of  the  river,  kept  his  seat  firmly,  and  exerted  his  utmost  powers  at  the  oar, 
but  his  nephew  started  up  at  sight  of  the  enemy,  seized  his  rifle,  and  was  in  the 
act  of  leveling  it,  when  he  received  a  ball  in  the  breast,  and  fell  dead  in  the  bot- 
tom of  the  boat.  Unfortunately,  his  oar  tell  into  the  river,  and  the  captain,  hav- 
ing no  one  to  pull  against  him,  rather  urged  the  boat  nearer  to  the  hostile  shore 
than  otherwise.  He  seized  a  plank,  however,  and  giving  his  own  oar  to  another 
of  the  crew,  he  took  the  station  which  his  nephew  had  held,  and  unhurt  by  the 
shower  of  bullets  that  flew  around  him,  continued  to  exert  himself,  until  the  boat 
had  reached  a  more  respectable  distance.  He  then,  for  the  first  time,  looked 
around  him  in  order  to  observe  the  condition  of  the  crew. 

His  nephew  lay  in  his  blood,  perfectly  lifeless;  the  horses  had  been  all  killed 
or  mortally  wounded.  iSome  had  fallen  overboard  ;  others  were  struggling  vio- 
lently, and  causing  their  frail  bark  to  dip  water  so  abundantly,  as  to  excite  the 
most  serious  apprehensions.  But  the  crew  presented  the  most  singular  spec- 
tacle. A  captain,  who  had  served  with  reputation  in  the  continental  army, 
seemed  now  totally  bereft  of  his  faculties.  He  lay  upon  his  back  in  the  bottom 
of  the  boat,  with  hands  uplifted  and  a  countenance  in  which  terror  was  personi- 
fied, exclaiming  in  a  tone  of  despair,  "  Oh  Lord  !  Oh  Lord  !  "  A  Dutchman, 
whose  weight  might  amount  to  about  three  hundred  pounds,  was  anxiously  en- 
gaged in  endeavoring  to  find  shelter  for  his  bulky  person,  which,  from  the  low- 
ness  of  the  gunnels,  was  a  very  difficult  undertaking.  In  spite  of  his  utmost 
eflforts,  a  portion  of  his  posterial  luxuriance  appeared  above  the  gunnel,  and  af- 
forded a  mark  to  the  enemy,  which  brougiit  a  constant  shower  of  balls  around  it. 

In  vain  he  shifted  his  position.  The  hump  still  appeared,  and  the  balls  still 
flew  around  it,  until  the  Dutchman,  losing  all  patience,  raised  his  head  above 
the  gunnel,  and  in  a  tone  of  querulous  remonstrance,  called  out,  "  oh  now  !  quit 
tat  tamned  nonsense,  tere,  will  you  !  "  Not  a  shot  was  fired  from  the  boat.  At 
one  time,  after  they  had  partly  regained  the  current.  Captain  Ward  attempted  to 
bring  his  rifle  to  bear  upon  them,  but  so  violent  was  the  agitation  of  the  boat, 
from  the  furious  struggles  of  the  horses,  that  he  could  not  steady  his  piece  within 


CAPTURE  OF  MAY'S  BOAT.  435 

twenty  yards  of  the  enemy,  and  quickly  laying  it  aside,  returned  to  the  oar.  The 
Indians  followed  them  down  the  river  for  more  than  an  hour,  but  having  no  ca- 
noes, they  did  not  attempt  to  board ;  and  as  the  boat  was  at  length  transferred  to 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  they  at  length  abandoned  the  pursuit  and  disap- 
peared. None  of  the  crew,  save  the  young  man  already  mentioned,  were  hurt, 
although  the  Dutchman's  seat  of  honor  served  as  a  target  for  the  space  of  an  hour, 
and  the  continental  captain  was  deeply  mortified  at  the  sudden,  and,  as  he  said, 
♦'unaccountable"  panic  which  had  seized  him.  Captain  Ward  himself  was  pro- 
tected by  a  post,  which  had  been  fastened  to  the  gunnel,  and  behind  which  he  sat 
while  rowing. 

In  the  early  part  of  1790,  John  May,  from  whom  the  city  of  Maysville  derived 
its  name,  and  who  had  frequently  before  visited  Kentuclcy,  embarked  at  Kelly's 
station,  on  the  Kenawha  river,  for  Maysville,  in  company  with  his  clerk,  Mr. 
Charles  Johnston,  and  Mr.  Jacob  Skyles,  also  a  gentleman  of  Virginia,  who  had 
with  him  a  stock  of  dry  goods  for  Lexington.  They  arrived  without  accident  at 
Point  Pleasant,  where  they  were  joined  by  a  man  named  Flinn,  and  two  sisters 
named  Fleming,  natives  of  Pittsburg.  After  leaving  Point  Pleasant,  when  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Scioto,  they  were  awakened  at  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the 
20th  of  March,  by  Flinn,  whose  turn  it  was  to  watch,  and  informed  that  danger 
was  at  hand.  All  instantly  sprung  to  their  feet,  and  hastened  upon  deck  without 
removing  their  night  caps  or  completing  their  dress.  The  cause  of  Flinn's  alarm 
was  quickly  evident.  Far  down  the  river  a  smoke  was  seen,  ascending  in  thick 
wreaths  above  the  trees,  and  floating  in  thinner  masses  over  the  bed  of  the  river. 
All  instantly  perceived  that  it  could  only  proceed  from  a  large  fire  ;  and  who  was 
there  to  kindle  a  fire  in  the  wilderness  which  surrounded  them  1  No  one  doubted 
that  Indians  were  in  front,  and  the  only  question  to  be  decided  was,  upon  which 
shore  they  lay,  for  the  winding  of  the  river,  and  their  distance  from  the  smoke, 
rendered  it  impossible  at  first  to  ascertain  this  point.  As  the  boat  drifted  on, 
however,  it  became  evident  that  the  fire  was  upon  the  Ohio  shore,  and  it  was  in- 
stantly determined  to  put  over  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  Before  this 
could  be  done,  however,  two  white  men  ran  down  upon  the  beach,  and  clasping 
their  hands  in  the  most  earnest  manner,  implored  the  crew  to  take  them  on 
board. 

They  declared  that  they  had  been  taken  by  a  party  ot  indians  in  Kennedy's 
bottom,  a  few  days  before;  had  been  conducted  across  the  Ohio,  and  had  just  ef- 
fected their  escape.  They  added,  that  the  enemy  was  in  close  pursuit  of  them, 
and  that  their  death  was  certain,  unless  admitted  on  board.  Resolute  in  their 
purpose,  on  no  account  to  leave  the  middle  of  the  stream,  and  strongly  suspect- 
ing the  supplicants  of  treachery,  the  party  paid  no  attention  to  their  entreaties,  but 
steadily  pursued  their  course  down  the  river,  and  were  soon  considerably  ahead  of 
them.  The  two  white  men  ran  down  the  bank,  in  a  line  parallel  with  the  course  of 
the  boat,  and  their  entreaties  were  changed  into  the  most  piercing  cries  and  lamen- 
tations upon  perceiving  the  obstinacy  with  which  their  request  was  disregarded. 
Instantly  the  obduracy  of  the  crew  began  to  relax.  Flinn  and  the  two  females, 
accustomed  from  their  youth  to  undervalue  danger  from  the  Indians,  earnestly  in- 
sisted upon  going  ashore  and  relieving  the  white  men,  and  even  the  incredulity 
of  May  began  to  yield  to  the  persevering  importunity  of  the  supplicants.  A  par- 
ley took  place.  May  called  to  them  from  the  deck  of  the  boat,  where  he  stood 
in  his  nightcap  and  drawers,  and  demanded  the  cause  of  the  large  fire,  the  smoke 
of  which  had  caused  so  much  alarm.  The  white  men  positively  denied  that  there 
was  any  fire  near  them.  This  falsehood  was  so  palpable,  that  May's  former  sus- 
picions returned  with  additional  force,  and  he  positively  insisted  upon  continuing 
their  course  without  paying  the  slightest  attention  to  the  request  of  the  men. 
This  resolution  was  firmly  seconded  by  Johnston  and  Skyles,  and  as  vehemently 
opposed  by  Flinn  and  the  Miss  Flemings,  for,  contrary  to  all  established  rules  of 
policy,  the  females  were  allowed  an  equal  vote  with  the  males  on  board  of  the 
boat. 

Flinn  urged  that  the  men  gave  every  evidence  of  real  distress  which  could  be 
required,  and  recounted  too  many  particular  circumstances  attending  their  capture 
and  escape,  to  give  color  to  the  suspicion  that  their  story  was  invented  for  the  oc- 
casion, and  added,  that  it  would  be  a  burning  shame  to  them  and  theirs  forever, 


436  MASON   COUNTY. 

if  they  should  permit  two  coiintryinen  to  fall  a  sacrifice  to  the  savages,  when  so 
slight  a  risk  on  their  part  would  suffice  to  relieve  them.  He  acknowledged  that 
they  had  lied  in  relation  to  the  fire,  but  declared  himself  satisfied  that  it  was  only 
because  they  were  fearful  of  acknowledging  the  truth,  lest  the  crew  should  sus- 
pect that  Indians  were  concealed  in  the  vicinity.  The  controversy  became  warm, 
and,  during  its  progress,  the  boat  drifted  so  far  below  the  men,  that  they  appeared 
to  relinquish  their  pursuit  in  despair. 

At  this  time,  Flinn  made  a  second  proposal,  which,  according  to  his  method  of 
reasoning,  could  be  carried  into  effect,  without  the  slightest  risk  to  any  one  but 
himself.  They  were  now  more  than  a  mile  below  the  pursuers.  He  proposeo 
that  May  should  only  touch  the  hostile  shore  long  enough  to  permit  him  to  jump 
out.  That  it  was  impossible  for  Indians  (even  admitting  that  they  were  at  hand) 
to  arrive  in  time  to  arrest  the  boat,  and  even  should  any  appear,  they  could  im- 
mediately put  off  from  shore  and  abandon  him  to  his  fate.  That  he  was  confi- 
dent of  being  able  to  outrun  the  red  devils,  if  they  saw  him  first,  and  was  equally 
confident  of  being  able  to  see  them  as  soon  as  they  could  see  him.  May  remon- 
strated upon  so  unnecessary  an  exposure  ;  but  Flinn  was  inflexible,  and  in  an  evil 
hour  the  boat  was  directed  to  the  shore. 

They  quickly  discovered,  what  ought  to  have  been  known  before,  that  they 
could  not  float  as  swiftly  after  leaving  the  current  as  while  borne  along  by  it,  and 
they  were  nearly  double  the  time  in  making  the  shore,  that  they  had  calculated 
upon.  When  within  reach,  Flinn  leaped  fearlessly  upon  the  hostile  bank,  and 
the  boat  grated  upon  the  sand.  At  that  moment,  five  or  six  savages  ran  up  out 
of  breath,  from  the  adjoining  wood,  and  instantly  seizing  Flinn,  began  to  fire  upon 
the  boat's  crew.  Johnston  and  Skyies  sprung  to  their  arms,  in  order  to  return  the 
fire,  while  May,  seizing  an  oar,  attempted  to  regain  the  current.  Fresh  Indians 
arrived,  however,  in  such  rapid  succession,  that  the  beach  was  quickly  crowded 
by  them,  and  May  called  out  to  his  companions  to  cease  firing  and  come  to  the 
oars.     This  was  instantly  done,  but  it  was  too  late. 

Seeing  it  impossible  to  extricate  themselves,  they  all  lay  down  upon  their  faces, 
in  such  parts  of  the  boat  as  would  best  protect  them  from  the  horses,  and  await- 
ed, in  passive  helplessness,  the  approach  of  the  conquerors.  The  enemy,  how 
ever,  still  declined  boarding,  and  contented  themselves  with  pouring  in  an  inces 
sant  fire,  by  which  all  the  horses  were  killed,  and  which  at  length  began  to  grow 
fatal  to  the  crew.  One  of  the  females  received  a  ball  in  her  mouth,  which  had 
passed  immediately  over  Johnston's  head,  and  almost  instantly  expired.  Skyies, 
immediately  afterwards,  was  severely  wounded  in  both  shoulders,  the  ball  striking 
the  right  shoulder  blade,  and  ranging  transversely  along  his  back.  The  fire  seem- 
ed to  grow  hotter  every  moment,  when,  at  length  May  arose  and  waved  his  night- 
cap above  his  head  as  a  signal  of  surrender.  He  instantly  received  a  ball  in  the 
middle  of  the  forehead,  and  fell  perfectly  dead  by  the  side  of  Johnston,  covering 
him  with  his  blood. 

Now,  at  last,  the  enemy  ventured  to  board.  Throwing  themselves  into  the 
water,  with  their  tomahawks  in  their  hands,  a  dozen  or  twenty  swam  to  the  boat, 
and  began  to  climb  the  sides.  Johnston  stood  ready  to  do  the  honors  of  the  boat, 
and  presenting  his  hand  to  each  Indian  in  succession,  he  helped  them  over  the 
side  to  the  number  of  twenty.  Nothing  could  appear  more  cordial  than  the  meet- 
ing. Each  Indian  shook  him  by  the  hand,  with  the  usual  salutation  of  "  how  de 
do,"  in  passable  English,  while  Johnston  encountered  every  visitor  witli  an  affec- 
tionate s(iueeze,  and  a  forced  smile,  in  which  terror  struggled  with  civility.  The 
Indians  then  passed  on  to  Skyies  and  the  surviving  Miss  Fleming,  where  the  de- 
monstrations of  mutual  joy  were  not  quite  so  lively.  Skyies  was  writhing  under 
a  painful  wound,  and  the  girl  was  sitting  by  the  dead  body  of  her  sister. 

Having  shaken  hands  with  all  of  their  captives,  the  Indians  proceeded  to  scalp 
the  dead,  which  was  done  with  great  coolness,  and  the  reeking  scalps  were 
stretched  and  prepared  upon  hoops  for  the  usual  process  of  drying,  immediately 
before  the  eyes  of  the  survivors.  The  boat  was  then  drawn  ashore,  and  its  con- 
tents examined  with  great  greediness.  Poor  Skyies,  in  addition  to  the  pain  of 
his  wounds,  was  compelled  to  witness  the  total  destruction  of  his  property,  by 
the  hands  of  these  greedy  spoilers,  who  tossed  his  silks,  cambric,  and  broadcloth 
into  the  dirt  with  the  most  reckless  indifference.  At  length  they  stumbled  upon 
a  keg  of  whisky.     The  prize  was  eagerly  seized,  and  every  thing  else  abandoned. 


TIMOTHY   DOWNING.  437 

The  Indian  who  had  found  it,  instantly  carried  it  ashore,  and  was  followed  by  the 
rest  with  tumultuous  delight.  A  large  fire  nearly  fifty  feet  long  was  quickly 
kindled,  and  victors  and  vanquished  indiscriminately  huddled  around  it. 

On  the  next  morning  the  Indians  arose  early  and  prepared  for  another  encoun- 
ter, expecting  as  usual  that  boats  would  be  passing.  It  happened  that  Captain 
Thomas  Marshall,  of  the  Virginia  artillery,  afterwards  a  citizen  of  Mason,  and 
son  of  Colonel  Marshall,  in  company  with  several  other  gentlemen,  was  descend- 
ing the  Ohio,  having  embarked  only  one  day  later  than  May.  About  twelve 
o'clock  on  the  second  day  after  May's  disaster,  the  little  flotilla  appeared  about  a 
mile  above  the  point  where  the  Indians  stood.  Instantly  all  was  bustle  and  activ- 
ity. The  additional  oars  were  fixed  to  the  boat,  the  savages  instantly  sprung  on 
board,  and  the  prisoners  were  compelled  to  station  themselves  at  the  oars,  and 
were  threatened  with  instant  death  unless  they  used  their  utmost  exertions  to  bring 
them  along  side  of  the  enemy.  The  three  boats  came  down  very  rapidly,  and 
were  soon  immediately  opposite  their  enemy's.  The  Indians  opened  a  heavy 
fire  upon  them,  and  stimulated  their  rowers  to  their  utmost  efforts. 

The  boats  became  quickly  aware  of  their  danger,  and  a  warm  contest  of  skill 
and  strength  took  place.  There  was  an  interval  of  one  hundred  yards  between 
each  of  the  three  boats  in  view.  The  hindmost  was  for  a  time  in  great  danger. 
Having  but  one  pair  of  oars,  and  being  weakly  manned,  she  was  unable  to  com- 
pete with  the  Indian  boat,  which  greatly  outnumbered  her  both  in  oars  and  men. 
The  Indians  soon  came  within  rifle  shot,  and  swept  the  deck  with  an  incessant 
fire,  which  rendered  it  extremely  dangerous  for  any  of  the  crew  to  show  them- 
selves. Captain  Marshall  was  on  board  of  the  hindmost  boat,  and  maintained 
his  position  at  the  steering  oar  in  defiance  of  the  shower  of  balls  which  flew  around 
him.  He  stood  in  his  shirt  sleeves  with  a  red  silk  handkerchief  bound  around  his 
head,  which  afforded  a  fair  mark  to  the  enemy,  and  steered  the  boat  with  equal 
steadiness  and  skill,  while  the  crew  below  relieved  each  other  at  the  oars. 

The  enemy  lost  ground  from  two  circumstances.  In  their  eagerness  to  over- 
take the  whites,  they  left  the  current,  and  attempted  to  cut  across  the  river  from 
point  to  point,  in  order  to  shorten  the  distance.  In  doing  so,  however,  they  lost 
the  force  of  the  current,  and  soon  found  themselves  dropping  astern.  In  addition 
to  this,  the  whites  conducted  themselves  with  equal  coolness  and  dexterity.  The 
second  boat  waited  for  the  hindmost,  and  received  her  crew  on  board,  abandoning 
the  goods  and  horses,  without  scruple,  to  the  enemy.  Being  now  more  strongly 
manned,  she  shot  rapidly  ahead,  and  quickly  overtook  the  foremost  boat,  which, 
in  like  manner,  received  the  crew  on  board,  abandoning  the  cargo  as  before,  and 
having  six  pair  of  oars,  and  being  powerfully  manned,  she  was  soon  beyond  the 
reach  of  the  enemy's  shot.  The  chase  lasted  more  than  an  hour.  For  the  first 
half  hour,  the  fate  of  the  foremost  boat  hung  in  mournful  suspense,  and  Johnson, 
with  agony,  looked  forward  to  the  probability  of  its  capture.  The  prisoners 
were  compelled  to  labor  hard  at  the  oars,  but  they  took  care  never  to  pull  together, 
and  by  every  means  in  their  power  endeavored  to  favor  the  escape  of  their  friends. 

At  length  the  Indians  abandoned  the  pursuit,  and  turned  their  whole  attention 
to  the  boats  which  had  been  deserted.  The  booty  surpassed  their  most  sanguine 
expectations.  Several  fine  horses  were  on  board,  and  flour,  sugar,  and  chocolate 
in  profusion.  Another  keg  of  whisky  was  found,  and  excited  the  same  immoder- 
ate joy  as  at  first. 

Flinn  was  subsequently  burnt  by  his  fiendish  captors  at  the  stake,  with  all  the 
aggravated  tortures  that  savage  cruelty  could  devise.  Skyles,  after  running  the 
gauntlet,  and  having  been  condemned  to  death,  made  his  escape  and  reached  the 
white  settlements  in  safety.  The  remaining  Miss  Fleming  was  rescued  by  an 
Indian  chief,  at  the  very  time  when  her  captors  had  bound  her  to  a  stake  and  were 
making  preparations  to  burn  her  alive,  and  conducted  safely  to  Pittsburg.  John- 
ston was  ransomed  by  a  Frenchman  at  Sandusky,  at  the  price  of  six  hundred  sil- 
ver brooches,  and  returned  in  safety  to  his  family. 

In  April,  1791,  Colonel  Timothv  Downing,  a  citizen  of  Mason  county,  return- 
ing from  Lexington,  where  he  had  been  on  a  trading  expedition  with  two  horses, 
riding  one  and  leading  the  other,  \v!iich  was  laden  with  cotton  goods,  was  cap- 
tured near  the  Blue  Licks  by  a  party  of  Shawanee  Indians.  They  crossed  with 
him  into  Ohio  at  Logan's  Gap,  where  he  was  given  in  charge  to  two  of  the  party, 


438  MASON  COUNTY. 

ah  old  Indian  and  his  son.  After  two  day's  traveling,  the  Indians  with  Downing 
encamped  for  the  night.  He  had  been  treated  very  kindly  by  them  during  their 
march,  and  before  supper  the  old  Indian  came  up  to  him — "  tie  to-night,  after  to- 
night, no  more  tie  ;"  Downing  replied — "  no  tie  'till  after  supper."  This  was 
assented  to.  The  old  Indian  then  directed  him  to  hand  a  drink  of  water;  and 
Downing,  whilst  getting  the  water,  picked  up  a  tomahawk,  which  he  concealed. 
It  had  been  raining  during  the  day,  and  the  young  Indian  was  busy  before  the  fire, 
drying  a  shirt,  which  had  been  taken  from  Downing;  and  whilst  the  old  Indian, 
not  suspecting  any  thing,  was  drinking  the  water  he  had  handed  him,  Downing 
cleft  his  skull  with  the  tomahawk  and  pitched  him  into  the  fire.  It  was  neces- 
sary to  kill  the  old  Indian,  but  as  they  had  been  kind  to  him,  he  did  not  wish  to 
hurt  the  young  Indian.  His  object  was  to  take  him  prisoner.  But  the  instant 
he  struck  his  father,  the  young  Indian  sprung  upon  his  back  with  the  most  horri- 
ble yells,  and  confined  him  so  that  it  was  difficult  to  extricate  himself  from  his 
grasp.  It  was  not  more  than  four  or  five  miles  to  the  main  camp,  and  as  soon  as 
Downing  was  released  from  his  struggles,  he  made  for  his  horses,  and  the  young 
Indian,  who  was  badly  wounded  in  the  encounter,  for  the  camp.  He  cauglrit  one 
of  his  horses  and  mounted  him,  and  struck  off  into  the  woods,  hoping  that  the 
other  horse  would  follow.  But  the  night  was  very  dark,  and  he  never  saw  any 
thing  of  his  second  horse.  He  was  a  bad  woodsman,  and  before  he  got  far  from 
the  scene  of  his  exploits,  he  heard  tlie  eager  yells  of  Indians  in  hot  pursuit  of 
him.  But  the  darkness  of  the  night  favored  his  escape,  and  he  succeeded  in 
eludiiig  his  pursuers.  A  day  or  two  afterwards  Kenton,  at  the  head  of  a  party 
in  pursuit  of  the  Indians,  came  upon  the  camp  whence  Downing  had  escaped, 
discovered  the  old  Indian,  who  had  been  buried  with  twenty -five  yards  of  the 
cloth  wrapped  around  him,  and  found  also  Downing's  shirt,  with  blood  on  it. 
No  Indians  were  to  be  seen,  and  the  party  returned.  Kenton  took  the  shirt  to 
Mrs.  Downing,  who  recognized  it  at  once  as  her  husband's,  whom  she  concluded 
to  have  been  murdered  by  the  Indians.  Downing,  in  the  meantime,  after  travel- 
ing all  night  after  his  escape,  found  himself  on  a  creek,  which  he  followed  to  its 
junction  with  the  Scioto  river,  and  finally  struck  the  Ohio  below  the  mouth  of 
the  Scioto,  just  as  a  flat  boat  was  passing  down.  He  immediately  hailed  it,  but 
the  boat  very  prudently  made  for  the  Kentucky  shore,  evidently  suspecting  an  In- 
dian decoy.  He  followed  ,t  two  miles  before  he  could  prevail  on  the  owners  of 
it  to  send  a  boat  to  his  relief.  He  finally  succeeded  ;  a  man  came  in  a  canoe, 
with  his  rifle,  and  told  him  as  he  approached  that  if  he  saw  an  Indian,  he  would 
shoot  him  (Downing)  dead  in  his  tracks.  He  was  taken  on  board,  landed  at 
Maysville,  and  rejoiced  his  family,  who  were  mourning  him  as  dead,  by  his  sud- 
den return.  He  resided  then  where  Mr.  Robert  Downing,  of  Mason  county,  now 
lives,  and  after  reaching  an  advanced  age,  died  some  fifteen  or  sixteen  years  ago. 

In  the  month  of  April,  1792,  a  number  of  horses  belonging  to  Captain  Luther 
Calvin  of  Mason  county,  were  stolen  by  the  Indians;  and,  as  usual,  a  strong 
party  volunteered  to  go  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy  and  recover  the  property.  The 
party  consisted  of  thirty-seven  men,  commanded  by  Captains  Calvin  and  Ken- 
ton, and  was  composed  chiefly  of  young  farmers,  most  of  whom  had  never  yet 
met  an  enemy.  Captain  Charles  Ward,  late  deputy  sheriff  of  Mason  county, 
was  one  of  the  volunteers,  and  was  at  that  time  a  mere  lad,  totally  unacquainted 
with  Indian  warfare.  They  rendezvoused  upon  the  Kentucky  shore,  immediately 
opposite  Ripley,  and  crossing  the  river  in  a  small  ferry  boat,  pursued  the  trail  for 
five  or  six  miles  with  great  energy.  Here,  however,  a  specimen  of  the  usual 
caprice  and  uncertainty  attending  the  motions  of  militia,  was  given. 

One  of  the  party,  whose  voice  had  been  loud  and  resolute  while  on  the  Kentucky 
shore,  all  at  once  managed  to  discover  that  the  enterprise  was  rash,  ill  advised, 
and  if  prosecuted,  would  certainly  prove  disastrous.  A  keen  debate  ensued,  in 
which  young  Spencer  Calvin,  then  a  lad  of  eighteen,  openly  accused  the  gentle- 
man alluded  to  of  cowardice,  and  even  threatened  to  take  the  measure  of  his 
shoulders  with  a  ramrod,  on  the  spot.  By  the  prompt  interference  of  Kenton  and 
the  elder  Calvin,  the  young  man's  wrath  was  appeased  for  the  time,  and  all  those 
who  preferred  safety  to  honor,  were  invited  instantly  to  return.  The  permission 
Vras  promptly  accepted,  and  no  less  than  fifteen  men,  headed  by  the  recreant  al- 


FIGHT  WITH  INDIANS.  439 

ready  mentioned,  turned  their  horses'  heads  and  re-crossed   the  river.     The  re- 
mainder, consisting  chiefly  of  experienced  warriors,  continued  tlie  pursuit. 

The  trail  led  them  down  on  the  Miami,  and  about  noon  on  tlie  second  day, 
they  heard  a  bell  in  front,  apparently  from  a  horse  grazing.  Cautiously  approach- 
ing it,  they  beheld  a  solitary  Indian,  mounted  on  horseback,  and  leisurely  advanc- 
ing towards  them.  A  few  of  their  best  marksmen  fired  upon  him  and  brought 
him  to  the  ground.  After  a  short  consultation,  it  was  then  determined  to  follow 
his  back  trail,  and  ascertain  whether  there  were  more  in  the  neighborhood.  A 
small,  active,  resolute  woodsman,  named  Mclntyre,  accompanied  by  three  others, 
was  pushed  on  in  advance,  in  order  to  give  them  early  notice  of  the  enemy's  ap- 
pearance, while  the  main  body  followed  at  a  more  leisurely  pace.  Within  an 
hour,  Mclntyre  returned,  and  reported  that  they  were  then  within  a  short  distance 
of  a  large  party  of  Indians,  supposed  to  be  greatly  superior  to  their  own.  That 
they  were  encamped  in  a  bottom  upon  the  borders  of  a  creek,  and  were  amusing 
themselves,  apparently  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  Indian  whom  they  had  just 
kiled,  as  they  would  occasionally  halloo  loudly,  and  then  laugh  immoderately, 
suoposing,  probably,  that  their  comrade  had  lost  his  way. 

This  intelligence  fell  like  a  shower  bath  upon  the  spirits  of  the  party,  who, 
thinking  it  more  prudent  to  put  a  greater  interval  between  themselves  and  the 
enemy,  set  spurs  to  their  horses,  and  galloped  back  in  the  direction  from  which 
they  had  come.  Such  was  the  panic,  that  one  of  the  footmen,  a  huge  hulking 
felbw,  six  feet  high,  in  his  zeal  for  his  own  safety,  sprung  up  behind  Capt.  Cal- 
vin, (who  was  then  mounted  upon  Capt,  Ward's  horse,  the  captain  having  dis- 
mojnted  in  order  to  accommodate  him),  and  nothing  short  of  a  threat  to  blow  his 
brains  out,  could  induce  him  to  dismount.  In  this  orderly  manner  they  scamper- 
ed hrough  the  woods  for  several  miles,  when,  in  obedience  to  the  orders  of  Ken- 
tonand  Calvin,  they  halted,  and  prepared  for  resistance  in  case  (as  was  probable) 
the  9nemj'  had  discovered  them,  and  were  engaged  in  the  pursuit.  Kenton  and 
Cahin  were  engaged  apart  in  earnest  consultation.  It  was  proposed  that  a  num- 
ber (f  saplings  should  be  cut  down  and  a  temporary  breastwork  erected,  and  while 
the  popriety  of  these  measures  was  under  discussion,  the  men  were  left  to  them- 
selvei. 

Firding  themselves  not  pursued  by  the  enemy,  as  they  had  expected,  it  was 
determined  that  they  should  remain  in  their  present  position  until  night,  when  a 
rapid  attack  was  to  be  made,  in  two  divisions,  upon  the  Indian  camp,  under  the 
imprtssion  that  the  darkness  of  the  night,  and  the  surprise  of  the  enemy,  might 
give  tiem  an  advantage,  which  they  could  scarcely  hope  for  in  daylight.  Accord- 
ingly, every  thing  remaining  quiet  at  dusk,  they  again  mounted  and  advanced 
rapidlr,  but  in  profound  silence,  upon  the  Indian  camp.  It  was  ascertained  that 
the  ho"ses  which  the  enemy  had  stolen  were  grazing  in  a  rich  bottom  below  their 
camp.  As  they  were  advancing  to  the  attack,  therefore,  Calvin  detached  his  son 
w'th  several  halters,  which  he  had  borrowed  from  the  men,  to  regain  their  own 
h»rses,  and  be  prepared  to  carry  them  off  in  case  the  enemy  should  overpower 
t'.em.     The  attack  was  then  made  in  two  divisions. 

Calvin  conducted  the  upper  and  Kenton  the  lower  party.  The  wood  was  thick, 
lut  the  moon  shone  out  clearly,  and  enabled  them  to  distinguish  objects  with  suf- 
teient  precision.  Calvin's  party  came  first  in  contact  with  the  enemy.  They 
hd  advanced  within  thirty  yards  of  a  large  fire  in  front  of  a  number  of  tents, 
vithout  having  seen  a  single  Indian,  when  a  dog,  which  had  been  watching  them 
f<r  several  minutes,  sprung  forward  to  meet  them,  baying  loudly.  Presently  an 
Irlian  appeared  approaching  cautiously  towards  them,  and  occasionally  speaking 
trthe  dog  in  the  Indian  tongue.  This  sight  was  too  tempting  to  be  borne,  and 
Clvin  heard  the  tick  of  a  dozen  rifles  in  rapid  succession,  as  his  party  cocked 
thm  in  order  to  fire.  The  Indian  was  too  close  to  permit  him  to  speak,  hut  turn- 
in'  to  his  men  he  earnestly  waved  his  hand  as  a  warning  to  be  quiet.  Then  cau- 
tiasly  raising  his  own  rifle,  he  fired  with  a  steady  aim,  just  as  the  Indian  had 
reched  the  fire,  and  stood  fairly  exposed  to  its  light. 

^he  report  of  the  rifle  instantly  broke  the  stillness  of  the  night,  and  their  ears 
wee  soon  deafened  by  the  yells  of  the  enemy.  The  Indian  at  whom  Calvin  had 
fird,  fell  forward  into  the  burning  pile  of  faggots,  and,  by  his  struggles  to  extri- 
eat  himself,  scattered  the  brands  so  much,  as  almost  to  extinguish  the  light. 
Se^ral  dusky  forms  glanced  rapidly  before  them  for  a  moment,  which  drew  a 


440  MASON   COUNTY. 

volley  from  his  men,  but  with  what  effect  could  not  be  ascertained.  Calvin,  having 
discharo^ed  his  piece,  turned  so  rapidly  as  to  strike  theend  of  his  ramrod  against  a  tree 
behind  him,  and  drive  it  into  its  sheath  with  such  violence,  that  he  was  unable  to 
extricate  it  for  several  minutes,  and  finally  fractured  two  of  his  teeth  in  the  effort. 

A  heavy  fire  now  commenced  from  the  Indian  camp,  which  was  returned  with 
equal  spirit  by  the  whites,  but  without  much  effect  on  either  side.  Trees  were 
barked  very  plentifully,  dogs  bayed,  the  Indians  yelled,  the  whites  shouted,  the 
squaws  screamed,  and  a  prodigious  uproar  was  maintained  for  about  fifteen  min- 
utes, when  it  was  reported  to  Calvin  that  Kenton's  party  had  been  overpowered, 
and  was  in  full  retreat.  It  was  not  necessary  to  give  orders  for  a  similar  move- 
ment. No  sooner  had  the  intelligence  been  received,  than  the  Kentuckians  of  the 
upper  division  broke  their  ranks,  and  every  man  attempted  to  save  himself  as  he 
best  could.  They  soon  overtook  the  lower  division,  and  a  hot  scramble  took  place 
for  horses.  One  called  upon  another  to  wait  for  him  until  he  could  catch  his 
horse,  which  had  broken  his  bridle,  but  no  attention  was  paid  to  the  request. 
Some  fled  upon  their  own  horses,  others  mounted  those  of  their  friends.  "  First 
come,  first  served,"  seemed  to  be  the  order  of  the  night,  and  a  sad  confusion  of 
property  took  place,  in  consequence  of  which,  to  their  great  terror,  a  few  were 
compelled  to  return  on  foot.  The  flight  was  originally  caused  by  the  panic  of  an 
individual.  As  the  lower  division  moved  up  to  the  attack,  most  of  the  men  ap- 
peared to  advance  with  alacrity.     The  action  quickly  commenced,  and  at  the  frst 

fire  from  the  Indians,  Barre,  a  young  Kentuckian,  was  shot  by 's  side.     Tliis 

circumstance  completely  overthrew  the  courage  of  this  one  of  the  party,  who  lad 
been  the  most  boisterous  and  blustering  when  the  chase  commenced,  but  whose 
courage  had  visibly  declined  since  the  first  encounter  of  the  morning :  and,  elevatng 
his  voice  to  its  shrillest  notes,  he  shouted,  "  boys  !  it  won't  do  for  us  to  be  hffe  ; 
Barrels  killed,  and  the  Indians  are  crossing  the  creek  !"  Bonaparte  has  siid, 
that  there  is  a  critical  period  in  every  battle,  when  the  bravest  men  will  eagerly 
seize  an  excuse  to  run  away.     The  remark  is  doubly  true  with  regard  to  miitia. 

No  sooner  had  this  speech  been  uttered  by  one  who  had  never  yet  been  chfrged 
with  cowardice,  than  the  rout  instantly  took  place,  and  all  order  was  disreg-jded. 
Fortunately,  the  enemy  were  equally  frightened,  and  probably  would  havi  fled 
themselves,  had  the  whites  given  them  time.  No  pursuit  took  place  for  siveral 
hours,  nor  did  they  then  pursue  the  trail  of  the  main  body  of  fugitives.  Mcln- 
tyre,  however,  who  had  turned  off  from  the  main  route,  was  pursued  by  tie  In- 
dians, overtaken,  tomahawked  and  scalped. 

It  is  somewhat  remarkable,  that  a  brother  of  Capt.  Ward's  was  in  the  Iidian 
camp  at  the  moment  when  it  was  attacked.  He  had  been  taken  by  the  Iidians 
in  1758,  being  at  that  time  only  three  years  old,  had  been  adopted  as  a  member 
of  the  Shawanee  tribe,  and  had  married  an  Indian  woman  by  whom  he  had  $veral 
children,  all  of  whom,  together  with  their  mother,  were  then  in  camp.  Capt. 
Ward  has  informed  the  writer  of  this  narrative,  that,  a  few  seconds  before  tie 
firing  began,  while  he  stood  within  rifle  shot  of  the  encampment,  an  Indian  gii, 
apparently  fifteen  years  of  age,  attracted  his  attention.  She  stood  for  an  instaiS 
in  an  attitude  of  alarm,  in  front  of  one  of  the  tents,  and  gazed  intently  upon  thi 
spot  where  he  then  stood.  Not  immediately  perceiving  that  it  was  a  female,  hi 
raised  his  gun,  and  was  upon  the  point  of  firing,  when  her  open  bosom  announcet 
her  sex,  and  her  peculiarly  light  complexion  caused  him  to  doubt  for  a  momen 
whether  she  could  be  an  Indian  by  birth.  He  afterwards  ascertained  that  she  w3 
his  brother's  child. 

The  celebrated  Tecumseh  commanded  the  Indians.  His  cautious  yet  fearleS 
intrepidity  made  him  a  host  wherever  he  went.  In  military  tactics  night  attacfe 
are  not  allowable,  except  in  cases  like  this,  when  the  assailing  party  are  far  ini- 
rior  in  numbers.  Sometimes,  in  such  attacks,  panics  and  confusion  are  creatd 
in  the  attacked  party,  which  may  render  them  a  prey  to  inferior  numbers.  Ke- 
ton  trusted  to  this  on  the  present  occasion,  but  Tecumseh's  presence  and  infl- 
ence  over  the  minds  of  his  followers  infused  such  confidence  that  superior  nui- 
bers  only  could  prevail  over  them. 

Some  time  in  the  spring  of  1793,  Tecumseh  and  a  few  of  his  followers,  wHe 
hunting  in  the  Scioto  valley,  on  the  waters  of  Paint  creek,  were  unexpecteiy 
attacked  by  a  party  of  white  men  from  Mason  county,  Kentucky.  The  circin- 
stances  which  led   tu   this  skirmish  were  the  following  :   Harly  that  springpn 


ISAAC    BAKER.  441 

express  reached  the  settlement  in  Mason,  that  some  stations  had  heen  attacked 
and  captured  on  iSiate  creek,  in  Kath  county,  Kentucky,  and  that  the  Indians 
were  returning  with  their  prisoners  to  Ohio.  A  party  of  thirty-three  men  was 
immediately  raised  to  cut  off  their  retreat.  They  were  divided  into  three  compa- 
nies of  ten  men  each  ;  (Simon   Kenton  commanding  one, Baker  another, 

and  Captain  James  Ward  the  third.  The  whole  party  crossed  the  Ohio  at  Lime- 
stone, and  aimed  to  strike  the  Scioto  ahove  Paint  creek.  After  crossing  this 
creek  near  where  the  great  road  from  Maysville  to  Chillicothe  now  crosses  it, 
evening  came  on,  and  they  halted  for  the  night.  In  a  short  time  they  heard  a 
noise,  and  a  little  examination  disclosed  to  them  that  they  were  in  the  immedi- 
ate vicinity  of  an  Indian  encampment.  Their  horses  were  promptly  taken  back 
some  distance  and  tied,  to  prevent  an  alarm.  A  council  was  held,  and  Captain 
Baker  offered  to  go  and  reconnoitre,  which  being  agreed  to,  he  took  one  of  his 
company  and  made  the  examination.  He  found  the  Indians  encamped  on  the 
bank  of  the  creek,  their  horses  being  between  them  and  the  camp  of  the  whites. 
After  Baker's  report  was  made,  the  party  determined  to  remain  where  they  were 
until  near  daylight  the  next  morning.  Captain  Baker  and  his  men  were  to 
march  round  and  take  a  position  on  the  bank  of  the  stream  in  front  of  the  Indian 
camp  ;  Captain  Ward  was  to  occupy  the  ground  in  the  rear ;  and  Captain  Ken- 
ton one  side,  while  the  river  presented  a  barrier  on  the  fourth,  thus  guarding 
against  a  retreat  of  the  Indians.  It  was  further  agreed  that  the  attack  was  not  to 
commence  until  there  was  light  enough  to  shoot  with  accuracy.  Before  Kenton 
and  Ward  had  reached  the  positions  they  were  respectively  to  occupy,  the  bark 
of  a  dog  in  the  Indian  camp  was  heard,  and  then  the  report  of  a  gun.  Upon 
this  alarm.  Baker's  men  instantly  fired,  and  Captains  Kenton  and  Ward,  with 
their  companies,  raising  the  battle  cry,  rushed  towards  the  camp.  To  their  sur- 
prise, they  found  Baker  and  his  men  in  the  rear,  instead  of  the  front  of  the  Indi- 
ans, thus  deranging  the  plan  of  attack,  whether  from  design  or  accident  is 
unknown.  The  Indians  sent  back  the  battle  cry,  retreated  a  few  paces  and  treed. 
It  was  still  too  dark  to  fire  with  precision,  but  random  shots  were  made,  and  a 
terrible  shouting  kept  up  by  the  Indians.  While  the  parties  were  thus  at  bay, 
Tecumseh  had  the  address  to  send  a  part  of  his  men  to  the  rear  of  the  Kentucki- 
ans  for  their  horses  ;  and  when  they  had  been  taken  to  the  front,  which  was 
accomplished  without  discovery,  the  Indians  mounted  and  effected  their  escape, 
carrying  with  them  John  Ward,  the  brother  of  Captain  James  Ward,  the  only 
one  of  their  party  who  was  shot.  He  died  of  his  wound  a  few  days  after  the 
engagement.  One  Kentuckian  only,  .Tacob  Jones,  was  killed,  a  member  of  Ba- 
ker's detachment.  No  pursuit  of  the  Indians  was  made,  nor  did  they  prove  to 
be  the  same  party  who  had  attacked  the  Slate  creek  station. 

After  the  fatal  disaster  which  befel  our  troops  at  the  river  Raisin,  during  the 
late  war,  Captain  Isaac  Baker,  a  son  of  the  late  Colonel  Baker,  of  Mason  county, 
attempted  to  make  good  his  retreat  with  the  remnant  of  his  company,  some 
fifteen  or  twenty  in  number.  They  were  pursued  by  a  much  larger  party  of 
Indians  on  horseback.  When  they  came  in  sight,  Captain  Baker  told  his  men 
that  as  they  were  on  foot  there  was  no  possibility  of  escape,  and  that  it  only 
remained  for  them  as  brave  men  to  sell  their  lives  as  dearly  as  possible.  He 
ordered  every  man  to  tree  and  await  the  approach  of  the  enemy.  The  order  was 
promptly  obeyed.  The  Indians  approached  within  good  rifle  distance  and  then 
dismounted.  As  they  did  so.  Captain  Baker's  little  Spartan  band  poured  in 
simultaneously  a  destructive  fire,  which  brought  the  Indian  force  nearly  to  an 
equality  with  his  own  party.  The  Indians  immediately  treed,  and  the  action 
continued  in  the  true  Indian  manner  of  fighting,  neither  party  firing  except  when 
there  was  a  fair  prospect  of  its  taking  effect.  Unfortunately  Captain  Baker's 
men,  at  the  commencement  of  the  action,  had  but  five  rounds  each.  The  fight 
was  continued  until  the  last  load  of  ammunition  was  expended.  Captain  Baker 
then  hoisted  his  handkerchief  as  the  signal  of  surrender.  The  Indians  approached, 
received  the  arms  of  the  prisoners,  counted  the  loss  sustained  on  each  side,  and 
finiling  that  theirs  was  the  greater,  began  to  make  preparations  to  sacrifice  as 
many  as  would  bring  the  loss  on  each  side  to  an  equality.  The  first  selected  as 
a  victim  was  the  son  of  George  Shinglehower,  of  Lexington,  who  was  a  red 
haired  man,  and  as  such  an  object  of  peculiar  aversion  to  the  Indians.  A  war- 
rior approached  him,  tomahawk  in  hand,  and  took  off  his  hat,  the  better  to  exe- 


442  MASON   COUNTY. 

cute  his  dire  purpose.  Shinglebovver,  being  a  stout  man,  at  the  very  moment  the 
Indian  was  removing  his  hat,  seized  his  tomahawk  and  sunk  it  into  his  head. 
The  Indians,  aroused  to  the  utmost  pitch  of  rage  by  this  daring  deed,  now  rushed 
upon  the  prisoners  with  their  tomahawks,  determined  to  massacre  the  whole  party. 
At  this  moment,  an  aged  chief  stepped  forward  and  took  two  of  the  prisoners, 
one  in  each  hand,  and  led  them  aside,  claiming  them  as  his,  and  protecting  them 
from  the  enraged  savages.  These  two  men  were  Captain  Baker,  since  deceased, 
and  Captain  McCarty,  now  a  citizen  of  Pendleton  county.  They  were  purchased 
from  the  Indian  chief  at  the  restoration  of  peace;  the  residue  of  Captain  Baker's 
brave  little  band  were  all  tomahawked  on  the  spot  where  they  surrendered. 

Gen.  Henry  Lee,  a  native  of  Virginia,  was  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  who 
settled  in  the  county  of  Mason.  He  was  a  man  of  considerable  intelligence  and 
remarkably  strong  natural  powers  of  mind.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Virginia 
legislature  from  the  district  of  Kentucky,  and  also  of  the  convention  which 
adopted  the  federal  constitution.  He  served  in  the  convention  at  Danville  which 
met  in  1787,  and  was  one  of  the  commissioners  who  located  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment at  Frankfort.  He  was  county  lieutenant  for  all  the  territory  north  of  Lick- 
ing river,  and  was  appointed  judge  of  the  quarter  sessions  court,  and  associate 
judge  of  the  circuit  court  for  Mason  county,  and  was  president  of  the  Wash- 
ington Branch  of  the  old  Bank  of  Kentucky.  He  came  to  Kentucky  originally 
as  a  surveyor,  and  acted  in  that  capacity  for  many  years.  He  was  a  very  saga- 
cious man,  of  fine  business  habits,  and  by  his  position  and  great  application, 
amassed  a  very  large  fortune.  He  was  tall  and  powerfully  made,  very  erect,  and 
a  man  of  remarkably  fine  and  imposing  personal  appearance.  He  died  in  the 
spring  of  1846,  in  the  eighty-ninth  year  of  his  age. 

Judge  Wii^LiAM  McClung  settled  in  Mason  at  an  early  period,  and  was  a  very 
prominent  and  influential  citizen,  and  took  an  active  part  in  advancing  the  interests 
of  the  new  settlements.  He  was  judge  for  many  years  of  the  district  and  circuit 
courts  of  the  county,  and  was  distinguished  for  his  high  attainments  as  a  lawyer, 
but  most  eminently  for  his  great  unswerving  and  unapproachable  integrity  as  a 
judge.  He  died  while  filling  that  office,  leaving  his  venerable  widow,  the  sister 
of  Chief  Justice  Marshall,  who  is  still  living  with  her  son,  John  A.  McClung, 
Esq.,  of  this  county.  Colonel  Alexander  K.  McClung,  of  Mississippi,  is  also  a 
son  of  Judge  McClung. 

Alexander  K.  Marshall,  Esq.  a  son  of  Colonel  Thomas  Marshall,  and  brother 
of  the  chief  justice,  was  a  pioneer  lawyer  of  Mason  county,  and  one  of  the  very 
ablest  of  his  day.  In  1818  he  was  appointed  reporter  to  the  court  of  appeals, 
and  during  the  period   he  held  the  office,  published   three  volumes  of  reports. 

Captain  Thomas  Marshall,  another  son  of  Colonel  Thomas  Marshall,  was 
the  first  clerk  of  the  Mason  county  court.  He  was  remarkable  for  his  strong 
sense,  benevolence  and  kind  feelings,  and  was  very  generally  beloved.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  convention  that  formed  the  present  constitution  of  Kentucky. 

Colonel  Alexander  D.  Orr,  came  to  Kentucky  from  Virginia  at  an  early  period 
and  settled  in  Mason  on  the  farm  lately  occupied  by  John  A.  McClung,  Esq.  on 
the  Ohio  river,  and  built  the  first  brick  house  ever  erected  in  the  county.  He  was 
elected  to  Congress  in  1793  (after  having  been  elected  the  same  year  to  the  state 
legislature),  upon  the  admission  of  Kentucky  into  the  Union,  and  took  his  seat 
at  the  session  of  1792-3,  in  conjunction  with  his  colleagues  John  Brown  and  John 
Edwards.  He  continued  a  member  of  Congress  until  1797.  He  was  a  man  of 
commanding  personal  appearance,  and  a  polished  gentleman  of  the  old  school. 
He  died  in  Paris  a  few  years  since  at  an  advanced  age. 

Doctor  Basil  Duke  was  born  in  Calvert  county,  Maryland.  He  obtained  a 
classical  education  in  the  school  of  a  Scotchman  of  eminent  scholarship.  He 
studied  medicine  in  the  city  of  Baltimore.  After  practicing  his  profession  a  short 
time  in  his  native  county,  he  emigrated  to  Kentucky,  and  settled  in  Lexington  in 
the  year  1791,  then  about  twenty-five  years  of  age.  During  his  residence  at  Lex- 
ington, his  professional  ability  secured  him  a  large  practice.  In  '91  he  married 
Charlotte,  the  daughter  of  Colonel  Thomas  Marshall,  then  of  Woodtbrd,  and  in 
179S  removed  to  Mason  county.     At  the  head  of  his  profession  in  that  part  of 


f* 


DEVALL   PAYNE,  443 

Kentucky,  his  practice  for  the  greater  part  of  his  life  was  large  and  laborious, 
extending  over  Mason  and  the  adjoining  counties.  His  kind  and  benevolent 
character  endeared  him  to  the  people,  to  whom  his  medical  services  rendered  him 
greatly  useiul.     He  died  in  the  town  of  Washington  in  1828. 

Colonel  Devall  Pavne  was  born  on  the  1st  of  January,  1764,  in  the  county  of 
Fairtax,  Virginia,  within  seven  miles  of  the  city  of  Alexandria.  He  was  the 
son  of  William  Payne,  whose  paternal  ancestor  accompanied  Lord  Fairfax  from 
England  when  he  came  over  to  colonize  his  grant  in  Virginia.  At  the  time  Gen. 
Washington  was  stationed  in  Alexandria  as  a  colonel  of  a  British  regiment,  before 
the  war  of  the  revolution,  an  altercation  took  place  in  the  court-house  yard, 
between  him  and  William  Payne,  in  which  Payne  knocked  Washington  down. 
Great  excitement  prevailed,  as  Payne  was  known  to  be  firm,  and  stood  high,  and 
Washington  was  beloved  by  all.  A  night's  reflection,  however,  satisfied  Washing- 
ton that  he  was  the  aggressor  and  in  the  wrong,  and  in  the  morning  he,  like  a  true 
and  magnanimous  hero,  sought  an  interview  with  Payne,  which  resulted  in  an 
apology  from  Washington,  and  a  warm  and  lasting  friendship  between  the  two, 
founded  on  mutual  esteem.  During  the  revolutionary  war,  whilst  Washington 
was  on  a  visit  to  his  family,  Mr.  Payne,  with  his  son  Devall,  went  to  pay  his 
respects  to  the  great  American  chief.  Washington  met  him  some  distance  from 
the  house,  took  him  by  the  hand,  and  led  him  into  the  presence  of  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington, to  whom  he  introduced  Mr.  Payne  as  follows:  "My  dear,  here  is  the 
little  man,  whom  you  have  so  frequently  heard  me  speak  of,  who  once  had  the 
courage  to  knock  me  down  in  the  court-house  yard  in  Alexandria,  big  as  I  am.'''' 

Devall  Payne  was  married  to  Hannah,  youngest  daughter  of  Major  Hugh  Brent, 
of  Loudon  county,  Virginia,  December  1st,  1785.  In  1789  he  removed  to  Ken- 
tucky and  settled  near  Lexington.  Shortly  afterwards  he  joined  Captain  Ken- 
neth M'Coy's  troop  of  cavalry,  and  served  under  Governor  Charles  Scott  in  his 
campaign  against  the  Weaw  Indians  on  the  Wabash.  He  was  with  Captain 
M'Coy  when  he  was  wounded,  and  assisted  him  from  the  battle  field.  During 
the  engagement,  as  his  horse  leaped  a  log  in  the  charge,  he  encountered  an  In- 
dian chief  who  was  laying  beside  it.  Payne  instantly  dismounted  and  grappled 
with  the  Indian,  determined,  if  possible,  to  take  him  prisoner.  The  Indian  was 
armed  with  gun,  tomahawk  and  butcher  knife,  and  resisted  furiously.  Payne  pres- 
sed him  so  closely,  and  was  so  active  and  athletic,  that  the  Indian  could  not  use 
his  weapons.  The  contest  was  very  severe,  and  lasted  for  several  minutes,  ex- 
citing the  interest  and  admiration  of  half  a  dozen  soldiers,  who  had  collected 
around  to  witness  the  struggle.  Payne  finally  conquered,  having  thrown  the 
Indian  down  three  times  before  he  would  surrender. 

In  1792,  he  removed  to  Mason  county,  and  settled  on  his  farm,  on  Mill  creek, 
where  he  resided  till  his  death.  He  was  twice  shot  at  by  the  Indians,  near  his 
own  house,  and  had  his  horses  stolen  out  of  his  stable.  He  was  an  active  and 
resolute  woodsman,  and  was  one  of  almost  every  party  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy. 
He  was  a  scientific  and  practical  surveyor,  and  for  many  years  a  member  of  the 
bench  of  magistrates  for  the  county.  His  tastes,  however,  were  decidedly  mili- 
tary ;  and,  as  an  officer  of  the  militia,  he  took  great  pride  in  their  drill  and  disci- 
pline. In  1813,  when  Col.  R.  M.  Johnson  raised  his  regiment  of  mounted  rifle- 
men, for  service  in  the  north-west,  he  received  the  appointment  of  major  com- 
niandinor  the  first  battalion;  and,  on  the  10th  of  October  of  that  year,  at  the  battle 
of  the  Thames,  he,  at  the  head  of  his  battalion,  charged  through  the  British  line, 
and.  after  the  surrender,  by  special  order  from  the  general-in-chief,  led  in  pursuit 
of  Proctor.  Mounted  on  a  splendid  charger,  with  Capt.  (now  Colonel)  Todd,  Maj. 
Wood,  and  John  Chambers,  Esq.,  one  of  Gen.  Harrison's  volunteer  aids,  close 
behind  him,  he  dashed  off  with  the  battalion  at  his  heels, — which,  however,  was 
soon  left  far  in  their  rear, — and  did  not  rein  up  till  they  had  gone  ten  miles  be- 
yond the  battle-field.  The  pursuit  was  so  hot,  that  Gen.  Proctor  was  forced  to 
abandon  his  carriao-e  and   take  refuse  in  the  swamp,  leavinof  all  his  bagroraore  and 

o  r5  I    '  r^  GOO 

his  papers,  public  and  private,  which  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  victors.  In  the 
report  of  this  battle,  it  is  stated  that  "  Maj.  Devall  Payne,  of  the  first  battalion, 
inspired  confidence  wherever  he  appeared." 

John  Chambers,  Esq.,  one  of  those  who  followed  Maj.  Payne  in  tnis  daring 
pursuit,  was,  for  many  years  afterwards,  a  leading  lawyer  of  the  Mason  bar;  fre- 


444  MASON  COUNTY. 

quently  a  member  of  tlie  legislature  and  of  congress;  and,  lately,  distinguished 
as  the  able  and  efficient  governor  of  Iowa. 

After  this  campaign,  Col.  Payne  retired  to  private  life.  He  was  extremely 
popular  in  his  count)' — was,  for  a  long  series  of  years,  a  member  of  the  lower 
house,  and,  for  eight  years,  in  the  senate,  of  the  Kentucky  legislature,  where  he 
was  distinguished  for  his  strong  common  sense  and  practical  view  of  legislation; 
and  was  always  elected,  when  he  would  consent  to  serve.  He  was  a  member  of 
every  electoral  college  from  the  time  of  Jefferson  till  his  death,  except  the  one 
which  cast  its  vote  for  Jackson.  A  democrat  of  the  Jeffersonian  school,  he  was 
associated  with  Hughes,  George  Nicholas,  John  Breckenridge,  Judge  Coburn, 
Gen.  Bodley,  and  other  leading  men  of  the  olden  time  in  Kentucky  ;  and,  in  his 
political  course,  was  firm  and  inflexible  in  his  own  principles,  yet  tolerant  of  the 
opinions  of  those  opposed  to  him. 

Affectionate,  tender  and  assiduous  as  a  husband  and  father,  he  was  benevolent 
and  gentle  in  all  his  social  relations.  He  was  bold,  resolute,  and  perfectly  hon- 
orable in  his  purposes  ;  fearless  and  ready  in  the  discharge  of  all  his  duties. 
Tall  and  erect,  with  fine  symmetry  of  form,  a  lofty  brow,  dark  and  piercing  eyes, 
and  a  Roman  contour  of  face,  his  personal  appearance  was  very  commanding. 

He  died  on  the  25th  of  June,  1830,  having  been  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church 
for  about  two  years  before  his  death. 

Judge  John  Coburn  was  a  native  of  Philadelphia,  where  he  received  an  excel- 
lent education,  and  was  bred  to  the  bar.  In  1784,  under  the  advice  of  the  distin- 
guished Luther  Martin,  Esq.,  of  Baltimore,  who  cherished  a  deep  interest  for  him, 
young  Coburn  emigrated  to  Kentucky.  Abandoning  the  profession  to  which  he 
had  been  reared,  however,  he  located  himself  in  Lexington,  and  commenced  the 
mercantile  business,  which  was  at  that  time  very  lucrative.  In  August,  1786,  he 
married  Miss  Mary  Moss,  of  Fayette  county.  lie  seems  to  have  been  successful 
in  mercantile  operations,  and  remained  in  Lexington  till  about  the  year  1794,  when 
he  removed  to  Mason  county  ;  and,  in  partnership  with  Dr.  Basil  Duke,  continued 
his  mercantile  pursuits.  Shortly  afterwards,  he  was  appointed  judge  of  the  dis- 
trict court  of  Mason  ;  and,  upon  the  reorganization  of  the  courts,  became  a  judge 
of  the  circuit  court,  which  office  he  held  till  the  year  1805. 

He  was  appointed,  by  Mr.  Jefferson,  judge  of  the  territory  of  Michigan,  which 
office  he  declined,  and  was  subsequently  appointed  to  the  judgeship  of  the  terri- 
tory of  Orleans,  and  held  his  courts  in  St.  Louis.  This  office  he  resigned  in 
1809,  and  was  afterwards  appointed,  by  Mr.  Madison,  during  the  late  war,  col- 
lector of  the  revenue  for  the  fourth  district  of  Kentucky.  This  office,  which  he 
held  for  several  years,  was  his  last  public  employment. 

Judge  Coburn  was  a  man  of  most  decided  political  principles,  and  stood  high 
in  the  confidence  of  the  democratic  party.  As  early  as  1785, — a  few  months  after 
his  arrival  in  the  State, — he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  convention,  called  at 
Danville  in  that  year,  to  take  preliminary  steps  to  procure  the  admission  of  Ken- 
tucky into  the  Union,  and  for  other  purposes.  In  1796,  he  was  appointed  a  com- 
missioner, in  conjunction  with  Robert  Johnson,  to  run  and  settle  the  boundary  line 
between  Virginia  and  Kentucky,  upon  which  subject  he  made  a  very  able  report. 
Upon  its  being  intimated  to  the  citizens  of  St.  Louis  that  Judge  Coburn  intended 
to  resign  his  office  as  judge  of  the  Orleans  territory,  they  addressed  him  a  peti- 
tion complimentary  of  his  "talents,  industry,  and  conciliating  manners,"  and 
urging  him  to  relinquish  the  idea  of  resigning  his  office. 

In  1813,  Governor  Shelby  wrote  him  an  urgent  invitation  to  accompany  him 
and  become  a  member  of  his  military  family,  which  was  accepted  by  the  judge, 
although  he  held  that  post  for  only  a  short  period. 

To  the  able  and  indefatigable  efforts  of  Judge  Coburn  is  to  be  attributed,  in  a 
greit  degree,  the  act  of  Congress  appropriating  one  thousand  acres  of  land  to  Col. 
Daniel  Boone.  The  judge  was  an  ardent  friend  of  the  old  pioneer,  and  address- 
ed to  Congress  some  powerful  appeals  in  his  behalf. 

Judge  Coburn  never  practised  law,  although  he  took  out  license  in  1788.  He 
was  one  of  the  most  indefatigable,  efficient  and  accomplished  political  writers  of 
his  day,  and  was  in  close  correspondence  and  intimate  relationship  with  the  lead- 
ing democratic  statesmen  of  Kentucky.  So  high  an  estimate  was  placed  upon 
his  ability,  that,  as  early  as  1800,  he  was  spoken  of  in  connection  with  the  ex- 


AARON  H.  CORWINE.  445 

alted  station  of  senator  in  the  congress  of  the  United  States;  but  he  declined  his 
pretensions  to  tliat  office  in  favor  of  his  friend,  the  distinguished  John  Breckin- 
ridge, who  was  elected  to  the  senate  at  the  succeeding  session  of  the  legislature. 
Judge  Coburn  died  in  February,  1823,  aged  about  sixty  years. 

Aaron  H.  Corwine,  a  portrait  painter  of  much  character,  was  born  on  the  31st 
day  of  August,  1802,  at  his  father's  farm,  on  what  is  called  Jersey  Ridge,  in  Ma- 
son county,  Kentucky.  His  father,  Amos  Corwine,  emigrated  to  Kentucky  from 
Huntington  county.  New  Jersey,  at  a  very  early  day,  and  settled  in  Mason  county, 
where  he  resided  until  the  period  of  his  death.  About  the  same  time,  the  father  of 
Thomas  Corwin,  late  governor  of  Ohio,  and  now  a  member  of  the  United  States' 
senate  from  that  State,  removed  with  his  family  from  the  same  State,  and  settled 
in  Mason  county,  near  Mayslick.  Preferring,  however,  to  go  further  into  the  in- 
terior of  Kentucky,  he  moved  with  his  family  to  Bourbon  county,  where  Thomas 
Corwin  was  born.  Aaron  H.  Corwine  was  the  youngest  son,  and  early  evinced 
a  genius  in  drawing  and  sketching.  It  is  said  that  in  his  tenth  year,  so  fond  was 
he  of  drawing,  he  marked  and  scored  his  father's  board  fences  and  barn  with  gro- 
tesque figures  of  men,  beasts  and  fowls.  So  faithful  and  striking  were  some  of 
these  figures  as  likenesses,  they  attracted  his  father's  attention,  and  induced  him 
to  inquire  which  one  of  his  boys  had  drawn  them.  Before  then,  young  Aaron 
was  a  ploughboy,  for  which  he  never  showed  much  taste,  and  had  scarcely  been 
off  of  the  farm.  His  father  determined  to  give  him  an  opportunity  to  pursue  the 
inclination  of  his  mind;  and,  after  bestowing  upon  him  as  good  an  education  as 
could  be  acquired,  at  that  early  day,  in  Kentucky,  in  a  country  school,  he  placed 
him  with  a  portrait  painter  then  located  in  Maysville,  whose  name  was  Turner. 
But  he  did  not  remain  with  him  long.  He  soon  mastered  all  that  Mr.  Turner 
knew,  and,  by  the  advice  of  that  good  man,  he  was  induced  to  seek  other  sources 
of  instruction,  and  a  wider  field  in  which  to  pursue  his  profession.  Cincinnati 
was  then  the  largest  town  in  the  west,  and  even  at  that  early  day  was  famed  for 
the  fostering  care  her  wealthier  citizens  extended  to  young  artists.  Whilst  he 
was  yet  in  his  teens,  young  Corwine  sought  a  home  in  the  Queen  City.  Like  the 
majority  of  the  children  of  genius,  he  had  but  a  scanty  proportion  of  this  world's 
goods,  when  he  reached  his  new  home;  no  knowledge,  whatever,  of  men;  and 
no  friends  whose  wealth  and  influence  could  bring  him  business,  or  make  him 
known  to  those  who  would  encourage  him  by  giving  employment  to  his  yet  im- 
mature pencil.  Nothing  daunted  at  this  gloomy  prospect,  young  Corwine  applied 
himself  assiduously  to  such  business  as  was  thrown  in  his  way,  until  his  glow- 
ing and  life-like  pictures  attracted  the  attention  and  won  the  admiration  of  those 
citizens  of  Cincinnati  who  were  able  and  willing  to  contribute  their  means,  and 
loan  their  influence,  to  lift  the  young  artist  into  notoriety  and  business.  Amongst 
these  was  Nathan  Guilford,  Esq.,  who  was  the  first  friend  of  the  young  artist  in 
that  city.  These  early  friends  never  deserted  him  ;  and  as  he  rose,  step  by  step, 
in  his  profession,  they  stood  by  him — cheering  him  with  their  smiles,  and  strength- 
ening him  with  their  counsel,  in  the  devious  and  slippery  pathway  to  fame.  By 
their  advice,  he  sought  the  instruction  of  that  master  in  his  profession,  Thomas 
Sully,  then  residing  in  Philadelphia.  After  a  few  years  spent  in  the  studio  of 
Mr.  Sully,  young  Corwine  returned  to  Cincinnati,  where  he  continued  to  ap- 
ply himself  to  his  profession  until  the  year  1828.  About  this  time  it  was  found 
that  his  close  application  to  his  easel  for  many  years,  had  seriously  impaired  his 
health.  For  the  twofold  purpose  of  improving  his  health  and  studying  the  mas- 
ters in  the  old  country,  he  departed  for  Europe.  When  he  reached  London,  he 
deposited  all  his  means  with  a  banker  of  reputed  wealth,  who  soon  after  failed, 
leaving  Corwine  in  a  strange  city,  without  means  and  wholly  destitute  of  friends, 
to  struggle  for  the  necessaries  of  life.  His  courage  and  his  genius  rose  with  the 
occasion.  He  visited  all  the  galleries  in  London,  that  were  accessible  to  one  so 
poor  and  friendless.  He  caught  the  spirit  of  the  mighty  masters,  and  soon  his 
own  canvass  was  made  to  glow  with  the  genius  and  taste  of  Italy  and  England's 
mighty  dead.  The  high-born  and  the  noble  of  England  sought  bis  rooms,  and 
the  faithful  likenesses,  the  accurate  delineations,  and  the  animated  and  life-like 
coloring  of  the  young  American,  were  appreciated,  and  he  was  rewarded  by  nu- 
merous orders  for  the  most  costly  pictures.  But  the  close  application  consequent 
upon  this  state  of  the  affairs  of  Mr.  Corwine,  was  too  much  for  his  already  en- 


446  McCRACKEN   COUNTY. 

feebled  constitution,  and  his  friends  were  pained  to  see  him  frradually  wasting 
away  under  the  influence  of  disease.  He  turned  his  face  towards  his  native  land, 
to  die  amongst  his  friends  and  in  the  aruis  of  his  kindred.  But,  alas  !  this  last 
and  dearest  hope  he  was  destined  never  to  realize.  When  he  reached  Philadel- 
phia, he  was  borne  from  the  vessel  to  his  lodgings,  and,  after  a  few  days'  strug- 
gling, died  in  that  city,  on  the  4th  day  of  July,  1830,  in  the  twenty-eighth  year 
of  his  age. 

Many  of  the  early  productions  of  Mr.  Corwine  adorn  the  parlors  of  his  Cin- 
cinnati patrons.  Had  he  lived  a  few  years  longer,  Mr.  Corwine  would  have  stood 
at  the  head  of  his  profession. 


McCRACKEN    COUNTY. 

McCracken  county  was  formed  in  1824,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Captain  Virgil  McCracken.  It  is  situated  in  the  extreme  western 
part  of  the  state,  and  lies  on  the  Ohio  and  Tennessee  rivers — 
bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Ohio  river  ;  east  by  Marshall ;  south 
by  Graves,  and  west  by  Ballard.  Tobacco  is  the  staple  of  the 
county,  but  grain  is  generally  cultivated,  and  hogs  are  exported 
in  considerable  quantities. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  McCracken  county,  147,918  ;  aver- 
age value  of  land  per  acre,  $2.28  ;  total  valuation  of  taxable  prop- 
erty in  1846,  $902,653  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  652  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen 
years  old,  861.     Population  in  1840,  4,745. 

Paducah,  the  seat  of  justice  and  only  town  of  any  size  in 
McCracken,  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  Tennessee  river,  two  hun- 
dred and  seventy-nine  miles  by  land  from  Frankfort.  It  contains 
four  churches,  three  schools,  eight  lawyers,  six  phj'sicians,  ten 
stores,  six  groceries,  three  taverns,  and  a  large  number  of  me- 
chanics' shops.  In  1830,  the  population  was  105 — in  1845,  1500 
— in  1847,  supposed  to  be  nearly  2000.  It  was  laid  out  in  1827, 
by  General  Clark,  of  St.  Louis,  and  named  after  the  celebrated 
Indian  chief  Paducah. 

There  is  a  prevailing  opinion  that  there  is  silver  ore  in 
McCracken  county,  and  considerable  time  and  money  have  been 
expended  in  searching  for  it;  hitherto,  however,  with  but  very 
partial  success.     Lead  ore,  it  is  believed,  abounds  in  the  county. 

Captain  Virgit.  McCracken,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its  name, 
was  a  native  of  Woodford  county.  His  father,  Cyrus  McCracken,  was  one  of 
the  tirst  adventurers  to  Kentucky.  In  conjunction  with  Hancock  Lee,  he  raised 
cabins  one  mile  below  where  Frankfort  stands,  and  named  it  Leestown.  Captain 
McCracken  was  an  intelligent,  patriotic  and  fearless  young  man;  and  when,  in 
1812,  war  was  declared  by  the  United  States  against  Great  Britain,  and  a  call 
made  upon  Kentucky  for  volunteers,  he  raised  a  company  of  riflemen,  and  joined 
tlie  regiment  of  the  lamented  Colonel  John  Allen.  In  the  battle  of  the  river 
Raisin,  on  the  2"2d  of  January,  1813,  he  fell  at  the  head  of  his  company,  while 
bravely  maintaining  the  honor  of  his  native  state  on  that  fatal  field. 


MEADE  COUNTY.  447 


MEADE    COUNTY. 

Meade  county  was  formed  in  1823,  and  called  for  Capt.  James 
Meade.  It  is  situated  in  the  north-west  middle  part  of  the  State, 
and  lies  on  the  Ohio  river — bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Ohio 
river ;  east  by  Bullitt ;  south  by  Hardin  and  Breckinridge,  and 
west  by  Breckinridge  and  the  Ohio  river.  The  Ohio  river  oppo- 
site Meade  makes  a  great  bend,  and  skirts  the  county  on  the  north, 
north-west  and  west  about  sixty  miles,  while  the  Rolling  fork  of 
Salt  river  forms  its  eastern  boundary.  The  face  of  the  country, 
with  the  exception  of  the  river  bottoms,  is  rolling ;  about  two- 
thirds  of  the  county  is  what  is  commonly  termed"  barrens,"  inter- 
spersed with  a  few  groves  of  fine  timber,  the  remainder  wood 
land.  The  soil  is  based  upon  clay,  with  a  limestone  foundation, 
and  is  generally  rich  and  fertile.  The  principal  productions  of 
the  county  are  hemp,  tobacco,  pork,  beef,  M'heat,  corn  and  oats. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  Meade  county,  152,719;  average 
value  per  acre,  $4.39;  total  valuation  of  taxable  property  in  the 
county  in  1846,  $1,307,740  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  1,034;  number  of  children  between  five  and 
sixteen  years  of  age,  1,360.     Population  in  1840,5,780. 

There  are  six  towns  in  the  county,  viz  : — Brandenburg,  Big 
Spring,  Concordia,  Grahampton,  Garnetsville  and  Rock  Haven. 
Brandenburg,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  situated  on  the  Ohio  river,  forty 
miles  below^  Louisville  and  ninety  miles  from  Frankfort.  It  con- 
tains a  court-house,  two  churches  (Baptist  and  Methodist),  ten 
lawyers,  seven  doctors,  ten  stores,  one  drug-store,  three  groceries, 
three  taverns,  one  steam  and  one  water  flouring  mill,  four  ware- 
houses, one  tobacco  inspection  and  eighteen  mechanics'  shops. 
Population  600.  Incorporated  in  1825,  and  named  after  Colonel 
Solomon  Brandenburg,  the  proprietor. 

Big  Sjmng  is  situated  at  the  extreme  southern  border  of  the 
county — and  contains  a  Methodist  church,  five  stores,  three  tav- 
erns and  a  number  of  mechanics'  shops — the  population  embra- 
cing about  twenty  families.  The  town  derives  its  name  from  a 
large  spring  which  bursts  from  the  earth  near  the  centre,  and 
flows  oif  two  or  three  hundred  yards  in  a  stream  of  sufficient 
size  to  tvirn  a  mill,  w^hen  it  sinks  beneath  the  surface,  and  alto- 
gether disappears.  At  this  spring,  three  counties  have  their  cor- 
ner, viz  :  Hardin,  Breckinridge  and  Meade — and  this  neat  little 
village  not  only  enjoys  the  luxury  of  an  abundant  supply  of  cold 
and  delicious  water,  but  possesses  the  rare  felicity  of  incorpora- 
ting within  its  bounds,  a  portion  of  the  territory  of  three  counties. 

Concordia  is  a  small  village,  situated  immediately  on  the  bank 
of  the  Ohio  river,  two  miles  above  Flint  Island — and  contains 
one  store,  one  doctor,  and  six  or  seven  families.  Grahampton  is 
situated  at  the  falls  of  Otter  creek,  five  miles  from  the  Ohio — 
contains  one  tavern,  two  stores,  one  Methodist  church,  one  com- 
mon school,  one  grist  mill,  a  large  cotton  and  woolen  factory, 


448  MEADE    COUNTY. 

with  twelve  power  looms  in  constant  operation,  and  three  or  four 
mechanics'  shops.  Garnetsvillc  is  three  miles  from  the  Ohio,  on 
Otter  creek,  and  contains  one  Methodist  church,  (and  there  are 
two  Baptist  churches  in  the  vicinity,)  two  doctors,  two  stores,  one 
tavern,  one  water  grist  and  saw  mill,  and  five  mechanics'  shops. 
Rock-Haven  is  situated  at  the  Narrows,  on  the  Ohio  river,  and 
contains  two  stores  and  groceries,  and  several  mechanical  trades. 

There  are  several  caves  in  Meade  county,  but  they  have  not  been  explored  to 
any  extent.  In  some  of  these  human  bones  have  been  discovered  of  an  extraor- 
dinary size.  A  skull  bone,  sufficiently  large  to  encase  the  head  of  a  living  man 
of  ordinary  size,  was  found  in  a  cave  on  the  lands  of  Captain  Nathan  1).  An- 
derson, near  Brandenburg. 

There  are  several  "  Knobs"  and  "  Groves  "  in  Meade  county,  which  are  places 
of  considerable  notoriety,  viz  : — The  Indian  Hill,  on  Otter  creek  ;  Jennie's  Knob  ; 
Bee  Knob:  Buck  Grove;  Jackey's  Grove;  Hill  Grove;  Indian  Grove,  and 
Hogback  Grove.  These  places  lie  very  nearly  in  a  range  a  few  miles  back  or 
south  of  the  Ohio,  and  stretch  from  the  mouth  of  Salt  river  to  the  mouth  of  Sink- 
ing creek,  a  distance  of  forty  miles  by  land  and  about  eighty  rniles  by  the  river. 
These  knobs  and  groves  being  well  known  to  many  individuals  before  the  settle- 
ment of  the  county,  especially  to  the  spies,  they  became  points  of  observation, 
with  the  view  of  detecting  the  approach  of  Indians,  and  giving  the  alarm  to  the 
settlements  in  Hardin  county.*  The  spies  sent  out  from  these  settlements,  were 
directed  to  traverse  the  country  lying  between  Salt  river  and  Sinking  creek,  these 
"  knobs  "  and  "  groves  "  serving  as  places  of  observation,  and  giving  direction 
to  their  course  ;  and  thereby  they  were  enabled  to  discover  the  trails  of  the  Indi- 
ans as  soon  as  they  crossed  the  Ohio  river,  on  their  route  to  attack  the  settlements. 
In  this  way,  the  Indians  were  generally  discovered  and  routed,  and  the  settle- 
ments protected  from  their  incursions. 

The  Indians  that  harassed  these  settlements  were  in  the  habit,  uniformly,  of 
crossing  the  Ohio  river  between  the  points  before  named.  On  one  occasion,  they 
were  discovered  after  they  had  got  some  miles  into  the  country,  and  pursued  back 
to  the  river  at  the  point  where  Brandenburg  is  now  situated.  They  had  secreted 
their  bark  canoes  at  the  mouth  of  a  small  creek,  and  when  the  pursuing  whites 
reached  the  river,  the  Indians  were  just  landing  on  the  opposite  shore.  One 
Indian  was  seen  standing  erect  in  a  skiff,  having  on  a  red  coal,  when  some  one 
of  the  party  exclaimed,  "down  with  the  red  coat."  Joe  Logston,  a  noted  Indian 
fighter  at  that  time,  instantly  elevated  his  rifle,  and  fired  at  the  red  Indian.  He 
fell  forward  into  the  river,  causing  quite  a  splashing  of  the  water  around  him, 
and  as  he  was  not  seen  to  rise  again,  the  inference  was  irresistible  that  Joe's  bul- 
let had  proved  fatal. j 

This  county  received  its  name  in  honor  of  Captain  James  Meade,  a  native  of 
Woodford  county,  Kentucky.  Captain  Meade,  when  quite  a  youth,  volunteered 
his  services  under  the  lamented  Colonel  Joseph  H.  Daviess,  in  the  Wabash  expe- 
dition, and  fought  side  by  side  with  that  gallant  officer  in  the  battle  of  Tippeca- 
noe. For  his  bravery  on  this  occasion,  combined  with  his  intelligence  and  mili- 
tary qualifications,  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain  in  the  regular  service. 
In  1813,  at  the  battle  of  the  river  Raisin,  where  so  many  of  the  gallant  3'oung 
men  of  Kentucky  found  a  bloody  grave,  the  company  of  Captain  Meade  com- 
posed a  part  of  the  regular  force.  He  occupied  a  very  exposed  position,  and  fell 
at  the  head  of  his  company,  while  gallantly  leading  them  on,  early  in  the  action. 

*  These  settlements  comprised  several  stations  and  many  highly  resju'ctahle  families — among 
them,  the  Hynes,  the  Helms,  the  Rawlings,  the  Millers,  the  Ventrees,  the  Vanmatres,  the  Harts,  the 
Fairleiglis,  the  Larues,  the  llodgens,  &c.,  &.C.,  and  extended  into  what  is  now  Larue  county. 

tThis  individual  was  no  doubt  Big  Joe  Logston.  See  an  account  of  his  rencounter  with  two 
Indians  under  the  head  of  Greene  county. 


MERCER  COUNTY.  449 


MERCER    COUNTY. 

Mercer  county  is  one  of  the  nine  counties  formed  by  Virginia 
in  1786,  and  received  its  name  in  honor  of  General  Hugh  Mercer. 
It  is  situated  near  the  centre  of  the  State,  on  the  waters  of  the 
Kentucky  river — bounded  on  the  north  by  Anderson,  on  the  east 
by  Woodford,  Jessamine  and  Garrard,  on  the  south  by  Boyle,  and 
on  the  west  by  Washington.  The  surface  is  undulating,  and  the 
land  generally  of  a  good  quality — some  portions  very  rich,  and 
the  whole  finely  watered.  Mercer  is  a  heavy  grain  growing  and 
stock  raising  county,  and  before  Boyle  county  was  stricken  from 
it,  produced  a  much  larger  quantity  of  corn  than  any  other  county 
in  the  State.  In  1840,  Mercer  gathered  3,397,406  bushels  of  corn, 
while  Harrison,  the  next  highest  on  the  list,  gathered  1,716,484 
bushels.  This  county,  being  settled  at  the  very  earliest  period 
of  the  history  of  Kentucky,  has  been  finely  improved ;  and  the 
population,  consisting  principally  of  the  descendants  of  pioneer 
families,  are  generally  in  independent  circumstances,  well  edu- 
cated and  intelligent. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  reported  in  Mercer,  153,923  ;  average 
value  of  land  per  acre,  $14.32  ;  valuation  of  taxable  property  in 
1846,  $4,026,469;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  2,027  ;  number  of  children  between  the  ages  of  five  and 
sixteen  years,  2,037.     Population  in  1840, 12,353. 

The  towns  of  Mercer  consist  of  Harrodsburg,  the  seat  of  jus- 
tice, Pleasant  Hill,  Salvisa,  Lucto,  Cornishville,  and  Oregon. 

Harrodsburg  is  situated  on  a  commanding  eminence,  thirty 
miles  from  Frankfort,  eight  miles  from  the  Kentucky  river,  one 
mile  from  Salt  river,  and  near  the  geographical  centre  of  the 
State.*  Contains  a  court-house,  five  churches,  (Methodist,  Pres- 
byterian, Baptist,  Christian,  and  African),  one  college,  two  fe- 
male academies,  one  male  seminary,  ten  lawyers,  ten  physicians, 
five  taverns,  eighteen  dry  goods  stores  and  groceries,  two  book 
and  drug  stores,  one  printing  ofiice,  two  hemp  factories,  two  wool 
carding  establishments,  and  forty-five  mechanics'  shops,  embrac- 
ing all  the  industrial  trades — population  1,700.  Named  after  the 
Harrod  family. 

The  Harrodsburg  Springs,  one  of  the  most  fashionable  watering  places  in  the 
State,  have  become  deservedly  celebrated  for  the  medicinal  virtue  of  the  vi'ater,"}" 
and  as  a  delightful  summer  resort,  both  to  the  votaries  of  health  and  pleasure. 
Dr.  Christopher  Graham,  the  amiable,  enterprising  and  intelligent  proprietor,  has 
spared  no  pains  or  expense  in  the  preparation  of  accommodations  for  visitors,  the 
improvements  having  already  cost  about  $300,000.     The  main  hotel  is  one  of  the 

*  The  history  of  its  ssettlement  will  be  found  in  the  succeeding  pages,  for  which  we  are  in- 
debted to  General  R.  B.  McAfee. 

t  Dr.  Drake,  in  the  Western  Journal  of  Medical  and  Physical  Sciences,  gives  the  following:  analy- 
sis of  the  water  in  one  of  the  sprinsjs  :  1.  Sulphate  of  magnesia, in  large  quantities;  2.  Carbonate  of 
magnesia,  in  small  quantities  ;  3.  Sulpliate  of  soda,  do.:  4.  Sulphate  of  lime,  do.;  5.  Carbonate  of 
hme,  in  minute  do.:  (i.  Iron,  do:  7.  A  minute  quantity  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen.  There  are  seven 
or  eight  springs  at  Harrodsburg.  which  vary  somewliat  in  the  character  of  their  waters.  The  Ep- 
som closely  resembles  llial  of  the  celebrated  Seidlitz  Springs,  of  Bohemia. 

29 


450 


MERCER  COUNTY. 


finest  and  most  commodious  buildings  in  the  west,  and  the  surrounding  cottages 
are  admirably  arranged,  alike  to  promote  the  comfort  and  convenience  of  the  oc- 
cupants. The  grounds  are  elevated  and  extensive;  adorned  with  every  variety 
of  shrubbery  grown  in  America,  interspersed  with  some  of  the  most  beautiful 
and  rare  exotics  from  Europe  and  Asia,  and  traversed  by  wide  gravel  walks,  in- 
tersecting and  crossing  each  other  in  every  direction.  A  small  and  beautiful 
lake,  three  hundred  yards  long,  one  hundred  yards  in  width,  and  fifteen  feet  deep, 
lately  excavated,  is  well  stored  with  fish  of  the  finest  flavor,  and  its  glassy  sur- 
face enlivened  by  the  presence  of  many  wild  and  tame  water-fowls. 


HVr-ON    COLLEGE,     HARRODSBLRGII,    KY. 


Bacon  College,*  located  in  Harrodsburg,  under  the  care  of  the  Christian 
body,  is  a  flourishing  institution,  with  some  eighty  or  one  hundred  students.  It 
was  founded  in  183G.  The  Rev.  James  Shannon  is  president,  assisted  by  four 
professors.  The  library  contains  fifteen  hundred  volumes.  Commencement  on 
the  last  Friday  in  September. 

There  are  also  in  Harrodsburg,  two  flourishing  Female  Seminaries — one  under 
the  management  of  Mr.  Mullens,  of  the  Cliristian  church,  containing  sixty  or 
seventy  scholars  ;  and  the  other  under  the  care  of  the  Rev.  John  Montgomery, 
of  the  Presbyterian  church,  with  from  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  twenty 
students. 


*  For  a  more  full  account  of  Bacon  College,  see  article  headed  "  Christian  Church." 


MAIN     HOUSE     AT     SHAKER     VILLAGE,     KY. 


PICTURESQL'E   SCENERY.  451 

Pleasant  Hill,  or  Union  Village,  is  a  small  village  of  rare  beauty 
and  neatness,  situated  on  a  commanding  eminence,  about  one 
mile  from  the  Kentucky  river,  and  seven  miles  from  Harrodsburg. 
It  belongs  exclusively  to  that  orderly  and  industrious  society 
called  Shakers,  and  contains  between  three  and  four  hundred  in- 
habitants, divided  into  families  of  from  sixty  to  eighty  each. 
Their  main  edifice  is  a  large,  handsome  and  costly  structure, 
built  of  Kentucky  marble  ;  the  others,  generally,  are  built  of 
brick,  and  all  admirably  arranged  for  comfort  and  convenience. 
The  internal  and  external  arrangement  and  neatness  of  their 
dwellings — the  beauty  and  luxuriance  of  their  gardens  and  fields 
—the  method  and  economy  displayed  in  their  manufacturing  and 
mechanical  establishments — their  orderly  and  flourishing  schools 
— their  sleek  and  well  fed  stock,  are  all  characteristic  of  this 
singular  people,  and  evidence  a  high  degree  of  comfort  and  pros- 
perity. Every  important  family  arrangement  is  governed  by  the 
clock,  and  moves  on  with  the  harmony  and  regularity  of  clock-work, 

in  BEAUTIFUL  ORDER. 

Salvisa  is  a  handsome  village  on  the  turnpike  road  from  Frank- 
fort to  Harrodsburg,  eleven  miles  from  the  latter  place — contains 
four  churches,*  (Presbyterian,  Christian,  Baptist  and  Methodist), 
an  excellent  school,  three  physicians,  four  stores,  one  tavern,  one 
^voolen  factory,  and  eight  or  ten  mechanics'  shops — population, 
130.  Laid  out  by  general  McAfee  in  1816.  Lucto  and  Cornishville 
are  small  places  on  Salt  river,  and  Chapline  has  a  post-office,  mill 
and  two  stores.  Oregon  is  a  new  village  on  the  Kentuck}"  river, 
at  the  head  of  slack  water  navigation,  and  promises  to  be  a  place 
of  considerable  trade.  Seven  or  eight  thousand  hogs  were  slaugh- 
tered there  in  1846. 

The  scenery  on  the  Kentucky  and  Dick's  rivers,  is  among  the  grandest  and  most 
picturesque  in  the  United  States.  Next  to  the  highlands  of  the  Hudson,  it  is 
probably  unequalled  for  its  imposing  effect.  Those  towering  cliffs,  rising  in  per- 
pendicular walls  for  many  hundred  feet  above  the  beach,  variegated  by  marble 
strata  of  every  conceivable  thickness  and  color,  overpower  the  beholder  with  a 
sense  of  Nature's  majesty.  They  look  like  the  battlements  of  a  world,  standing 
there  so  stern  and  erect  in  their  massive  proportions,  and  as  we  gaze  upon  their 
bald  fronts,  against  which  the  storms  of  ages  have  beaten,  we  can  almost  realize 
the  fable  of  the  Titans,  and  suppose  they  have  been  thrown  up  in  some  long-for- 
gotten battle  of  the  gods. 

An  incident  occurred  at  Shaker  ferry  in  1845,  nearly  opposite  the  most  elevated 
of  these  cliffs,  which  shows  that  men  sometimes  bear  a  charmed  life.  A  stran- 
ger from  Connecticut,  believed  to  be  an  artist,  was  seen  in  the  neighborhood  for 
several  days — his  object  unknown.  A  short  time  before  the  hour  of  dinner,  in 
the  month  of  June  or  July,  while  the  occupant  of  a  little  cabin  on  the  left  bank 
of  the  river  was  engaged  in  his  corn  field  on  the  bottom  immediately  opposite  the 
ferry,  his  attention  was  attracted  by  a  rattling  noise  above  him,  and  looking  up, 
he  saw  a  man  falling  down  the  fearful  precipice — now  touching  and  grasping  at 
a  twig,  now  at  a  root,  without  being  able  to  arrest  his  descent.  He  finally  lodged 
in  the  top  of  a  small  buckeye  tree,  about  fifty  feet  above  the  general  level  of  the 
bottom.  The  total  distance  of  the  fall  was  one  hundred  and  seventy  feet;  and 
from  the  last  point  at  which  he  touched  the  rock  to  the  top  of  the  tree,  was  forty- 
five  feet.     The  next  day  he  was  walking  about,  apparently  but  little  injured. 

*  There  are  but  few  towns  in  the  United  States,  it  is  believed,  with  so  small  a  population, 
which  contains  so  many  places  of  religious  worship. 


452  MERCER  COUNTY. 

Ancient  Towns  and  Fortifications. — There  are  two  of  these  in  Mercer  county 
both  on  Salt  river,  one  about  four  miles  above  Harrodsburg,  containing  ditches 
and  a  rnound  some  ten  or  twelve  feet  high,  filled  with  human  bones  and  broken 
pieces  of  crockery  ware.  On  one  side  of  the  mound  a  hickory  tree  about  two 
feet  in  diameter  grew,  and  was  blown  up  by  its  roots,  making  a  hole  some 
three  or  four  feet  deep.  Its  lower  roots  drew  up  a  large  piece  of  crockery  ware, 
which  had  been  on  some  fire  coals — the  handle  was  attached  to  it,  and  human 
hair  lay  by  the  coals.  This  was  probably  a  place  of  human  sacrifice.  The  other 
ruins  are  about  a  mile  and  a  half  above,  both  being  on  the  west  side  of  the 
river.  There  is  no  mound  near  this,  but  only  the  remains  of  earth  dug  out  of  the 
ditches.     Each  place  is  of  quadrangular  form. 

There  are  also  remains  of  ancient  Indian  villages  on  and  near  Salt  river,  and 
close  by  petrified  muscle  shells,  conglomerated  into  large  lumps  of  rocks,  exist; 
and  generally  some  two  feet  of  soil  covers  them,  showing  many  years  of  abandon- 
ment. One  of  these  is  on  General  R.  B.  McAfee's  plantation,  four  miles  north- 
west of  Harrodsburg,  near  a  large  cave  spring. 

Colonel  Daniel  Boone  spent  the  winter  of  1769-70,  in  a  cave,  on  the  waters 
of  Shawanee,  in  Mercer  county.  A  tree  marked  with  his  name,  is  yet  standing 
near  the  head  of  the  cave. 

The  settlements  in  Mercer  county  commenced  in  March,  1775,  and  gradually 
increased  till  1779,  when  the  commissioners  to  grant  land  titles  met  in  Harrods- 
burg. A  flood  of  emigrants  succeeded,  and  the  number  was  more  than  doubled 
the  succeeding  three  years.  Among  the  emigrants  previous  to  the  year  1786, 
are  found  the  names  of  Harrod,  Ray,  McAfee,  McGary,  Denton,  Hogan,  Thomp- 
son, Adams,  Curry,  Wood,  Haggin,  McBride,  Mosby,  Smith,  Armstrong,  Bu- 
chanan, Cowan,  Field,  Jordan,  McCoun,  Moore,  Prather,  Wilson,  Irvine,  Cald- 
well, Rice  and  Harbison.  The  first  county  court  met  in  Harrodsburg  on  Tues- 
day, August  — ,  1786,  and  appointed  Thomas  Allin,  who  had  served  in  the  staff 
of  General  Greene  in  his  southern  campaigns  during  the  latter  years  of  the  rev- 
olutionary war,  its  first  clerk.  Justices  of  the  peace  present:  John  Cowan, 
Hugh  McGary,  Gabriel  Madison,  Alexander  Robertson,  Samuel  Scott,  Samuel 
McAfee,  John  Irvine  and  Samuel  McDowell,  Senior. 

Harrodsburg  has  the  honor  of  being  the  first  settled  place  in  the  state  of  Ken- 
tucky.* In  July,  1773,  the  McAfee  company,  from  Bottetourt  county,  Virginia, 
visited  this  region,  and  surveyed  lands  on  Salt  river,  from  the  mouth  of  Ham- 
mond's creek  to  a  point  two  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  town  branch.  Captain 
James  Harrod,  with  forty-one  men,  descended  the  Ohio  river  from  the  Monon- 
gahela  country  in  May,  1774,  and  penetrating  the  intervening  forest,  made  his 
principal  camp  about  one  hundred  yards  below  the  town  spring,  (which  is  a  very 
fine  one,)  under  the  branches  of  a  spreading  elm  tree,  which  is  now  standing  in 
full  vigor.  Here  he  held  his  nightly  councils,  and  explored  the  surrounding 
country,  during  which  time  Captain  Alexander  Chapline,  one  of  his  men,  dis- 
covered Chapline's  fork  of  this  river,  which  yet  bears  his  name.  About  the  mid- 
dle of  June,  Captain  Harrod  and  his  company  agreed  to  lay  off  a  town,  inclu- 
ding their  camp,  and  extending  down  and  south  of  the  town  V ranch;  and  pro- 
ceeded to  erect  a  number  of  cabins  on  their  respective  lots  of  one  half  acre,  and 
a  five  acre  out-lot.  The  town  thus  laid  off  received  the  name  of  Harroclstown  ; 
subsequently  it  was  called  Ohltoivn — and,  finally,  its  present  name  of  Harrnds- 
burg.  The  first  corn  raised  in  Kentucky  was  in  1775,  by  John  Harman,  in  a  field 
at  the  cast  end  of  Harrodsburg.  Here  Colonel  Boone  found  them  on  his  way  to 
the  falls  of  Ohio,  being  sent  out  by  Governor  Dunmore  to  warn  the  surve)'ors  in 
that  region  that  the  northern  Indians  had  become  hostile,  which  eventuated  in 
General  Lewis'  battle  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kenawha.  October  10th,  1774.  Har- 
rod and  his  company  remained  at  his  town  until  about  the  20th  of  July,  when 
three  or  four  of  his  men  having  discovered  a  large  spring  about  three  miles  below 
their  town,  which  was  called  Fonfainhkau,  stopped  to  rest  about  noon.  The 
Indians  fired  on  tliem,  and  killed  James  Cowan,  who  was  engaged  at  the  time 
drying  his  papers  in  the  sun,  which  had  got  wet  from  a  heavy  rain  in  the  morn- 

*So  says  General  R.  B.  McAfee,  in  a  letter  to  the  author,  and  he  is  not  disposed  to  controvert  the 
statement,  although  it  has  been  questioned  by  others. 


EARLY  ADVENTURERS  TO  KENTUCKY.  453 

ing.  The  others  dispersed.  Two  of  them,  Jacob  Sandusky  and  another,  taking 
the  trail  to  the  falls  of  Ohio,  descended  that  river  and  the  Mississippi  in  a  bark 
canoe,  and  went  round  to  Philadelphia  by  sea.  The  other  got  back  to  Harrod's 
camp  and  gave  the  alarm.  Captain  Harrod  raised  a  company  of  his  men  and 
went  down  and  buried  Cowan,  and  secured  his  papers,  which  they  found  very 
much  scattered ;   when  they  returned  to  their  camp. 

On  the  11th  of  March  of  the  succeeding  year,  1775,  the  McAfee  company 
returned  to  Salt  river  to  renew  their  improvements — cleared  two  acres  of  ground, 
and  planted  peach  stones  and  apple  seeds  at  what  was  afterwards  known  as 
McAfee's  station  on  Salt  river,  about  one-fourth  of  a  mile  above  what  is  now 
known  as  Providence  church.  Four  days  after  their  arrival,  Captain  Harrod  and 
a  greater  part  of  the  men  who  had  been  with  him  the  year  before,  passed  them 
on  their  way  to  Harrodsburg,  then  called  Harrodstown,  and  reached  there  on  the 
same  day,  March  15,  1775.  The  McAfee  company  started  home  the  11th  of  April, 
and  let"t  two  of  their  men,  John  Higrgins  and  Swein  Poulson,  with  Captain  Har- 
rod, to  notify  other  companies  not  to  intrude  on  their  lands.  Harrodsburg  was 
always  occupied   afterwards.     On  the  8th  day  of  September  following.  Captain 

Hugh  McGary,  Thomas  Denton  and  Hogan  with  their  wives,  arrived   at 

Harrodsburg,  having  traveled  as  far  as  the  Hazle  patch  with  Colonel  Daniel 
Boone  and  his  family,  on  his  way  to  Boonsborough.  We  have  been  thus  par- 
ticular, as  some  dispute  has  grown  out  of  this  matter  between  Harrodsburg  and 
Boonsborough.  When  the  whole  State  was  known  as  Kentucky  county,  the 
first  court  ever  held  in  the  State,  convened  in  Harrodsburg  on  the  second  day  of 
Septem.ber,  1777,  at  which  time  its  population,  taken  by  Captain  John  Cowan, 
was  198,  as  follows: 

Men  in  service,    81 

Do.   not  in  service, 4 

Women, 24 

Children  over  ten  years, 12 

Children  under  ten  years, 58 

Slaves  above  ten  years, 12 

Do.     under  ten  years, 7 

Total, 198 

In  the  years  1771-2,  the  sons  of  James  McAfee,  sen.,  fired  by  the  glowing  de- 
scription of  the  beauty  and  fertility  of  Kentucky,  and  particularly  of  this  region, 
as  given  by  Dr.  Walker  and  others,  determined  to  visit  it  in  search  of  a  new 
home.  Accordingly,  after  holding  a  family  council,  it  was  resolved  that  James, 
George,  and  Robert  McAfee,  James  McCoun,  jr.,  (the  brother-in-law  of  Robert 
McAfee),  and  Samuel  Adams,  a  youth  of  eighteen  years,  and  a  cousin  of  James 
McCoun,  should  constitute  the  company.  They  departed  from  their  homes,  in 
Bottetourt  county,  Virginia,  on  the  10th  of  May,  1773,  and.  proceeding  across  the 
mountains,  struck  the  Kanawha  river  about  four  miles  above  the  mouth  of  Elk 
river,  and  from  this  point  sent  back  their  horses  by  two  boys,  (John  McCoun  and 
James  Pawling),  who  had  accompanied  them  for  the  purpose.  Here  they  con- 
structed two  canoes,  and,  on  the  28th  of  MaVi  descended  the  Kanawha — meeting, 
in  their  descent,  by  previous  arrangement,  Hancock  Taylor  and  his  company  of 
surveyors,  and  finding  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  which  thej'  reached  on  the  1st 
of  June,  Capt.  Bullitt  and  his  company.*  The  three  parties  proceeded  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Kanawha,  down  the  Ohio,  in  company,  and,  on  the  22d  of  June, 
arrived  at  the  mouth  of  Limestone  creek,  where  Maysville  now  stands.  On  the 
24th,  the  boats  were  shoved  off.  and  the  party  continued  to  descend  the  river, 
while  Robert  McAfee  made  an  excursion  through  the  contiguous  country.  Pass- 
ing up  Limestone  creek  to  its  source,  he  struck  across  the  dividing  ridge,  to  the 

*Capt.  BiilliU  left  his  companions  at  this  place,  and  went  alone,  through  the  woods,  to  the  Indian 
town  at  Old  Cliillicothe.  He  arrived  in  the  midst  of  the  town  undiscoveri'd  by  the  Indians,  until  seen 
■waving  his  white  handkerchief  as  a  token  of  peace.  The  Indians  were,  very  naturally,  startled — 
but  the  intrepidity,  courage,  and  fine  address  of  Bullitt,  disarmed  their  hostility.  He  held  a  friendly 
conversation  with  them — attended  a  council — assured  tliCTU  of  the  iViendly  disposition  of  the  whites, 
who  were  sohcitous.  in  return,  of  the  good  will  of  the  Indians — spoke  of  the  lands  he  was  about  to 
settle — promised  them  presents — and,  leaving  them  in  good  humor,  rejoined  his  company  at  the  moolh 
of  the  Sciota 


454  MERCER  COUNTY. 

waters  of  the  north  fork  of  Licking,  and  proceeded  down  that  stream  some  twenty 
or  twenty-five  miles,  and  then  directed  his  course  over  the  hills  of  the  present 
county  of  Bracken,  to  the  Ohio  river.  When  he  reached  the  river,  he  ascertained 
that  his  company  had  passed  down.  Determined  to  follow  as  speedily  as  possi- 
ble, he  instantly  went  to  work,  and,  with  the  use  of  his  tomahawk  and  knife,  cut 
down  and  skinned  a  tree,  and  constructed  a  bark  canoe,  which  he  completed  about 
sundown  on  the  same  day  of  his  arrival.  Committing  himself  to  this  frail  craft, 
he  floated  down  the  river,  and  on  the  succeeding  day — the  27th  of  June — over- 
took his  company  at  the  mouth  of  Licking. 

The  4th  and  5th  of  July  the  company  spent  at  Big  Bone  Lick,  in  the  present 
county  of  Boone, — making  seals  and  tent  poles,  while  there,  of  the  enormous 
backbones  and  ribs  of  the  mastodon,  which  were  found  in  large  quantities  at  that 
time.  At  the  mouth  of  the  Kentucky,  the  companies  separated — Capt.  Bullitt's 
proceeding  to  the  falls  of  the  Ohio,  and  Hancock  Taylor  and  the  McAfee  com- 
pany directing  their  course  up  the  Kentucky  river.  They  ascended  the  Kentucky 
to  the  mouth  of  Drennon's  Lick  creek,  where  they  found  the  river  nearly  closed 
by  a  rocky  bar.  Here,  on  the  9th  of  July,  they  left  their  canoes,  and  went  out 
to  the  lick,  where  they  discovered  immense  numbers  of  buffalo,  elk,  deer,  wolves, 
bears,  &c.  They  continued  either  at  or  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  lick,  until  the 
15th  of  July.  While  there,  quite  a  ludicrous  and  yet  dangerous  scene  occurred. 
A  large  herd  of  buffalo  being  in  the  lick,  Samuel  Adams  was  tempted  to  fire  his 
gun  at  one  of  them,  when  the  whole  herd,  in  terrible  alarm,  ran  directly  towards 
the  spot  where  Adams  and  James  McAfee  stood.  Adams  instantly  sprang  up  a 
leaning  tree,  but  James  McAfee,  being  less  active,  was  compelled  to  take  shelter 
behind  a  tree  barely  large  enough  to  cover  his  body.  In  this  condition  the  whole 
herd  passed  them — the  horns  of  the  buffalo  scraping  off  the  bark  on  both  sides 
of  the  tree  behind  which  McAfee  was  standing,  drawn  up  to  his  smallest  dimen- 
sions. After  all  had  passed,  Adams  crawled  down,  and  McAfee  mildly  said : 
"My  good  boy,  you  must  not  venture  that  again." 

On  the  15th  of  July,  the  company  left  Drennon's  lick,  and,  on  the  succeeding 
day,  crossed  the  Kentucky  river  below  where  Frankfort  now  stands,  where  Robert 
McAfee  had  two  surveys  made,  embracing  six  hundred  acres,  and  including  Frank- 
fort bottom.  On  the  17th,  they  left  their  encampment,  and,  proceeding  up  the 
Kentucky  river,  on  the  18th  reached  the  Cave  Springs.*  Tarrying  here  two  days, 
they  continued  their  march,  in  a  westerly  direction,  to  Salt  river,  which  they 
called  Crooked  creek,  and  made  their  surveys  of  four  hundred  acres  each,  from 
the  mouth  of  Hammond's  creek,  up  Salt  river,  to  about  two  miles  above  where 
Harrodsburg  now  stands. 

The  further  history  of  the  McAfee  company  we  quote,  in  a  condensed  form, 
from  a  small  work  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Davidson: 

"On  the  31st  of  July,  they  (the  McAfee  company),  turned  their  faces  home- 
ward. They  proceeded  under  showers  of  rain,  and  suffering  various  hardships. 
When  they  reached  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  their  stock  of  provisions  failed, 
and  game  was  difficult  to  procure.  To  cross  the  mountains  proved  likewise  a 
very  laborious  undertaking,  covered  as  they  were  with  laurel,  underbrush,  and 
pine. 

"The  12th  of  August  was  a  gloomy  day  to  this  little  band.  They  had  gained 
the  highest  point  of  the  craggy  range  dividing  the  head  waters  of  the  Kentucky 
and  Clinch  rivers ;  a  region  that  seemed  the  abode  of  desolation.  Nothing  but 
barren  rocks  frowned  on  every  side,  and  silence  and  solitude  reigned  uninterrupted. 
Not  a  living  animal  was  to  be  seen,  nor  a  bird  to  cheer  them  with  its  wild  notes. 
They  were  exposed  to  a  broiling  sun;  their  feet  were  blistered  ;  and  their  legs 
were  torn  and  raw  from  the  effect  of  the  briers  ;  add  to  which,  they  were  literally 
starving,  not  having  had  a  mouthful  to  eat  for  two  days.  Such  a  combination  of 
misfortunes  was  enough  to  appal  the  stoutest  heart. 

"The  day  was  drawing  to  a  close;  the  sun  was  sinking  in  the  west,  and  gild- 
ing the  mountain's  top  with  his  last  setting  beams;  they  had  not  as  yet  seen  a 
solitary  animal  that  could  serve  for  food  ;  and  the  herbage  was  not  only  scanty 
but  unfit  for  sustenance.  To  complete  their  distress,  they  found  the  head -springs 
of  the  water-courses  dried  up  by  the  excessive  heat,  and  not  affording  a  drop  to 

•This  is  a  remarkal.le  spring,  situalni  iimler  a  rork,  on  the  road  between  Frankfort  and  Harrods- 
burg,— at  that  time  called  Cave  Spring,  but  now  known  as  Lillard's  Spring. 


HARDSHIPS   OF   THE   EARLY   SETTLERS.  455 

allay  their  thirst.  Exhausted  by  fatigue,  hunger  and  despair,  George  McAfee 
and  young  Adams  threw  themselves  on  the  ground,  declaring  themselves  unable 
to  proceed  any  farther.  As  a  last  desperate  effort,  Robert  McAfee  then  determined 
to  compass  the  ridge  in  quest  of  game,  leaving  James  with  the  two  others  to  rally 
their  spirits.  He  had  not  proceeded  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  when  a  young  buck 
crossed  his  path  ;  and  although  agitated  by  intensely  anxious  feelings,  he  was 
so  good  a  marksman  as  to  bring  him  down  at  the  first  shot.  On  hearing  the 
report  of  his  gun,  the  rest  of  the  company,  forgetting  their  fatigue,  sprang  up, 
and  ran  to  the  spot  whence  the  sound  proceeded.  The  meal,  thus  opportunely 
furnished,  they  devoured  with  keen  appetites,  and  slaked  their  thirst  from  a  branch 
which  they  discovered  adjacent;  while  their  hearts  overflowed  with  gratitude  to 
that  Providence,  which,  by  so  timely  an  interposition,  had  rescued  them  from  the 
jaws  of  death.  Recruited  in  strength,  they  resumed  their  journey,  and  soon 
reached  their  homes  ;  where,  in  spite  of  the  hardships  and  hazards  attending  the 
exploit,  the  accounts  they  published  inspired  a  general  enthusiasm  to  imitate  their 
example, 

'•  Indian  wars  and  the  battle  of  Kenhawa,  detained  them  in  Virginia  during  the 
succeeding  year  ;  but  the  year  1775  found  them  among  the  cane-brakes.  Robert, 
Samuel,  and  William  McAfee,  allowed  themselves  to  be  persuaded  by  Colonel 
Henderson,  to  unite  their  fortunes  with  his,  against  the  wholesome  advice  of  their 
elder  brother  James,  who  assured  them  that  Henderson's  claim  could  not  be  valid, 
because  without  the  sanction  of  government.  They  went  to  Boonsborough, 
entered  land  and  raised  corn,  but,  as  was  predicted,  the  scheme  proved  abortive. 
In  the  fall,  we  find  the  company  reunited,  consisting  of  William,  George,  and 
Robert  McAfee,  George  McGee,  David  Adams,  John  McCoun,  and  some  others, 
and  under  the  protection  of  the  newly  erected  Harrod's  station,  they  cleared  fif- 
teen acres  of  ground  below  the  mouth  of  Armstrong's  Branch,  in  Mercer  county, 
and  planted  it  in  corn.  A  part  of  the  company  wintered  here,  while  the  rest 
went  back  to  Virginia,  leaving  forty  head  of  cattle  to  fatten  on  the  luxuriant  cane 
and  herbage.  These  last  mentioned  persons  took  measures  to  return  in  the  spring 
following,  calculating  that  the  corn  and  cattle  would,  by  this  time,  be  in  a  con- 
dition to  support  them. 

"  Accordingly,  in  May,  1776,  they  packed  up  their  household  property  and 
farming  utensils,  with  a  quantity  of  seeds  of  various  kinds,  barrels  of  corn  and 
flour,  and  stores  of  coffee,  sugar,  and  spices,  not  omitting  a  few  bottles  of  whis- 
ky and  spirits,  (by  tuay  of  medicine^  no  doubt,)  which  they  placed,  for  security, 
in  the  middle  of  the  flour  and  corn  barrels,  and  attempted  to  convey  them  in  canoes 
down  the  Gauley  and  Kenhawa  rivers;  but  finding  this  impracticable,  they  re- 
solved to  go  back  for  pack  horses.  Having  built  a  strong  log  cabin,  resembling 
the  caches  described  by  Washington  Irving  in  his  Astoria,  as  used  by  the  fur-tra- 
ders, they  deposited  in  it  all  their  property,  and  covering  it  with  bark,  left  it  in 
this  situation  in  the  wilderness.  The  rumor  of  hostilities,  and  the  war  of  the 
Revolution  caused  a  delay  of  several  months;  and  when  they  returned  in  Sep- 
tember, they  found  the  cache,  to  their  dismay,  broken  open,  the  roof  torn  off,  and 
rugs,  blankets,  barrels,  and  stores,  strewed  in  confusion  around,  and  totally  ruined. 
On  making  some  search,  they  found  evidences  of  some  one  having  taken  out  the 
bedding  to  sleep  on,  under  an  adjacent  cliff,  and  that  the  same  person  had  rum- 
maged their  kegs  and  barrels,  in  order  to  get  at  the  liquor. 

"No  Indian  sign,  as  the  traces  of  the  savages  were  called,  was  visible;  but 
upon  searching  by  parties  of  two,  they  found,  within  half  a  mile  of  the  spot,  a 
diminutive  red-haired  man,  on  whose  person  they  discovered  some  of  the  missing 
articles.  Vexed  at  the  wanton  destruction  of  so  many  valuable  stores  of  coffee, 
sugar,  spices,  and  the  like  articles,  which  they  had  been  for  years  collecting,  at 
a  time  too,  when  they  were  so  much  needed,  and  could  not  be  replaced  where 
they  were  goiiig;  and  provoked  beyond  endurance  by  the  wretch's  denial,  although 
proofs  were  on  his  person,  one  of  the  party  felled  him  to  the  ground  with  his  tom- 
ahawk, and  was  on  the  point  of  dispatching  him  with  his  knife,  when  his  brother 
seized  his  arm  and  prevented  the  rash  act. 

"The  fellow's  name  was  Edward  Sommers.  He  was  a  convict  servant,  who 
had  ran  off  from  his  master  in  the  interior  of  Virginia,  and  was  making  the  best 
of  his  way  to  the  Indians.  As  soon  as  he  recovered  from  the  stunning  effect  of 
the  blow  he  had  received,  he  was  led  to  the  cabin,  where  a  council  was  held  upon 


456  MERCER  COUNTY. 

the  case.  He  was  adjudged  to  have  forfeited  his  life  according  to  the  laws  of 
the  land,  but  as  none  of  the  conipviuy  was  wiilinir  to  execute  the  hangman's  office, 
the  miserable  wretch  escaped  with  his  life.  He  was  compelled,  however,  to 
accompany  them  back  to  Virginia,  where  he  was  delivered  up  into  the  hands  of 
his  master,  and  very  probably  received  such  a  scourging  as  made  him  more  desi- 
rous to  run  away  than  ever. 

"The  war  with  Great  Britain,  in  which  the  members  of  this  company  and  all 
their  connexions  heartily  united,  hindered  the  resumption  of  their  darling  project 
for  the  next  two  years,  during  which  time  the  cattle  they  had  left  ran  wild, 
in  the  woods,  or  fell  the  prey  of  Indian  marauders,  and  were  irrecoverably  lost. 

"The  year  1779  saw  these  enterprising  adventurers  settled  with  their  families 
on  their  new  territory,  having  passed  the  Cumberland  Gap  with  pack-horses. 
Their  first  care  was  to  fortify  themselves  in  a  quadrangular  enclosure  of  cabins 
and  stockades,  to  which  was  given  the  name  of  McJfeeh  sfaiion.  A  winter  of 
unexampled  severity  ensued ;  and  from  the  micUlle  of  November  to  the  middle  of 
February,  snow  and  ice  continued  on  the  ground  without  a  thaw.  Many  of  the 
cattle  perished  ;  and  numbers  of  bears,  buffalo,  deer,  wolves,  beavers,  otters,  and 
wild  turkeys  were  found  frozen  to  death.  Sometimes  the  famished  wild  animals 
would  come  up  in  the  yard  of  the  stations  along  with  the  tame  cattle.  Such  was 
the  scarcity  of  food,  that  a  single  jonny-cake  would  be  divided  into  a  dozen  parts, 
and  distributed  around  to  the  inmates  to  serve  for  two  meals.  Even  this  resource 
failed,  and  for  weeks  they  had  nothing  to  live  on  but  wild  game.  Early  in  the 
spring,  some  of  the  men  went  to  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio,  now  Louisville,  where 
they  gave  sixty  dollars  (continental  money)  for  a  bushel  of  corn  ;  which  was 
considered  an  enormous  price,  even  making  allowance  for  its  depreciated  value ; 
but  the  only  alternative  was  starvation. 

"  A  delightful  spring,  and  the  rapid  growth  of  vegetation,  promised  to  repay 
them  for  the  hardships  they  had  undergone.  The  peach-trees  they  had  planted 
five  years  before,  were  loaded  with  fruit,  and  the  apple-trees  were  also  in  a  thriv- 
ing condition.  Plenty  and  happiness  smiled  upon  the  settlement,  when,  by  one 
of  those  unexpected  reverses,  which  seem  designed  by  Providence  to  admonish 
us  of  what  we  are  too  apt  to  forget,  the  uncertain  tenure  of  our  earthly  prosperity, 
and  the  small  reliance  to  be  placed  upon  present  appearances,  their  flattering 
prospects  were  all  at  once  damped  by  a  melancholy  event  that  filled  every  heart 
with  gloom. 

"Joseph  McCoun,  a  promising  lad,  the  youngest  and  the  darling  son  of  his 
father,  and  the  favourite  of  the  whole  family,  was  surprised  and  carried  off  by  a 
party  of  Shawanee  Indians,  while  looking  after  some  cattle  in  an  adjoining  glade. 
His  companion  escaped,  and  immediately  gave  the  alarm  ;  but  pursuit  was  vain. 
The  savages  carried  their  unhappy  victim  to  a  little  town  on  the  head  waters  of 
Mad  river,  about  six  miles  above  the  spot  now  occupied  by  the  town  of  Spring- 
field, Ohio,  where  they  tied  him  to  a  stake  and  burned  him  with  excruciating  tor- 
tures. After  this  heart-rending  event,  which  took  place  in  March,  1781,  the  fam- 
ilies, seven  in  number,  abandoned  the  farms  they  had  been  cultivating,  and  took 
refuge  in  the  station.  This  step  was  rendered  absolutely  necessary,  for  the  In- 
dians were  prowling  in  every  direction,  stealing  horses,  attacking  the  armed 
companies  that  passed  from  one  station  to  another,  and  killing  and  scalping  every 
unfortunate  straggler  that  fell  into  their  hands.  The  expedition  under  General 
George  Rogers  Clark,  in  which  the  men  of  the  Salt  river  settlement,  burning 
for  vengeance,  participated,  daunted  them  for  a  time,  and  restored  quiet." 

The  insecurity  of  the  settlers,  and  the  hazards  to  which  they  were  exposed 
about  this  period,  appear  to  have  been  very  great.  There  was  no  communication 
between  the  stations,  of  which  there  were  now  several,  except  by  armed  compa- 
nies. The  inhabitants,  not  daring  to  spend  the  night  out  of  the  forts,  cultivated 
their  corn  during  the  day,  with  the  hoe  in  one  hand  and  a  gun  in  the  other.  A 
large  party  went  one  morning  to  a  neighboring  plantation  to  assist  in  ])ulling  flax, 
a  friendly  oflice  always  cheerfully  tendered,  but  were  imconscio\isly  waylaid 
by  eight  or  nine  Indians.  The  wily  savages,  afraid  to  make  an  open  attack,  cut 
down  bushes,  and  constructed  a  screen  in  a  fit  situation  for  an  ambuscade,  so  that 
no  one  would  be  able  to  discover  them  till  within  a  few  yards.  Behind  this  leafy 
screen  they  lay,  watcliing  for  the  return  of  tlieir  unsuspecting  victims,  and  an- 
ticipating with  savage  eagerness  the  pleasure  of  scalping  the  whole  party.     But 


JAMES    RAY.  457 

Providence  ordered  otherwise.  One  of  the  young  men  (John  MeCoun,  Jr.)  pro- 
posed to  his  companions,  on  their  way  homeward,  to  deviate  a  little  for  the 
sake  of  gathering  plums,  a  quantity  of  which  grew  at  no  great  distance.  As  the 
sun  was  not  yet  down,  they  consented  ;  and  in  consequence  of  this  happy  sug- 
gestion, they  reached  home  by  a  more  circuitous  but  safer  route.  We  may  imag- 
ine the  mingled  amazement  and  delight  with  which  they  discovered  next  day 
what  an  escape  they  had  made  from  imminent  danger.  The  deserted  blind,  and 
the  spot  where  the  Indians  lay,  till  their  impatience  and  chagrin  became  insup- 
portable, were  objects  of  curiosity  for  several  years.  Surprise,  however,  was 
not  the  only  emotion  excited  on  this  occasion ;  it  is  gratifying  to  be  able  to  add, 
that  a  deep  and  salutary  impression  was  made  on  the  whole  party,  of  the  obliga- 
tions under  which  they  were  placed  to  Providence  for  so  signal  a  deliverance. 

And  it  may  be  here  mentioned  to  the  credit  of  the  McAfees  and  McCouns,  that 
when  a  few  years  after  they  erected  a  rural  church  in  their  settlement,  (the  same 
over  which  the  venerable  Dr.  Cleland  now  presides),  mindful  of  the  frequent  in- 
terpositions of  benignant  Heaven  in  their  favor,  from  the  relief  on  the  Alleghany 
mountains,  through  the  entire  progress  of  their  history,  they  gave  it  the  appropri- 
ate name  of  Providence  church.  Who  can  doubt,  that  from  this  humble  structure 
built  of  logs,  this  church  in  the  woods,  the  hymn  and  the  prayer  went  up,  as  ac- 
ceptable to  the  ear  of  the  Almighty,  as  though  it  had  been  one  of  those  stately 
and  elegant  temples  which  have  been  reared  in  later  years,  attesting,  if  not  the 
increased  devotion,  at  least  the  increased  wealth  of  the  west. 

The  incursions  of  the  savages  gradually  diminished  from  this  period,  as  the 
country  was  more  and  more  occupied  by  numerous  emigrants,  or  Long  Knives,  as 
the  Indians  termed  the  whites.  The  McAfee  station,  like  all  the  others,  became 
a  prominent  centre  of  population,  and  was  looked  up  to  as  one  of  the  main  props 
of  the  country.  Grist-mills  began  now  to  be  erected  ;  improvements  of  all  kinds 
were  projected ;  and  uninterrupted  prosperity  finally  crowned  the  enterprising 
pioneers.  Having  mentioned  grist-mills,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  relate,  out  of  the 
MSS.,  how  their  grain  had  been  ground  hitherto.  Hand-mills  were  in  use,  of  a 
primitive  and  almost  oriental  character,  consisting  of  a  pair  of  slabs  of  limestone, 
about  two  feet  in  diameter,  which  were  placed  in  a  hollow  tree,  generally  syca- 
more or  gum  ;  and  every  morning  each  family  would  grind  as  much  as  would 
supply  them  through  the  day. 

General  George  Rogers  Clark  first  came  to  Kentucky  in  1775,  and  penetrated 
to  Harrodsburg,  which  had  been  re-occupied  by  Colonel  Harrod.  In  this  visit, 
from  his  well  known  and  commanding  talents,  he  was  voluntarily  placed  in  com- 
mand of  the  irregular  troops  then  in  Kentucky.  In  the  fall,  he  returned  to  Vir- 
ginia, and  came  back  again  to  Kentucky  in  1776.  Mr.  Butler  relates  the  follow- 
ing anecdote,  received  from  the  lips  of  General  Ray,  as  having  occurred  with 
General  Clark  upon  his  second  visit:  "I  had  come  down,"  said  General  Ray, 
"  to  where  I  now  live,  (about  four  miles  north  of  Harrodsburg,)  to  turn  some  hor- 
ses in  the  range.  I  had  killed  a  small  blue-wing  duck,  that  was  feeding  in  my 
spring,  and  had  roasted  it  nicely  on  the  brow  of  the  hill,  about  twenty  steps  east 
of  my  house.  After  having  taken  it  off  to  cool,  I  was  much  surprised  on  being 
suddenly  arrested  by  a  fine,  soldierly  looking  man,  who  exclaimed,  '  How  do 
you  do,  my  little  fellow  1  What  is  your  name  ?  A'nt  you  afraid  of  being  in  the 
woods  by  yourself?'  On  satisfying  the  inquiries,  I  invited  the  traveler  to  par- 
take of  my  duck,  which  he  did  without  leaving  me  a  bone  to  pick,  his  appetite 
was  so  keen,  though  he  should  have  been  welcome  to  all  the  game  I  could  have 
killed,  when  I  afterwards  became  acquainted  with  his  noble  and  gallant  soul." 
After  satisfying  his  questions,  he  inquired  of  the  stranger  his  own  name  and  busi- 
ness in  this  remote  region.  "My  name  is  Clark,"  he  answered,  "and  1  have 
come  out  to  see  what  you  brave  fellows  are  doing  in  Kentucky,  and  to  lend  you  a 
helping  hand  if  necessary."  General  Ray,  then  a  boy  of  sixteen,  conducted  Clark 
to  Harrodsburg,  where  he  spent  his  time  in  observations  on  the  condition  and 
prospects  of  the  country,  natural  to  his  comprehensive  mind,  and  assisting  at 
every  opportunity  in  its  defence. 

At  a  general  meeting  of  the  settlers  at  Harrodstown,  on  the  6th  of  June,  1775, 
General  George  Rogers  Clark,  and  Gabriel  John  Jones  were  chosen  to  represent 


458  MERCER  COUNTY. 

them  in  the  assembly  of  Virginia.*  For  the  manner  in  which  they  discharged 
the  trust  committed  to  them,  see  sketcli  of  General  Clark. 

In  March,  1777,  while  James  Kay,  his  brother,  and  another  man  were  engaged 
in  clearing  some  land  about  four  miles  from  Harrodstown,  (the  same  place  which 
afterwards  continued  to  be  the  residence  of  the  venerable  pioneer,  General  James 
Ray,  until  his  death,)  they  were  attacked  by  a  party  of  forty-seven  hostile  Indians, 
under  the  command  of  the  celebrated  chief,  Blackfish.  The  Indians  were  attrac- 
ted to  the  place  by  the  noise  of  the  axes,  and  rushing  upon  the  choppers,  killed 
the  younger  Hay,  and  took  the  third  prisoner.  The  elder  Ray,  (distinguished 
afterwards  as  General  James  Ray)  being  uninjured  by  ihe  discharge  of  rifles, 
fled  in  the  direction  of  the  fort.  Several  of  the  swiftest  Indians  followed  him  in 
full  chase,  but  such  was  his  fleetness  and  activity,  that  he  distanced  them  all,  and 
reached  the  fort  in  safety.  The  remarkable  swiftness  of  Ray  elicited  the  admira- 
tion of  the  Indians,  and  Blackfish  himself  remarked  to  Boone  after  his  capture  at 
the  Blue  Licks  the  succeeding  year,  that  some  boy  at  Harrodstown  had  outrun 
all  his  warriors. 

The  speed  of  Ray  was  a  fortunate  circumstance  for  the  fort  at  Harrodstown,  as 
his  information  enabled  the  garrison  to  prepare  for  the  expected  attack.  The 
militia  was  organised,  ammunition  prepared,  water  and  provision  secured,  and 
the  fort  put  in  the  best  possible  state  of  defence.  On  the  morning  of  the  7th  of 
March,  1777,  several  days  after  the  escape  of  Ray,  the  Indians  approached  the 
vicinity  of  the  fort,  and  preliminary  to  an  attack,  fired  an  out  cabin  on  the  east 
side  of  the  town.  The  garrison,  unconscious  of  the  proximity  of  the  enemy,  and 
supposing  the  fire  to  be  the  result  of  accident,  rushed  out  of  the  fort  with  a  view 
to  extinguish  the  flames.  The  Indians,  doubtless  intending  to  decoy  the  garrison, 
instantly  attempted  to  intercept  their  return  to  the  fort.  The  whites  retreated, 
keeping  up  a  random  fire,  until  they  reached  a  piece  of  woods  on  the  hill,  (now 
occupied  by  the  court  house  in  Harrodsburg,)  where  each  man  took  a  tree,  and 
soon  caused  the  Indians,  in  turn,  to  give  back,  when  they  succeeded  in  regaining 
the  fort.  The  Indians  soon  afterwards  withdrew.  In  this  conflict,  one  Indian 
was  killed,  and  four  of  the  whites  wounded,  one  of  whom  subsequently  died. 

In  the  "Sketches  of  the  Early  Catholic  Missions  of  Kentucky,"  by  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Spalding,  of  the  Catholic  church,  recently  published,  a  different  version  is 
given  of  the  attack  on  the  wood-choppers,  than  that  published  by  Mr.  Butler. 
"The  third  man,''''  Dr.  Spalding  says,  "was  William  Coomes ;  but  there  was 
yet  d.  fourth  man,  named  'I'homas  Shores,"  who,  and  not  William  Coomes,  "was 
taken  prisoner  by  the  Indians,  at  the  tShawanee  Springs."  The  statement  of  Mr. 
Coomes,  as  furnished  Dr.  Spalding  by  his  son,  is  as  follows: 

"The  party  of  choppers  alluded  to,  consisted  of  the  two  Rays,  Wm.  Coomes, 
and  'I^homas  Shores,  who  were  engaged  in  clearing  land,  at  the  Shawanee  Springs, 
for  Hugh  McGary,  the  father-in-law  of  the  two  Rays.  On  the  6th  of  March, 
1777,  the  two  Rays,  and  Shores,  visited  a  neighboring  sugar-camp,  to  slake  their 
thirst,  leaving  Mr.  Coomes  alone  at  the  clearing.  William  Coomes,  alarmed  at 
their  protracted  absence,  had  suspended  his  work,  and  was  about  to  start  in  search 
of  them,  when  he  suddenly  spied  a  body  of  Indians — fifteen  in  number — coming 
directly  towards  him,  from  the  direction  of  the  sugar-carnp.  He  instantly  con- 
cealed himself  behind  the  trunk  of  the  tree  which  he  had  just  felled,  at  the  same 
time  seizing  and  cocking  his  rifle.  Fortunately,  the  Indians  had  not  observed 
him,  owing  to  the  thick  cane-brake  and  undergrowth  :  they  ])assed  by  him,  in  In- 
dian file,  to  a  temporary  log  cabin,  which  the  woodmen  had  erected  for  their  ac- 
commodation. 

"  So  soon  as  they  were  out  of  sight,  Coomes  escaped  towards  the  sugar-camp, 
to  find  out  what  had  become  of  his  companions.  Discovering  no  trace  of  them, 
he  concealed  himself  amidst  the  boughs  of  a  fallen  hickory  tree,  the  yellow  leaves 
of  which  were  of  nearly  the  same  color  as  his  garments.  From  bis  iiiding-place 
he  had  a  full  view  of  the  sugar-camp  ;  and,  after  a  short  time,  he  observed  a  party 
of  forty  Indians  halt  there,  where  they  were  soon  rejriined  by  the  fifteen  whom  he 
had  previously  seen.  They  tarried  there  for  a  long  time,  drinking  the  syrup,  sing- 
ing their  war-songs,  and  dancing  their  war-dance.  Coomes  was  a  breathless 
spectator  of  this  scene  of  revelry,  from  the  distance  of  only  fifty  or  sixty  yards. 

*Tlll^y  liailed  as  represeiilatives  from  "  tlic  western  part  of  Fnieasik-  foiuily,  on  llir  Kentucky 
river." 


JAMES  RAY.  459 

Other  straggling  parties  of  savages  also  came  in,  and  the  whole  number  amounted 
to  about  seventy,  instead  of  forty-seven,  as  slated  by  Butler  and  Marshall. 

"  Meantime,  James  Ray  had  escaped,  and  communicated  the  alarm  to  the  peo- 
ple of  Harrodstown.  Great  was  the  terror  and  confusion  which  ensued  there. 
The  hot-headed  McGary  openly  charged  James  Harrod  with  having  been  want- 
ing in  the  precautions  and  courage  necessary  for  the  defence  of  the  fort.  These 
two  men,  who  had  a  personal  enmity  against  each  other,  quarreled,  and  leveled 
their  fatal  rifles  at  each  other's  bosoms.  In  this  conjuncture,  the  wife  of  McGary 
rushed  in  and  turned  aside  the  rifle  of  her  husband,  when  Harrod  immediately 
withdrew  his,  and  the  ditficulty  was  temporarily  adjusted. 

'■  McGary  insisted  that  a  party  of  thirty  should  be  immediately  dispatched  with 
him,  in  search  of  Coomes,  Shores,  and  his  son-in-law,  William  Ray.  Harrod, 
the  commandant  of  the  station,  and  Col.  George  Rogers  Clark,  thought  this  mea- 
sure rash  and  imprudent,  as  all  the  men  were  necessary  for  the  defence  of  the 
place,  which  might  be  attacked  by  the  Indians  at  any  moment.  At  length,  how- 
ever, the  request  of  McGary  was  granted,  and  thirty  mounted  men  were  placed 
under  his  command,  for  the  expedition. 

'•  The  detachment  moved  with  great  rapidity,  and  soon  reached  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  sugar-camp,  which  the  Indians  had  already  abandoned.  Near  it  they 
discovered  the  mangled  remains  of  William  Ray,  at  the  sight  of  which,  McGary 
turned  pale,  and  was  near  falling  from  his  horse,  in  a  fainting  fit.  As  soon  as 
the  body  was  discovered,  one  of  the  men  shouted  out:  'See  there!  they  have 
killed  poor  Coomes  !'  Coomes,  who  had  hitherto  lurked  in  his  hiding-place,  now 
sallied  forth,  and  ran  towards  the  men,  exclaiming:  'No,  they  haven't  killed  me, 
by  Job  !     I'm  safe  !' 

"  The  party,  having  buried  Ray  and  rescued  Coomes,  returned  in  safety  to  Har- 
rodstown, which  they  reached  about  sunset." 

During  the  year  1777,  the  Indians  collected  in  great  numbers  around  Harrods- 
town, in  order,  it  is  supposed,  to  prevent  any  corn  from  being  raised  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  settlers.  In  this  period  of  distress  and  peril,  Ray,  at  that  time  but 
seventeen  years  old,  rendered  himself  an  object  of  general  favor,  by  his  intre- 
pidity, courage  and  enterprise.  He  often  rose  before  day,  and  left  the  fort,  on  an 
old  horse, — the  only  one  left  by  the  Indians,  of  forty  brought  to  the  country  by 
Maj.  McGary, — in  order  to  procure  food  for  the  garrison.  Proceeding  cautiously 
to  Salt  river,  (generally  riding  in  the  water,  or  in  the  bed  of  some  small  stream, 
in  order  to  conceal  his  route),  when  sufficiently  out  of  hearing,  he  would  kill  his 
load  of  game,  and  bring  it  in  to  the  suffering  inhabitants  after  night-fall.  Older 
and  more  experienced  hunters,  in  similar  hazardous  enterprises,  were  killed  by 
the  Indians.* 

During  the  same  year,  while  Ray  and  a  man  named  M'Connell  were  shooting 
at  a  mark  near  the  fort,  the  latter  was  suddenly  shot  down  by  the  Indians.  Ray 
instantly  glanced  his  eye  in  the  direction  of  the  shot,  and  perceiving  the  enemy, 
raised  his  rifle  to  avenge  the  death  of  his  friend,  when  he  was  suddenly  attacked 
by  a  large  body  of  Indians,  who  had  crept  near  him  unseen.  His  powers  as  a 
runner  were  again  called  into  requisition,  and  Ray  bounded  towards  the  fort,  dis- 
tant a  hundred  and  fifty  yards,  with  the  speed  of  an  antelope,  amidst  showers  of 
bullets  from  the  savages.  But  when  he  approached  the  gates  of  the  fort,  he  found 
them  closed,  and  the  garrison  too  much  under  the  influence  of  their  fears  to  open 
them  for  his  admission.  In  this  critical  situation,  ])ursued  by  the  savages,  and 
refused  shelter  by  his  friends,  Ray  threw  himself  flat  upon  the  ground,  behind  a 
stump  just  large  enough  to  protect  his  body.  Here,  within  seven  steps  of  the  fort 
wall,  in  sight  of  his  mother,  he  lay  for  four  hours,  while  the  Indians  kept  up  an 
incessant  fire,  the  balls  often  striking  and  tearing  up  the  ground  on  either  side  of 
him.  At  last,  becoming  somewhat  impatient,  he  called  out  to  the  garrison,  "for 
God's  sake  dig  a  hole  under  the  cabin  wall,  and  take  me  in."  Strange  as  may 
have  appeared  the  suggestion,  it  was  immediately  carried  out,  and  the  noble 
young  hunter  was  speedily  within  the  shelter  of  the  fort  and  in  the  arms  of  his 
friends ! 

During  the  fall  of  this  year,  (1777), f  in  order  to  make  up  the  deficiency  aris- 
ing from  having  raised  no  corn,  the  people  of  the  fort  determined  to  make  a  tur- 

*  Butler's  History.  t  Ibid,  page  44. 


460  MERCER  COUNTY. 

nip  patch,  about  two  hundred  yards  north-west  of  the  station.  While  clearing 
the  ground,  an  Indian  was  shot  at  by  the  guard,  and  the  men  retired.  The  next 
day  the  cattle  were  perceived  to  be  disturbed,  and  snuffing  the  air  about  a  small 
field  in  the  furthest  corner,  that  luid  been  allowed  to  grow  up  in  very  hiah  weeds. 
The  presence  of  concealed  Indians  was  instantly  suspected,  so  sure  wer'e  the  cat- 
tle to  betray  their  vicinity,  either  from  the  sight  of  the  Indians  themselves,  or 
from  the  smell  of  the  paint  upon  their  persons.  This  indication  prompted  Major 
George  Rogers  Clark  to  turn  the  ambuscade  upon  the  enemy.  For  this  purpose, 
some  men  were  still  kept  at  work  in  the  turnip  patch  nearest  the  fort,  and,  in  or- 
der to  prevent  suspicion  by  the  Indians  of  any  movement  from  within,  they  occa- 
sionally hallooed  to  their  companions  to  come  out  to  their  work,  while  Clark,  with 
a  party  of  the  garrison,  sallied  out  of  the  fort  with  great  secrecy,  and  making  a 
circuit,  came  up  on  the  rear  of  the  Indians  as  they  lay  concealed  in  the  weeds. 
A  volley  was  discharged  at  the  concealed  foe,  and  four  of  their  number  killed — 
one  by  Clark  and  another  by  Ray.  The  Indians  instantly  retreated,  and  were 
pursued  by  the  whites  about  four  hundred  yards  down  the  creek,  where  they 
came  upon  the  remains  of  a  deserted  Indian  encampment,  of  sufficient  extent  for 
the  accommodation  of  five  or  six  hundred  warriors.  From  this  camp  the  enemy 
had  issued  during  the  preceding  summer  to  assail  the  stations,  which  they  had 
kept  in  a  state  of  constant  alarm,  and  had  destroyed  the  greater  portion  of  their 
horses  and  cattle.  The  Indians  had  now  abandoned  their  position,  and  the  party 
which  had  just  been  pursued  was  supposed  to  be  the  remnant  of  the  Indian 
force  which  had  occupied  the  encampment.  Major  Clark  complimented  James 
Ray  (subsequently  General  James  Ray)  with  the  gun  of  the  Indian  which  he  had 
shot,  and  which  was  the  first  he  had  ever  killed.  The  property  found  in  the  In- 
dian camp,  consisting,  principally,  of  cooking  utensils,  was,  as  usual,  divided 
by  lottery  among  the  captors. 

In  Dr.  Spalding's  "  Sketches,"  we  find  a  record  of  the  following  adventure,  in 
which  William  Coomes  was  an  actor: 

"In  the  spring  of  1778,  he  [Mr.  Coomes]  was  one  of  a  party  of  thirty  men  sent 
out  under  Colonel  Bowman,  for  the  purpose  of  shelling  corn  at  a  plantation 
about  seven  miles  distant  from  Harrodstown.  The  men  were  divided  into  pairs, 
each  of  which  had  a  large  sack,  which  was  to  be  filled  and  brought  back  to  the 
fort.  While  engaged  in  filling  the  sacks,  they  were  fired  on  by  a  party  of 
about  forty  Indians,  who  had  lain  concealed  in  a  neighboring  cane-brake.  At  the 
first  fire,  seven  of  the  white  men  were  shot  down,  and  among  them  Mr.  H.  Berry, 
the  person  standing  by  the  side  of  William  Coomes,  whose  face  was  bespattered 
with  the  blood  from  the  wounds  of  his  fallen  comrade.  Eight  others  of  the  white 
men  fled  for  shelter  to  the  cane-brake  ;  but  the  rest  of  them,  rallied  by  the  loud 
cries  of  Colonel  Bowman,  seized  their  rifles,  and  sheltering  themselves  in  an  ad- 
joining cabin,  or  behind  the  trees,  prepared  to  defend  themselves  to  the  last.  One 
of  the  men,  observing  the  face  of  Coomes  reddened  with  blood,  mistook  him  for 
an  Indian,  and  was  leveling  his  rifle  at  him,  when  the  latter,  fortunately  remark- 
ing his  movement,  cried  out,  and  thus  saved  his  life. 

"  Meantime,  Colonel  Bowman  dispatched  a  courier  on  horseback  to  Harrods- 
town, to  carry  the  alarm  and  to  obtain  a  re-inforcement.  The  messenger  sped 
his  way  unharmed  to  the  fort,  though  many  a  rifle  was  aimed  at  him,  and  though 
another  strong  party  of  savages  were  lying  in  ambush  on  the  way  he  had  to 
travel.  In  a  few  hours,  the  expected  reinforcement  arrived  ;  when  the  Indians, 
baffled  in  their  object,  betook  themselves  to  flight.  The  white  men,  after  burying 
their  dead,  returned  to  Harrodstown  in  the  evening,  with  their  replenished  sacks 
of  corn." 

During  the  year  1779,  an  expedition  was  set  on  foot,  from  Harrodsburg  against 
the  Indian  town  at  old  Chillicothe,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Bowman. 
The  number  of  men  who  rendezvoused  at  Harrodsburg,  is  stated  by  Mr.  Butler  at 
three  hundred,  and  by  Mr.  McClung  at  one  hundred  and  sixty.  Captains  Benja- 
min Logan,  John  Holder,  James  Harrod  and  John  Bulger,  accompanied  the  expe- 
dition, of  which  Captain  (afterwards  general)  Logan  was  second  in  command — 
and  Major  George  M.  Bcdinger,  of  Nicholas  county,  lately  deceased,  was  adju- 
tant.    The  expedition,  owing  to  bad  management  on  the  part  of  Colonel  Bow- 


ATTACK   ON   McAFEE'S   STATION.  461 

man,  proved  a  failure.     The  particulars  will  be  found  in  the  biographical  sketch 
of  General  Logan,  under  the  head  of  Logan  count}'. 

From  McC lung's  Sketches,  we  copy  the  following  account  of  an  attack  on 
McAfee's  station,  in  the  year  1781  : 

"  Early  in  May,  1781,  McAfee's  station,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Harrodsburg, 
was  alarmed.  On  the  morning  of  the  9th,  Samuel  McAfee,  accompanied  by 
another  man,  left  the  fort,  in  order  to  visit  a  small  plantation  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  at  the  distance  of  three  hundred  yards  from  the  gate,  they  were  fired  upon  by 
a  party  of  Indians  in  ambush.  The  man  who  accompanied  him  instantly  fell, 
and  McAfee  attempted  to  regain  the  fort.  While  running  rapidly  for  that  pur- 
pose, he  found  himself  suddenly  intercepted  by  an  Lidian,  who,  springing  out  of 
the  cane-brake,  placed  himself  directly  in  his  path.  There  was  no  time  for  com- 
pliments, each  glared  upon  the  other  for  an  instant  in  silence,  and  both  raising 
their  guns  at  the  same  moment,  pulled  the  triggers  together.  The  Indian's  rifle 
snapped,  while  McAfee's  ball  passed  directly  through  his  brain.  Having  no  time 
to  reload  his  gun,  he  sprung  over  the  body  of  his  antagonist,  and  continued  his 
flight  to  the  fort. 

"  When  within  one  hundred  yards  of  the  gate,  he  was  met  by  his  two  brothers, 
Robert  and  James,  who,  at  the  report  of  the  guns,  had  hurried  out  to  the  assis- 
tance of  their  brother.  Samuel  hastily  informed  them  of  their  danger,  and  exhor- 
ted them  instantly  to  return.  .Tames  readily  complied,  but  Robert,  deaf  to  all 
remonstrances,  declared  that  he  must  have  a  view  of  the  dead  Indian.  He  ran 
on,  for  that  purpose,  and  having  regaled  himself  with  that  spectacle,  was  hastily 
returning  by  the  same  path,  when  he  saw  five  or  six  Indians  between  him  and 
the  fort,  evidently  bent  upon  taking  him  alive.  All  his  activity  and  presence  of 
mind  was  now  put  in  requisition.  He  ran  rapidly  from  tree  to  tree,  endeavoring 
to  turn  their  flank,  and  reach  one  of  the  gates,  and  after  a  variety  of  turns  and 
doublings  in  the  thick  wood,  he  found  himself  pressed  by  only  one  Indian. 
McAfee  hastily  throwing  himself  behind  a  fence,  turned  upon  his  pursuer  and 
compelled  him  to  take  shelter  behind  a  tree. 

"  Both  stood  still  for  a  moment,  McAfee  having  his  gun  cocked,  and  the  sight 
fixed  upon  the  tree,  at  the  spot  where  he  supposed  the  Indian  would  thrust  out 
his  head  in  order  to  have  a  view  of  his  antagonist.  After  waiting  a  few  seconds 
he  was  gratified.  The  Indian  slowly  and  cautiously  exposed  a  part  of  his  head, 
and  began  to  elevate  his  rifle.  As  soon  as  a  sufficient  mark  presented  itself, 
McAfee  fired,  and  the  Indian  fell.  W'hile  turning,  in  order  to  continue  his  flight, 
he  was  fired  on  by  a  party  of  six,  which  compelled  him  again  to  tree.  But 
scarcely  had  he  done  so,  when,  from  the  opposite  quarter  he  received  the  fire  of 
three  more  enemies,  which  made  the  bark  fly  around  him,  and  knocked  up  the 
dust  about  his  feet.  Thinking  his  post  rather  too  hot  for  safety,  he  neglected  all 
shelter,  and  ran  directly  for  the  fort,  which,  in  defiance  of  all  opposition,  he 
reached  in  safety,  to  the  inexpressible  joy  of  his  brothers,  who  had  despaired  of 
his  return. 

"The  Indians  now  opened  a  heavy  fire  npon  the  fort,  in  their  usual  manner; 
but  finding  every  efl'ort  useless,  they  hastily  decamped,  without  any  loss  beyond 
the  two  who  had  fallen  by  the  hands  of  the  brothers,  and  without  having  inflicted 
any  upon  the  garrison.  Within  half  an  hour.  Major  McGary  brought  up  a  party 
from  Harrodsburg  at  full  gallop,  and  uniting  with  the  garrison,  pursued  the  ene- 
my with  all  possible  activity.  They  soon  overtook  them,  and  a  sharp  action 
ensued.  The  Indians  were  routed  in  a  few  minutes,  with  the  loss  of  six  war- 
riors left  dead  upon  the  ground,  and  many  others  wounded,  who  as  usual  were 
borne  off.  The  pursuit  was  continued  for  several  miles,  but  from  the  thickness 
of  the  woods,  and  the  extreme  activity  and  address  of  the  enemy,  was  not  very 
effectual.  McGary  lost  one  man  dead  upon  the  spot,  and  another  mortally 
wounded." 

Robert  McAfee,  the  father  of  General  Robert  B.  McAfee,  moved  to  and  built 
a  cabin  on  the  place  where  General  McAfee  now  lives,  in  November,  1779,  and 
remained  during  that  winter,  generally  known  as  the  "  hard  winter."  Often, 
during  the  winter,  and  while  the  weather  was  intensely  cold,  he  shot  buffalo, 
deer  and  turkeys,  while  standing  in  his  own  door.  The  death  of  Joseph  McCoun, 
noticed  in  the  preceding  pages,  induced  Mr.  McAfee,  with  six  other  families,  to 


462  MERCER   COUNTY. 

move  to  James  McAfee's  station,  where  tliey  remained  till  the  spring  of  1783, 
before  they  ventured  to  remove  to  their  own  farms.  During  the  same  year,  a 
small  party  of  Indians  passed  through  the  neighborhood  and  stole  the  greater 
portion  of  their  horses.  In  the  spring  of  1795,  Robert  McAfee  took  a  boat  load 
of  Hour  and  bacon  to  New  Orleans,  where,  before  day  light  on  the  morninff  of 
the  10th  of  May,  he  was  killed  by  a  Spaniard,  in  his  boat,  receiving  the  stroke 
of  an  axe  in  his  temple,  the  object  of  the  miscreant  being  to  rob  him.  His  eldest 
son,  Samuel,  experienced  great  difficulty  with  the  Spanish  government  in  his 
efforts  to  save  the  money  and  other  property  of  his  father.  His  remains  were 
interred  near  the  hospital,  and  after  steamboat  navigation  was  commenced  on  the 
river,  his  son,  Robert  B.  McAfee,  attempted  to  recover  his  bones,  with  a  view  to 
their  interment  at  the  homestead  in  Kentucky,  but  they  were  found  in  a  state  of 
decomposition. 

William  McAfee  commanded  a  company,  under  Gen.  Clark,  in  1780,  in  an 
expedition  against  the  Shawanee  Indians,  on  the  Big  Miami.  In  a  skirmish,  near 
Piqua,  he  was  shot  through  the  body,  and  mortally  wounded  ;  but,  through  the 
aid  of  his  brothers,  he  was  enabled  to  return  to  the  Ohio  river,  descend  that  river 
to  the  Falls,  and  then  travel  as  far  as  Floyd's  station,  (where  his  wife  met  him), 
before  he  died.  He  left  two  infant  daughters,  and  another  daughter  was  born  to 
him  a  few  months  after,  who  afterwards  became  the  wife  of  Major  Willis  A.  Lee, 
for  many  years  clerk  of  the  senate  of  Kentucky.  The  eldest  married  Capt.  Eli- 
jah Craig,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  the  Thames,  in  October,  1813.  These 
two  sisters  now  live  in  the  town  of  Salvisa,  near  their  relatives,  in  humble,  but 
comfortable  circumstances,  upon  the  remains  of  an  extensive  landed  estate  left 
them  by  their  father. 

George  McAfee,  sen.,  died  on  his  farm,  near  Salvisa,  on  Salt  river,  on  the 
14th  of  April,  1803,  and  was  the  first  person  buried  at  New  Providence  church. 

Samuel  McAfee  died  in  1801,  and  was  buried  in  the  family  grave-yard  ;  but, 
after  the  death  of  his  wife,  in  1817,  his  remains  were  removed  to  Providence,  and 
interred  with  her. 

James  McAfee,  the  eldest  brother,  died  on  his  farm,  in  1817,  and  was  buried 
in  the  family  burying-ground,  near  New  Providence. 

Jane  McAfee,  sen.,  the  mother  of  the  above  sons,  came  to  Kentucky  in  1779, 
with  her  children,  and  died  in  1788.  She  was  buried  on  a  beautiful  eminence, 
on  the  east  side  of  Salt  river,  west  of  Wilson's  station,  on  the  land  now  owned 
by  Archibald  Adams. 

James  Harrod  was  emphatically  the  leader  oi  the  first  settlers  at  Harrodsburg. 
Emigrating  to  the  country  in  the  year  1774,  he  has  been  rendered  conspicuous,  as 
the  builder  of  the  "  first  log  cabin  "  in  Kentucky.  Possessing  qualities  of  a  high 
and  generous  nature — tall,  erect,  and  commanding  in  his  personal  appearance — 
bold,  resolute,  active  and  energetic — inured  to  the  life  of  a  backwoodsman,  and 
familiar  with  its  dangers  and  capable  of  supporting  its  hardships — he  was  singu- 
larly adapted  to  the  position  that  he  was  to  occupy.*  His  open,  manly  counte- 
nance— his  mild  and  conciliating  manners — his  integrity,  kindness  and  generosity 
— all  conspired  to  render  him  the  idol  of  bis  associates.  Expert  in  the  use  of  the 
rifle,  he  was  a  successful  hunter,  and  a  skillful  and  dangerous  antagonist  of  the 
Indian.  If  he  was  an  unlettered,  he  was  not  an  ignorant  man.  The  defects  of 
his  education  were  supplied  by  the  masculine  energy  of  his  natural  endowments; 
and,  at  a  period  when  the  cultivation  of  the  intellect  was  not  only  impracticable, 
but  was  deemed  subordinate  to  the  discipline  of  the  body,  his  claim  of  rank,  as 
a  leader  of  the  pioneers,  was  universally  allowed.  His  attention  to  the  safety 
and  wants  of  his  companions  was  as  unremitted,  as  his  magnanimity  was  pro- 
verbial. If  he  received  information  that  a  party  of  lumters  had  been  surprised 
by  the  savages,  "  let  us  go  and  beat  the  red  rascals,"  was  his  instantaneous  order; 
and  the  connnand  and  its  execution  were  synonymous  with  him.  If  a  plow 
horse  were  missing — having  slrayt'd  from  the  station, — and  the  owner,  unaccus- 
tomed to  the  range,  or  unwilling  to  encounter  the  risk  of  making  search  for  him, 

*Morehead's  Address.    Marshairs  History. 


GABRIEL  SLAUGHTER.  463 

was  idle  in  consequence,  Harrod  would  disappear,  and  it  would  not  be  long  be- 
fore the  horse  would  be  driven  to  the  owner's  premises.  Of  a  restless  and  active 
temperament,  the  dull  routine  of  life  in  a  station  was  unsuited  to  him.  He  loved, 
like  Boone,  the  free  and  unrestrained  occupation  of  a  hunter.  While  others  were 
standing  still  for  want  of  employment,  disdaining  repose,  he  would  range  through 
the  forest,  hunt  the  wild  game,  or  attach  himself  to  expeditions  into  the  Indian 
country  or  exploring  parties  on  the  frontier.  Having  built  his  cabin  on  the  site 
of  the  beautiful  village  of  Harrodsburg  in  the  spring  or  summer  of  1774,  we  find 
him  on  the  10th  of  October  with  Col.  Lewis,  at  the  Point,  giving,  by  a  decisive 
victory  over  the  north-western  tribes  of  savages,  a  death-blow  to  their  supremacy. 
On  the  return  of  spring  he  is  again  at  his  chosen  station  in  the  wilderness,  forti- 
fying himself  against  their  inroads,  and,  as  we  shall  presently  see,  representing 
his  little  settlement  in  the  Transylvania  Assembly.  Thenceforward  Harrods- 
burg became  a  prominent  place  of  refuge  and  resort :  and  she  has  never  ceased 
to  insist  upon  the  validity  of  her  claims  to  precedence,  as  the  honored  spot  of  the 
first  settlement  of  Kentucky. 

Harrod  survived  the  stormy  scenes  of  his  manhood.  But  age  could  not  tran- 
quil ize  the  restless  elements  of  his  character.  In  after  times,  when  peace  and 
quiet  had  ensued,  and  the  range  of  the  buffalo  was  filled  up  with  a  civilized  and 
enterprizing  population,  and  he  had  become  the  father  of  an  interesting  family, 
the  veteran  pioneer  would  turn  away  from  the  scenes  of  domestic  and  social  life, 
and  plunge  again  into  the  solitudes  of  the  wilderness,  to  indulge  himself  in  the 
cherished  enjoyments  of  his  earlier  years.  From  one  of  those  excursions,  into  a 
distant  part  of  the  country,  he  never  returned. 

Such  are  some  of  the  outlines  of  the  character  of  James  Harrod,  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  Kentucky.* 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  Harrodsburg,  distinguished  for  their  bravery,  ac- 
tivity and  enterprise,  were  Major  Hugh  McGary,  Harlan,  McBride,  and  Chap- 
lain. The  former  was  ardent,  impetuous  and  rash,  but  withal  a  man  of  daring 
courage,  indomitable  energy,  and  untiring  perseverance. 

Colonel  Gabriel  Slaughter,  governor  of  Kentucky,  was  a  native  of  Virginia, 
but  emigrated  in  his  youth  to  Kentucky,  and  settled  in  Mercer  county,  some  few 
miles  from  Harrodsburg.  His  residence  was  widely  known  under  the  attractive 
name  of  "Traveler's  Rest." 

Early  in  life  he  became  a  member  of  the  Baptist  denomination  of  Christians, 
and  was  extensively  known  as  a  prominent  and  useful  member  of  that  numerous 
and  respectable  society.  He  was  frequently  employed  as  messenger  to  its  asso- 
ciated churches,  and  generally  presided  as  moderator  of  their  assemblies. 

He  rendered  gfallant  and  distinguished  service  in  the  battle  of  New  Orleans  on 
the  8th  of  January,  1815,  as  a  colonel  of  a  regiment  of  Kentucky  troops.  On  one 
occasion,  while  acting  as  president  of  a  court-martial — whose  decision  was  not 
in  accordance  with  the  views  of  General  Jackson — the  court  were  ordered  to  re- 
verse their  proceedings  ;  but  Colonel  Slaughter  declined  to  compl}%  saying,  "  He 
knew  his  duty,  and  had  performed  it."  General  Jackson  entertained  the  highest 
respect  for  his  character  as  a  soldier  and  patriot. 

Colonel  Slaughter  was  elected  in  1816  to  the  office  of  lieutenant  governor,  and 
upon  the  death  of  George  Madison,  succeeded  him  in  the  executive  chair,  and 
administered  the  government  as  acting  governor  of  Kentucky  for  the  four  years 
of  Madison's  term.  He  appointed  John  Pope,  Esq.,  secretary  of  state,  who,  at 
that  time,  was  somewhat  unpopular  in  Kentuck}',  on  account  of  his  opposition  to 
the  war  with  England  while  senator  of  the  United  States.  In  consequence,  it  is 
thought,  of  this  unexpected  appointment,  the  new  election  question  was  fiercely 
affitated  durinsf  the  first  session  of  the  legislature  after  Governor  Slaughter's  in- 
auguration, and  at  the  succeeding  session  also.  The  new  election  movement 
failed,  and  the  construction  or  exposition  then  given  to  the  constitution,  in  regard 
to  the  succession  of  the  lieutenant  governor  to  the  oflice  of  governor,  upon  the 
"death,  resignation,  or  refusal  to  qualify,"  of  the  governor  elect,  has  been  acqui- 
esced in  ever  since,  and  regarded  as  a  settled  precedent. 

Governor  Slaughter,  during  this  exciting  controversy,  displayed  great  indepefl- 

♦Morehead's  Address 


464  MERCER   COUNTY. 

dence  of  opinion,  and  much  firmness  and  decision  of  character.  After  one  or 
two  legislative  sessions  had  passed,  in  unavailing  and  violent  discussions  of  the 
question  of  new  election,  Mr.  Pope,  regarding-  himself  as  the  principal  cause  of 
the  continued  and  turbulent  agitation  of  the  question,  resigned  the  office  of  sec- 
retary of  state.  The  governor  was  advised  by  timid  and  panic-stricken  friends  to 
yield  to  the  arrogant  and  disorganizing  demands  of  the  legislature.  The  firm  and 
pugnacious  old  patriot  declared  his  fixed  resolution  to  administer  the  government 
alone  and  witliout  a  secretary,  (for  he  had  offered  the  vacant  secretaryship  to 
Martin  D.  Hardin,  who  declined  it),  rather  than  submit  to  a  violation  of  his 
rights  in  the  overthrow  of  the  constitution.  A  common  sense  and  literal  inter- 
pretation of  the  organic  law,  resumed  its  sway  over  the  public  mind,  while  par- 
tisan purpose  and  sophisticated  opinion  yielded  the  contest.  Successive  vacan- 
cies by  death  in  the  office  of  governor  have  since  occurred,  in  the  instances  of 
Governor  Breathitt,  Clarke,  &c.,  without  a  renewal  of  the  long  mooted  question. 
At  the  end  of  his  gubernatorial  term,  Governor  Slaughter  retired  to  his  farm  in 
Mercer,  where  he  died  in  1830,  at  the  age  of  sixty-three  years.  The  legislature, 
by  joint  resolution,  some  years  since,  ordered  a  marble  monument  to  be  erected 
to  his  memory  on  the  spot  where  he  was  buried. 

Captain  Samuel  Daveiss,  a  well  known  citizen  of  Mercer,  is  a  brother  of  the 
celebrated  Colonel  Joseph  H.  Daveiss,  and  is  a  fine  specimen  of  the  old  Ken- 
tucky gentleman.  He  is  a  lawyer  of  considerable  eminence,  and  has  frequently 
represented  his  county  in  the  legislature  of  the  State,  of  which  body  he  was  a 
very  useful  member.  Having  emigrated  to  Kentucky  at  an  early  day,  he  is  ex- 
tensively acquainted  with  the  facts  connected  with  the  first  settlement  of  the 
country,  which  renders  his  conversation  exceedingly  interesting  and  instructive. 

Gen.  Robert  B.  McAfee  was  born  in  the  district  of  Kentucky,  at  his  present 
residence,  on  Salt  river,  in  February,  1784.  His  ancestors  came  to  Kentucky,  and 
settled  at  this  place,  in  the  fall  of  1779.  Robert  McAfee,  the  father  of  Gen. 
McAfee,  had  to  cultivate  his  farm  gun  in  hand,  for  four  or  five  years  after  he  set- 
tled in  Kentucky ;  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  and  reared  amid  the 
confusion  and  perils  of  continued  Indian  alarms.  He  was  placed  at  school  while 
yet  very  young,  and  continued  at  various  institutions  of  instruction  until  he  had 
obtained  a  good  education.  He  lost  his  father  when  he  was  eleven  years  of  age; 
and  being  thus  left  an  orphan,  (his  mother  having  died  the  year  previous),  he  was 
placed  under  the  charge  of  the  Hon.  John  Breckinridge  and  James  McCoun,  who 
had  been  appointed  his  guardians.  In  the  year  1796,  he  entered  Transylvania 
Seminary,  (the  germ  of  the  present  university  of  that  name),  then  under  the  con- 
trol of  the  Rev.  James  Moore,  a  gentleman  of  learning  and  estimable  character. 
He  also  attended,  for  a  brief  period,  a  private  school,  in  Mercer  county.  When 
he  had  completed  his  classical  education,  he  commenced  the  study  of  the  law 
under  the  Hon.  John  Breckinridge,  in  whose  office  he  continued  three  years. 
When  he  had  completed  his  studies,  he  returned  to  Mercer  county  and  commen- 
ced the  practice  of  the  law.  In  October,  1807,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  Cardvvell,  a  niece  of  Col.  Anthony  Crockett,  a  revolutionary  officer,  who 
was  with  Gen.  George  Rogers  Clark  in  the  expedition  against  Kaskakias  and 
Vincennes.  In  the  year  1800  he  was  elected  to  represent  Mercer  county  in  the 
legislature;  and,  with  the  exception  of  two  or  three  years,  has  been  in  public 
life  ever  since.  Upon  the  breaking  out  of  the  late  war,  he  volunteered  as  a  pri- 
vate,  in  a  company  of  mounted  riflemen,  and  was  among  the  first  Kentuckians 
who  joined  the  north-western  army.  In  this  company  he  was  appointed  sergeant, 
and  was,  subsequently,  elected  ensign,  and,  afterwards,  second  lieutenant.  He 
was  also  made  quarter-master  of  Col.  R.  M.  Johnson's  regiment.  This  regiment 
aided  in  relieving  fort  Wayne,  at  a  very  critical  period,  when  surrounded  by  hos- 
tile Indians.  A  detachment  having  been  sent,  under  Col.  Wells,  against  the  In- 
dian town  of  Five  Medals,  sixty  miles  north-w^est  of  fort  Wayne,  McAfee  accom- 
panied the  expedition.  In  1813,  he  received  from  Governor  Shelby  a  captain's 
commission  in  Col.  Johnson's  regiment  of  mounted  riflemen,  having,  previously, 
raised  a  company  of  eighty  men,  by  whom  he  had  been  elected  captain.  Col. 
Johnson's  regiment  marched  on  the  25th  of  May,  1813,  and  was  employed  in 
active  service  on  the  frontiers.  Capt.  McAfee's  company,  having  been  increased 
to  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  were  in  the  battle  of  the  Thames,  on  the  5th  of 


THE  MILITIA  PIG.  465 

October,  1813,  and  did  good  service.  At  the  close  of  the  war,  Capt.  McAfee  re- 
turned to  his  farm,  in  Mercer  county,  and  spent  two  or  three  years  in  private  life. 
In  1819,  he  was  elected  to  the  legislature;  and,  in  1821,  was  chosen  a  member 
of  the  State  senate.  In  1824,  he  resigned  his  seat  in  the  senate,  and  was  elected 
lieutenant  governor,  in  which  capacity  he  served  four  years.  He  presided  over 
the  deliberations  of  the  senate  during  those  bitter  and  exciting  contests,  which 
are  known  in  history  as  the  new  and  old  court  questions.  In  1829,  he  became  a 
candidate  for  Congress,  but  declined  before  the  election  came  on.  In  1830,  he 
was  again  elected  to  the  legislature;  and  again  in  1831-2.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  convention  which  assembled  at  Baltimore  in  1832,  and  nominated  Gen. 
Jackson  as  candidate  for  president,  and  Martin  Van  Buren  for  vice-president.  In 
1833,  he  was  appointed  charge  d'affaires  to  the  republic  of  Colombia,  in  South 
America,  and  proceeded  to  the  city  of  Bogota,  where  he  remained,  engaged  in  the 
discharge  of  his  duties,  until  1837,  when  he  returned  to  the  United  States.  In 
this  mission  he  was  accompanied  by  his  son  James,  as  private  secretary.  In 
1841,  he  was  again  elected  to  the  senate  of  Kentucky;  and,  in  1842,  was  ap- 
pointed one  of  the  visitors  to  West  Point,  and  elected  president  of  the  board. 
In  1845,  he  retired  from  public  life,  and  has  since  resided  on  his  farm,  in  Mercer 
county.  He  is  now  in  the  sixty-third  year  of  his  age.  It  should  not  be  omitted, 
that  Gen.  McAfee  is  a  member  of  the  Koyal  Antiquarian  Society  of  Denmark, 
and  an  honorary  member  of  the  Kentucky  Historical  Society. 

Gen.  Hugh  Mercer,  of  Virginia,  from  whom  this  county  received  its  name, 
was  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  graduated  at  an  early  age  in  the  science  of  medi- 
cine. At  the  memorable  battle  of  Culloden,  he  acted  as  assistant  surgeon,  and 
with  many  of  the  vanquished  sought  a  refuge  in  America.  In  the  Indian  war  of 
1755,  he  served  as  a  captain,  under  Washington.  For  his  gallantry  and  military 
skill  in  this  war,  the  corporation  of  Philadelphia  presented  him  with  an  appro- 
priate medal.  In  1775,  he  was  in  command  of  three  regiments  of  minute-men; 
and  in  1776,  he  was  made  colonel  in  the  army  of  Virginia.  Having  joined  the 
continental  army,  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  brigadier  general,  and  served 
in  that  capacity  with  efficiency  and  distinction,  until  the  period  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  the  battle  of  Princeton,  where  he  fell  mortally  wounded,  while 
leading  the  vanguard  of  the  American  forces.  He  survived  nine  days,  and  then 
died  of  his  wounds. 

Daring  the  last  war  with  Great  Britain  a  very  remarkable  circumstance  occur- 
red in  connection  with  the  invasion  of  Canada  by  tiie  Kentucky  troops,  which 
from  its  singularity  merits  preservation.  A  company  of  volunteers  destined  for 
Shelby's  army,  rendezvoused  at  Harrodsburg,  Mercer  county,  and  formed  a 
nucleus  around  which  the  military  recruits  of  the  country  gathered,  obtaining 
fresh  accessions  of  strength  with  their  progress  towards  the  Ohio.  When  they 
marched  from  Harrodsburg,  about  a  mile  or  two  out,  they  saw  two  pigs  fighting, 
and  delayed  their  march  to  see  it  out.  When  the  march  was  recommenced,  it 
was  observed  that  the  victorious  pig  was  following  in  the  route,  and  at  night, 
when  they  encamped,  the  animal  also  hunted  itself  a  shelter,  and  halted  for  the 
night.  The  following  day,  the  pig  accompanied  the  troops  as  before,  and  thus 
night  and  morning,  in  their  progress  to  the  river,  the  animal  halted,  rested,  and 
started  onwards  when  they  resumed  their  journey.  When  they  came  opposite 
Cincinnati,  at  which  place  they  crossed  in  a  ferry  boat,  the  pig  on  getting  to  the 
water's  edge,  promptly  plunged  in,  waiting  on  the  other  side  until  the  whole  cor- 
iee;e  crossed  over,  and  resumed  its  post  as  customary  in  the  flank  of  the  moving 
column.  In  this  way  the  animal  kept  on  with  the  troops,  until  they  got  to  the 
lake.  On  the  whole  journey,  as  the  men  grew  more  familiar  with  their  comrade, 
it  became  a  pet,  receiving  a  full  share  of  the  rations  issued  to  the  soldiers,  and 
destitute  as  the  troops  found  themselves  at  times  of  sustenance,  no  one  thought  of 
putting  the  knife  to  the  throat  of  their  fellow  soldier.  What  they  had  was  still 
shared,  and  if  the  pig  fared  at  times  as  scantily  as  the  rest,  it  grunted  on,  and 
manifested  as  much  patriotism  in  its  own  line,  as  the  bipeds  it  accompanied  in 
theirs.  At  the  margin  of  the  lake  she  embarked  with  the  troops  and  went  as  far 
as  Bass  Island.  She  was  there  offered  a  passage  into  Canada,  but  obstinately 
refused  to  embark  a  second  time.  Some  of  the  men  attributed  her  conduct  to 
constitutional  scruples,  and  observed  that  she  knew  it  was  contrary  to  the  constitu- 
30 


466  MERCER    COUNTY. 

tion  to  force  a  militia  pig  over  the  line.  Inconsequence  of  this  remark  they  gave 
her  leave  to  remain.  After  the  campaign  had  closed,  the  troops  recrossed  the 
lake,  having  left  their  horses  on  the  American  side.  As  soon  as  the  line  was 
formed,  to  the  great  surprise  of  many,  and  inspiring  a  deep  interest  in  all,  there 
was  the  pig  on  ihe  right  of  the  line,  ready  to  resume  her  march  with  the  rest.  By 
this  lime  the  winter  frosts  had  set  in,  and  the  animal  suffered  greatly  on  its 
homeward  march.  It  made  out,  however,  to  reach  Waysville,  at  which  point  the 
troops  recrossed  the  Ohio  river.  There  it  gave  out,  and  was  placed  in  trusty 
hands  by  Governor  Shelby ;  and  finally  taken  to  the  Governor's  home,  where  the 
animal  passed  the  rest  of  its  days  in  ease  and  indolence.  The  facts  contained  in 
this  narrative  are  strictly  true,  and  can  be  attested  by  many  living  witnesses.* 

The  following  account  of  some  singular  natural  formations  among  the  cliffs  of 
the  Kentucky  river,  should  have  appeared  under  the  head  of  Jessamine  county, 
but  was  not  prepared  until  the  description  of  that  county  had  gone  to  press.  They 
are  situated  immediately  opposite  the  county  of  Mercer,  which  is  the  reason  of 
its  insertion  in  this  place. 

The  most  picturesque  of  these  natural  objects  is  called  the  Devil's  Pulpit. 
We  are  indebted  for  the  following  account  of  a  visit  to  this  remarkable  curiosity, 
to  the  pen  of  a  well  known  citizen  of  Kentucky,  Dr.  Graham,  the  enterprising 
and  intelligent  proprietor  of  the  Harrodsburg  Springs.     He  says  ; 

"  After  much  vexation  and  annoyance  occasioned  by  the  difficulties  of  the  road, 
we  arrived  near  the  object  of  our  visit,  and  quitting  our  horses,  proceeded  on  foot. 
Upon  approaching  the  break  of  the  precipice,  under  the  direction  of  our  guide, 
we  suddenly  found  ourselves  standing  on  the  verge  of  a  yawning  chasm,  and 
immediately  beyond,  bottomed  in  darkness,  the  Devil's  Pulpit  was  seen  rearing 
its  black,  gigantic  form,  from  amid  the  obscurity  of  the  deep  and  silent  valley. 
The  back  ground  to  this  gloomy  object  presented  a  scene  of  unrelieved  desola- 
tion. Cliff  rose  on  clift^  and  crag  surmounted  crag,  sweeping  off  on  either  hand 
in  huge  semicircles,  until  the  wearied  eye  became  unable  to  follow  the  countless 
and  billowy-like  mazes  of  that  strange  and  awful  scene.  The  prevailing  charac- 
ter of  the  wliole  was  that  of  savage  grandeur  and  gloom.  A  profound  silence 
broods  over  the  place,  broken  only  by  the  muffled  rushing  of  the  stream  far  down 
in  its  narrow  passage,  cleaving  its  way  to  its  home  in  the  ocean.  Descending  by 
a  zigzag  path  to  the  shore  of  the  river,  while  our  companions  were  making  prep- 
arations to  cross,  I  strayed  through  the  valley.  The  air  was  cool,  refreshing  and 
fragrant,  and  vocal  with  the  voices  of  many  birds.  The  bending  trees,  the  wind- 
ing stream  with  its  clear  and  crystal  waters,  the  flowering  shrubs,  and  cluster- 
ing vines  walled  in  by  these  adamantine  ramparts — which  seem  to  tower  to  the 
skies — make  tliis  a  place  of  rare  and  picturesque  beauty.  The  dew  drops  still 
hung  glittering  on  the  leaves,  the  whispering  winds  played  with  soft  music 
through  the  rustling  filiage,  and  the  siinljeams  struggling  through  the  overhang- 
ing forest  kissed  the  opening  flowers,  and  all  combined  made  up  a  scene  of  rural 
loveliness  and  romance,  which  excited  emotions  of  unmingled  delight.  The  boat 
having  arrived,  the  river  was  crossed  without  difficulty,  •^nd  we  commenced  the 
ascent,  and  after  measuring  up  two  hundred  and  seventy  feet,  arrived  at  the  base 
of  the  "  Pulpit."  Fifty  paces  from  this  point,  and  parallel  with  it,  in  the  solid 
ledge  of  the  cliff,  is  a  cave  of  considerable  extent.  At  its  termination,  there 
passes  out  like  the  neck  of  a  funnel,  an  opening,  not  larger  than  a  hogshead. 
Upon  pitching  rocks  into  this  cave,  a  rumbling  was  heard  at  an  immense  distance 
below  the  earth.  Some  are  of  opinion  that  this  cave  contains  a  bottomless  pit. 
We  now  ascended  the  cliffs  some  fifty  feet  further,  clambering  up  through  a  fis- 
sure in  the  rocks,  having  the  Pulpit  on  our  right,  and  a  range  of  cliffs  on  our  left. 
To  look  up  here  makes  the  head  dizzy.  Huge  and  dark  masses  roll  up  above 
you,  upon  whose  giddy  heights  vast  crags  jut  out  and  overhang  the  valley, 
threatening  destruction  to  all  below.  The  floating  clouds  give  these  crags  the 
appearance  of  swimming  in  mid  air.  The  ascent  up  these  rocks,  though  some- 
what laborious,  is  perfectly  safe,  being  protected  by  natural  walls  on  either 
side,  and  forming  a  perfect  stairway  with  steps  from  eight  to  ten  feet  thick.  At 
the  head  of  this  passage,  there  is  a  hole  through  the  river  side  of  the  wall,  large 
enough  to  admit  the  body,  and   through  which  one  may  crawl,  and  look  down 

♦Vide  Gist's  Cincinnati  Miscellany  for  1845-6,  and  McAfee's  History  of  the  Late  War. 


MONROE    COUNTY.  467 

upon  the  rushing  stream  below.  At  the  foot  of  the  stairway  stands  the  Pulpit, 
rising  from  the  very  brink  of  the  main  ledge,  at  more  than  two  hundred  feet  of  an 
elevation  above  the  river,  but  separated  from  the  portion  which  towers  up  to  the 
extreme  heights.  The  space  is  twelve  feet  at  bottom,  and  as  the  cliff  retreats 
slightly  at  this  point,  the  gap  is  perhaps  thirty  feet  at  the  top.  The  best  idea  that 
can  be  formed  of  this  rock  is  to  suppose  it  to  be  a  single  column,  standing  in 
front  of  the  continuous  wall  of  some  vast  building  or  ruin,  the  shaft  standing  as 
colonnades  are  frequently  built  upon  an  elevated  platform.  From  the  platform  to 
the  capital  of  the  shaft  is  not  less  than  one  hundred  feet,  making  the  whole  ele- 
vation of  the  "  Devil's  Pulpit "  three  hundred  feet.  It  is  called  by  some  the  inver- 
ted candlestick,  to  which  it  has  a  striking  resemblance.  There  are  two  swells, 
which  form  the  base  moulding  and  occupy  about  forty  feet  of  the  shaft.  It  then 
narrows  to  an  oblong  of  about  three  feet  by  six,  at  which  point  there  are  fifteen 
distinct  projections.  This  narrow  neck  continues  with  some  irregularity  for  eight 
or  ten  feet,  winding  off  at  an  angle  of  more  than  one  degree  from  the  line  of 
gravity.  Then  commences  the  increased  swell,  and  craggy  offsets,  first  over- 
hanging one  side,  and  then  the  other,  till  they  reach  the  top  or  cap  rock,  which  is 
not  so  wide  as  the  one  below  it,  but  is  still  fifteen  feet  across. 


MONROE    COUNTY. 

Monroe  county  was  formed  in  1820,  and  named  in  honor  of 
President  James  Monroe.  It  is  situated  on  the  southern  border 
of  the  State,  and  Hes  on  the  head  waters  of  Big  Barren  river, 
the  Cumberland  passing  through  its  south-west  corner  :  bounded 
on  the  north  by  Barren,  east  by  Cumberland,  south  by  the  State 
of  Tennessee,  and  west  by  Allen  county.  The  face  of  the  coun- 
ty is  diversified — level,  undulating  and  hilly — the  principal 
growth  walnut,  hickory,  beech,  and  white,  black  and  chesnut 
oak,  &c.  Wheat,  oats  and  corn  are  the  principal  products,  and 
hogs  are  exported  in  considerable  numbers. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  Monroe,  155,571  ;  average  value 
of  land  per  acre,  $2.29  ;  valuation  of  taxable  property  in  1846, 
$755,397  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age, 
1,118;  number  of  children  between  fiive  and  sixteen  years  old, 
1,650.     Population  in  1840,  6,526. 

ToMPKiNSviLLE,  the  seat  of  justice  of  Monroe  count}',  is  one 
hundred  and  forty  miles  from  Frankfort.  Contains  a  court-house 
and  jail,  Presbyterian  and  Methodist  churches,  one  school,  four 
lawyers,  four  doctors,  one  tavern,  five  stores,  and  five  mechanics' 
shops — population  150.  Incorporated  in  1819,  and  named  after 
Daniel  D.  Tompkins,  vice-president  of  the  United  States  Centre 
Point  is  a  small  village  on  the  Cumberland  river. 

This  county  received  its  name  in  honor  of  .Tames  Monroe,  the  fifth  president 
of  the  United  States.  He  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  was  born  in  Westmore- 
land county,  on  the  28th  day  of  April,  1758.  He  was  educated  at  William  and 
Mary  college,  and  graduated  in  1776.  Upon  leaving  college,  he  entered  as  a  ca- 
det in  a  corps  then  organizing  under  General  Mercer.  He  was  soon  after  ap- 
pointed a  lieutenant,  and  joined  the  army  at  York.  He  was  in  the  engaorement 
at  Harlaem  heights,  and  at  White  Plains,  and  accompanied  the  army  in  its  retreat 
through  the  Jerseys.     He  was  with  Washington  when  he  crossed  the  Delaware, 


468  MONTGOMERY   COUNTY. 

and  made  the  successful  attack  on  the  Hessians  at  Trenton.  Here  he  was  woun- 
ded in  the  shoulder.  On  recovering,  he  served  as  aid  to  Lord  Sterling,  and  was 
with  him  in  the  battles  of  Brandywine,  Germantown,  and  Monmouth.  Retiring 
from  the  army,  he  entered  the  office  of  Mr.  Jefferson,  as  a  student  of  law.  In 
1780  he  was  sent  by  Mr.  Jefferson,  then  governor  of  Virginia,  as  a  commissioner 
to  the  southern  army,  then  under  De  Kalb,  to  ascertain  its  effective  force,  its 
wants  and  ulterior  prospects.  In  1782  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  legislature 
of  Virginia,  and  the  next  year  was  sent  to  the  continental  Congress,  when  only 
twenty-four  years  of  age.  He  continued  in  Congress  three  years.  Upon  retir- 
ing from  Congress,  he  was  again  sent  to  the  legislature  of  his  native  State.  In 
1788  he  was  a  member  of  the  Virginia  convention  which  adopted  the  constitution 
of  the  United  States,  but  voted  against  the  adoption  of  that  instrument.  From 
1790  to  1794,  he  was  a  member  of  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  and  was 
taken  from  that  body  to  be  envoy  extraordinary  and  minister  plenipotentiary  to 
France.  In  1796  he  was  recalled.  Upon  his  return,  he  was  elected  governor  of 
Virginia,  and  served  in  that  capacity  three  years.  In  1803  he  was  again  sent  by 
Mr.  Jefferson  to  France,  to  act  with  Mr.  Livingston,  the  resident  minister  there. 
From  France  he  was  transferred  to  London,  as  successor  to  Mr.  King.  From 
England  he  was  ordered  to  Spain,  from  whence  he  returned  to  England  on  the 
death  of  Mr.  Pitt.  Upon  his  return  to  the  United  States,  he  spent  several  years 
in  retirement  upon  his  farm  in  Virginia,  but  in  1810  was  sent  to  the  legislature  of 
Virginia.  A  few  months  after  he  was  elected  governor  of  the  commonwealth, 
and  remained  in  that  office  until  he  was  appointed  secretary  of  state  under  Mr. 
Madison.  In  1817  he  was  elected  president  of  the  United  States,  and  continued  in 
that  office  eight  years.  After  he  retired  from  office,  he  continued  to  reside  on  his 
farm  in  Virginia  till  the  4th  of  July,  1831,  when  he  expired,  in  the  seventy-third 
year  of  his  age. 


MONTGOMERY    COUNTY. 

Montgomery  county  was  formed  in  1796,  and  named  in  honor 
of  Gen.  Richard  Montgomery,  of  the  revolutionary  army.  It  lies 
on  the  waters  of  Hinkston  and  Red  rivers  :  bounded  on  the  north 
by  Bath ;  east,  by  Bath  and  Morgan  ;  south,  by  Estill  and  Ows- 
ley ;  and  west,  by  Clark  and  Bourbon, — and,  originally,  included 
Bath,  part  of  Morgan,  Floyd,  Letcher,  Perry,  Breathitt,  Owsley 
and  Estill.  The  south-eastern  half  of  the  county  is  very  thinly 
settled,  being  very  mountainous,  and  does  not  embrace  one  hun- 
dred voters.  Most  of  the  residue  of  the  county  is  first  rate,  rich, 
limestone  land, — more  broken  and  rolling  than  Bourbon,  Clark, 
or  Fayette,  but  the  soil  is  considered  as  rich  and  productive  as 
it  is  in  those  counties.  Hemp  is  raised,  to  some  extent,  in  the 
county  ;  but  the  principal  exports  are  fat  cattle,  mules,  horses  and 
hogs.  There  are  nineteen  schools  in  the  county,  two  of  which 
are  in  Mount-Sterling. 

Mount-Sterling,  the  county  seat,  is  situated  on  Hinkston  creek, 
near  its  head,  about  live  miles  east  of  the  Clark  county  line,  and 
seven  miles  west  of  the  Bath  county  line, — being  sixty  miles  from 
Frankfort.  It  has  improved  rapidly  for  a  few  years  past,  and 
now  contains  1,000  inhabitants.  The  public  buildings  are,  a  very 
large,  commodious,  and  well  arranged  brick  court  house,  clerks' 
offices,  three  churches,  (Presbyterian,  Methodist,  and  Reformed), 
a  male  academy — a  large,  fine,  new  brick  building,  built  under  a 


JOHN  A.  CRAWFORD.  469 

charter  from  the  legislature,  and  in  which  is  kept  the  Highland 
Institute,  one  of  the  most  flourishing  literary  institutions  in  the 
State,  having  four  teachers,  and  from  one  hundred  to  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  pupils  each  session.  There  are  sixteen  lawyers 
and  seven  physicians  in  the  town,  sixteen  dry  goods  stores,  one 
hardware  store,  one  drug  store,  three  groceries,  one  book  store, 
printing  office,  two  taverns,  one  shoe  store,  and  a  large  number 
of  mechanics'  shops.  Jeffersonville  is  a  small  village,  eight  miles 
east  of  Mount-Sterling,  on  the  State  road  to  Prestonsburg,  with 
one  tavern,  a  store,  and  a  blacksmith  shop. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  Montgomery,  176,276;  average 
value  of  land  per  acre,  $13.14;  number  of  white  males  over 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  1,360  ;  number  of  children  between  five 
and  sixteen  years  old,  1,778.  Total  valuation  of  taxable  prop- 
erty in  1846,  $4,039,948.     Population  in  1840,  9,332. 

No  county  in  Kentucky  has  suffered  more  from  land  litigation 
than  Montgomery.  The  laws  of  Virginia  for  the  appropriation 
of  lands,  were  the  greatest  curse  that  ever  befell  Kentucky.  Some- 
times as  many  as  five  or  six  patents  covered  the  same  piece  of 
land  ;  and  the  occupant,  besides  the  title  under  which  he  entered, 
frequently  had  to  buy  two  or  three  times  more,  or  lose  his  home 
and  his  labor.  The  difficulties  in  the  land  titles  belong  to  the 
State  at  large,  and  need  not  be  specially  pointed  out  here. 

The  MOUND  which  gave  name  to  Mount- Sterling,  was  cut  down 
during  the  year  1846.  Many  curious  things  were  found,  inter- 
spersed with  human  bones — among  which  were,  a  copper  and 
two  white  queensware  breastplates,  about  the  size  of  a  man's 
hand ;  a  great  number  of  large  beads,  some  of  copper  and  oth- 
ers of  ivory  ;  bracelets  of  copper,  &c.  Thirty  years  ago,  there 
w^ere  trees  on  this  mound  as  large  as  those  in  the  neighboring 
forest. 

About  five  miles  west  of  Mount-Sterling,  on  the  farm  belonging 
to  the  heirs  of  Mr.  Jacob  Johnson,  is  another  mound,  near  to  what 
was  once  an  entrenchment.  The  latter  was  square,  and  when 
cleared,  the  timber  which  was  growing  in  the  trenches  and  on  the 
banks  was  of  the  largest  and  richest  growth, — just  such  as  that 
which  surrounded  it  in  the  forest.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the 
square,  was,  evidently,  a  gate,  some  twenty  feet  wide,  which  was 
on  the  brow  of  the  hill ;  thence  down  to  a  spring,  some  thirty 
yards  off,  for  the  width  of  the  gate,  there  were  no  trees  of  any 
kind,  when  the  country  was  first  settled  by  the  whites. 

Montgomery  county  was  not  settled  as  early  as  those  west  of  it.  The  first 
corn  raised  in  it,  was  by  Capt.  John  A.  Crawford,  in  the  year  1790.  He  was 
employed,  in  that  year,  to  clear  the  iantl  and  cultivate  a  few  acres  of  corn,  for 
which  he  was  to  receive  one  hundred  acres  of  choice  land.  In  conjunction  with 
a  negro  man,  he  cleared  four  acres  and  cultivated  the  same,  for  which  he  received 
his  hundred  acres,  and  which  lies  adjoining  Mount-Sterling,  and  upon  which  he 
has  resided  ever  since,  and  raised  a  large  and  respectable  family.  He  is  now  a 
vigorous,  sprightly  old  rnan,  about  eighty-two  years  old.  He  was  under  Gen. 
Wayne  in  the  north-west,  and,  also,  commanded  a  volunteer  company  during  the 
last  war  with  Great  Britain. 


470  MONTGOMERY   COUNTY. 

In  1782  Montgomery  county  was  the  scene  of  a  rencontre  between  the  whites 
and  the  Indians,  which  was  marked  by  a  display  of  cool  intrepidity,  on  both 
sides,  worthy  of  veteran  troops.  This  event  is  known  in  history  as  Estill's  de- 
feat, and  is  perhaps  more  honorable  to  the  Indian  character  than  any  other  battle 
fought  during  those  times. 

In  the  month  of  May,  a  party  of  about  twenty-five  Wyandots  invested  Estill's 
station,  on  the  south  of  the  Kentucky  river.  They  killed  a  white  man,  took  a 
negro  prisoner,  and  after  destroying  the  cattle,  retreated.  Soon  after  the  Indians 
had  disappeared.  Captain  Estill  raised  a  company  of  twenty-five  men,  and  with 
these  pursued  the  enemy  with  the  design  of  inflicting  summary  vengeance  for 
these  outrages.  He  came  up  with  them  at  the  Hinkston  fork  of  Licking  river. 
They  had  just  crossed  the  creek,  which  is  here  very  narrow,  and  were  leisurely 
ascending  a  hill  of  moderate  elevation  which  arose  on  the  opposite  side.  Estill's 
men  immediately  opened  a  fire  on  the  retreating  Indians,  who  at  first  manifested 
a  disposition  to  run,  but  their  chief,  being  severely  wounded,  ordered  them  in  a 
loud  voice  to  stand  and  fight.  Upon  this  the  Indians  promptly  prepared  for  bat- 
tle, each  man  taking  a  tree,  in  which  position  they  returned  the  fire  of  the 
whites. 

Estill  and  his  men  had  also,  in  the  mean  time,  formed  a  line  of  battle,  and 
protecting  themselves  as  well  as  they  could  by  the  trees  and  bushes  in  the  vicin- 
ity, kept  up  a  rapid  discharge  of  rifles.  The  opposing  foemen  were  formed  on 
opposite  sides  of  the  creek,  and  maintained  the  fight  for  some  time  with  great  de- 
liberation and  coolness. 

The  numbers  were  equal  on  each  side,  and  the  battle  was  more  like  a  single 
combat,  than  an  engagement  between  organized  forces.  Each  rifleman  singled 
out  his  man,  and  fired  only  when  he  saw  his  mark.  The  firing  was  deliberate, 
although  life  itself  was  often  the  forfeit.  And  thus  both  sides  firmly  stood,  or 
bravely  fell,  for  more  than  one  hour.  Upwards  of  one-fourth  of  the  combatants 
on  both  sides  had  fallen.  Never  was  the  native  bravery  of  men  put  to  a  more 
severe  test.  In  the  clangour  and  uproar  of  a  general  battle,  death  is  forgotten, 
and  even  cowards  die  like  brave  men  ;  but  in  the  cool  and  lingering  expectation 
of  death,  none  but  the  man  of  true  courage  can  stand:  and  such  was  the  situation 
of  these  combatants.  Captain  Estill  clearly  perceived  that  no  advantage  had 
been  gained  over  the  Indians  up  to  this  period  of  the  contest,  and  that  while  the 
action  was  continued  in  the  manner  in  which  it  had  been  commenced,  no  decided 
change  could  be  produced  in  the  relative  fortunes  of  the  fight.  Victor)'  itself, 
could  it  have  been  purchased  with  the  loss  of  his  last  man,  would  be  but  a 
mournful  triumph  ;  but  even  of  victory,  without  some  successful  manoeuvre,  he 
could  not  assure  himself.  His  situation  was  critical  ;  the  promptest  action  was 
required.  He  cast  his  eyes  over  the  field,  and  saw  that  the  creek  before  him  op- 
posed a  charge  in  front;  but  on  the  other  hand  he  observed  a  valley  running  from 
the  creek  towards  the  rear  of  the  enemy's  line,  and  prompted  by  the  urgency  of 
his  situation,  he  determined  to  detach  six  of  his  men  by  this  valley,  to  gain  the 
flank  or  rear  of  the  enemy  ;  while  himself,  with  the  residue,  maintained  their  po- 
sition in  front. 

The  detachment  accordingly  moved  off  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Miller; 
but  either  mistaking  his  way,  or  not  comprehending  the  orders  of  his  superior, 
this  oflicer  did  not  proceed  with  the  requisite  dispatch,  and  the  movement  was 
not  executed  in  time.  The  Indian  leader,  in  the  meantime,  discovering  from  the 
slackening  of  the  fire  in  front,  that  the  line  had  been  weakening,  made  a  rapid 
charge  across  the  creek  with  his  whole  force,  drove  the  whites  from  their  coverts, 
and  compelled  them  to  retreat  with  great  slaughter.  In  the  charge.  Captain  Es- 
till and  eight  of  his  men  were  killed.  Four  others  were  badly  wounded,  who 
made  their  escape.  In  this  affair  the  Indians  lost  more  than  half  of  their  num- 
ber ;  the  loss  of  the  whites  was  much  greater.  The  action  lasted  two  hours, 
and  there  was  nothing  wanting  in  its  circumstances,  but  numbers  and  the  pomp 
and  tactics  of  modern  war,  to  make  it  memorable. 

The  last  incursion  by  the  Indians  on  the  interior  of  the  State,  was  made  on 
Easter  Monday,  being  the  1st  day  of  April,  1793,  on  which  occasion  they  took 
Morgan's  station,  on  Slate  creek,  about  seven  miles  east  of  Mount-Sterling,  and 
carried  away  nineteen  prisoners,  all  of  whom  were  women  and  children.  The 
men,  not  anticipating  danger,  were  engaged   in  the  neighborhood  preparing  to 


MORGAN   COUNTY.  471 

raise  their  crops.  One  old  man  and  one  woman  were  killed  near  the  station,  and 
pursuit  havinir  been  made  by  the  whites,  the  savages  killed  several  of  the  prison- 
ers, and  the  remainder  were  taken  to  the  north-west  and  sold.  After  the  treaty 
of  Greenville,  in  1795,  tiiey  were  all  restored  to  their  families  and  friends. 

General  Richard  Montgomery,  in  memory  of  whom  this  county  received  its 
name,  was  a  major  general  in  the  American  revolutionary  army,  and  a  native  of 
Ireland — born  in  1737.  He  embraced  the  profession  of  arms  at  an  early  period, 
and  was  with  Wolfe  at  the  capture  of  Quebec,  in  1759.  On  his  return  to  England, 
he  resigned  his  commission  and  removed  to  America,  purchased  an  estate  in  New 
York,  and  married  a  daughter  of  Judge  Livingston.  On  the  commencement  of 
the  revolutionary  struggle,  his  feelings  in  favor  of  the  colonies  being  well  known, 
he  was  entrusted  with  the  command  of  the  continental  forces  in  the  northern  de- 
partment, in  conjunction  with  General  Schuyler.  The  indisposition  of  the  latter 
devolved  the  cliief  command  upon  Montgomery,  who,  after  various  successes, 
(the  reduction  of  fort  Chamblee,  the  capture  of  St.  John's,  and  of  Montreal), 
proceeded  to  the  siege  of  Quebec.  Having  formed  a  junction  with  Colonel  Ar- 
nold, a  combined  attack  was  made  on  the  place  on  the  1st  of  December,  1775; 
but  for  the  want  of  artillery  of  sufficient  calibre,  although  the  attack  was  well 
planned,  the  assailants  were  defeated.  General  Montgomery  and  his  two  aids 
were  killed  by  the  only  gun  fired  from  the  battery  of  the  enemy.  He  was  buried 
in  Quebec,  without  the  honors  due  his  rank,  but  his  remains,  by  order  of  Con- 
gress, were  removed  to  New  York  in  1816,  and  placed  in  front  of  St.  Paul's 
church,  where  a  monument  was  erected  to  his  memory.  He  had  received  an  ex- 
cellent education,  and  was  gifted  with  fine  abilities.  His  military  talents  espe- 
cially were  of  a  high  order,  and  the  sorrow  for  his  loss  was  heightened  by  the 
esteem  which  his  amiable  character  had  gained  him.  At  the  period  of  his  death 
he  was  only  thirty-eight  years  of  age. 


MORGAN    COUNTY. 

Morgan  county  was  formed  in  1822,  and  named  for  General 
Daniel  Morgan.  It  is  situated  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State — 
Licking  river  flowing  in  a  north-western  direction  through  the 
centre  :  Bounded  on  the  north  by  Carter  ;  east  by  Lawrence  and 
Johnson  ;  south  by  Breathitt  and  Owsley  ;  west  by  Montgomery 
and  Bath,  and  north-west  by  Fleming.  The  face  of  the  country 
is  hilly,  interspersed  with  fertile  valleys.  The  soil  is  based  on 
free  stone,  with  red  clay  foundation.  Iron  ore,  coal,  alum  and 
copperas,  with  mineral  and  oil  springs,  abound  in  the  county. 
Principal  productions  are,  Indian  corn,  oats,  potatoes  and  flax — 
the  exports,  pork,  beef  and  horses.  Besides  Licking  river,  which 
flows  through  this  county,  the  head  waters  of  Little  Sandy  and 
Red  river  have  their  rise  here — the  former  flowing  into  the  Ohio 
river  in  Greenup  county,  and  the  latter  into  the  Kentucky  river 
in  Clark  county. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  Morgan,*  515,962  ;  average  value 
of  lands  per  acre,  96  cents  ;  valuation  of  taxable  property  in 
1846,  $602,494 ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  1,068  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years 
old,  1,547  :  Population  in  1840,  4,603. 

*  The  territory  of  this  county  is  full  six  times  as  large  as  that  of  some  other  counties  of 
the  State. 


472  MUHLENBURG  COUNTY. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are — West  Liberty  and  Hazle-Green. 
West- Liberty,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  one  hundred  and  seven  miles 
from  Frankfort — contains  a  court-house,  a  Methodist  church,  a 
Christian  chui-ch,  two  lawyers,  one  physician,  two  taverns,  three 
stores,  and  eight  mechanics'  shops  :  Population  100 — established 
in  1825.  Hazle-Grccn  is  a  pleasant  little  village,  with  a  popula- 
tion of  about  40  souls. 

General  Daniel  Morgan,  from  whom  this  county  received  its  name,  was  a  dis- 
tinguished officer  of  the  war  of  the  revolution,  and  was  born  in  New  Jersey  in 
1736.  His  first  employment  was  that  of  a  wagoner.  In  this  capacity  he  was 
with  the  army  at  Braddock's  defeat.  On  the  return  of  the  army  he  received  a 
commission  as  ensign  in  the  English  service.  From  this  period  until  1774  noth- 
ing distinct  is  known  of  the  history  of  General  Morgan.  In  this  year  he  com- 
manded a  company  in  Dunmore's  expedition  against  the  Indians.  He  comman- 
ded a  detachment  consisting  of  three  rifle  companies  under  Arnold  at  Quebec,  and 
led  the  forlorn  hope  in  the  assault.  Here  he  was  taken  prisoner.  On  his  exchange 
he  received  the  appointment  of  colonel  in  the  continental  army.  He  was  at  the 
head  of  Lis  riflemen  in  the  decisive  and  victorious  battle  of  Saratoga.  For  his 
gallantry  in  this  action,  the  legislature  of  Virginia  passed  a  resolution  present- 
ing him  with  a  horse,  pistols,  and  a  sword. 


MUHLENBURG    COUNTY. 

MuHLENBURG  couuty  was  formed  in  1798,  and  named  in  honor 
of  Gen.  Peter  Muhlenburg,  of  the  revolutionary  army.  It  is  sit- 
uated in  the  south-western  middle  part  of  the  State,  and  lies  on 
the  waters  of  Greene  river  :  Bounded  on  the  north  and  north-east 
by  Greene  river,  which  separates  it  from  Daviess  and  Ohio  ;  east 
by  Butler ;  south  by  Todd  and  Logan  ;  and  west  by  Hopkins.  In 
the  southern  portion  of  the  county  the  surface  is  broken,  and  the 
lands  comparatively  poor ;  while  the  middle  and  northern  divi- 
sions are  undulating,  and  the  soil  productive.  Corn,  pork,  and 
tobacco,  are  the  staples.  The  county  abounds  in  coal  and  iron 
ore.  The  "  Henry  Clay  Iron  Works,"  four  miles  from  Greeneville 
is  supplied  with  ore  of  a  superior  quality  from  the  contiguous 
high  grounds,  which,  as  the  quantity  is  inexhaustible,  has  obtain- 
ed the  name  of  the  "  Iron  Mountain.''''  There  are  several  mineral 
springs  in  Muhlenburg ;  and  salt,  in  small  quantities,  was  at  one 
time  manufactured  in  the  county. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  Muhlenburg,  274,809 ;  average 
value  of  lands  per  acre,  $1.93  ;  valuation  of  taxable  property  in 
1846,  $1,298,019;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years 
old,  1,366;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years 
old,  1,744;  population  in  1840,  6,964. 

There  are  five  towns  in  the  county,  viz :  Greeneville,  Lewisburg, 
Rumsey,  South  Carrollton,  and  Skilesville.  Greeneville,  the  seat 
of  justice,  is  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  from  Frankfort.  It 
contains,  besides  the  usual  public  buildings,  one  Presbyterian  and 
one  Methodist  church,  six  lawyers,  three  physicians,  one  semi- 


NELSON  COUNTY.  473 

nary,  six  stores,  one  grocery,  two  taverns,  one  wool  carding  fac- 
tory, two  tobacco  factories,  and  eight  mechanics'  shops.  Popu- 
lation, 400.  Established  in  1812,  and  named  after  the  distin- 
guished revolutionary  general,  Greene.  Lcwisburg  is  a  small  vil- 
lage, situated  on  Greene  river,  nine  miles  from  Greeneville,  con- 
taining two  stores,  one  warehouse,  and  about  50  souls.  Rumsey 
lies  on  Greene  river,  at  lock  and  dam  No.  2,  about  twenty-five 
miles  north  of  Greeneville — contains  one  Union  church,  one  law- 
yer, two  physicians,  two  taverns,  five  stores,  two  groceries,  one 
school,  two  saw-mills,  two  grist-mills,  one  carding  factory,  and 
six  mechanics'  shops.  Population,  300.  Named  after  James  Rum- 
sey, for  whom  the  honor  is  claimed  of  having  built  the  first  steam- 
boat in  the  United  States.  South  CarroUton,  situated  on  Greene 
river,  two  miles  below  Lewisburg — has  two  stores,  three  ware- 
houses, one  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church,  one  physician,  one 
tavern,  and  four  mechanics'  shops.  Population,  75.  Skilesville 
is  situated  on  Greene  river,  at  lock  and  dam  No.  3,  fourteen  miles 
east  of  Greeneville,  and  contains  one  physician,  two  stores,  and 
about  15  souls.  Named  after  James  R.  Skiles,  who  introduced 
the  first  steamboat  upon  Greene  river,  and  who  spent  a  fortune  in 
promoting  the  navigation  of  the  river. 

Gen.  Peter  Muhlenburg  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  by  profession  a 
clergyman  of  the  Lutheran  church.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  revolution,  he 
was  a  young  man  of  about  thirty  years  of  age,  and  pastor  of  a  Lutheran  church 
at  Woodstock.  In  1776,  he  received  the  commission  of  colonel,  and  was  re- 
quested to  raise  his  regiment  among  tlie  Germans  of  the  valley.  Having  in  his 
pulpit  inculcated  the  principles  of  liberty,  he  found  no  difficulty  in  enlisting  a  re- 
giment. He  entered  the  pulpit  with  his  sword  and  cockade,  preached  his  fare- 
well sermon,  and  the  next  day  marched  at  the  head  of  his  regiment  to  join  the 
army.  His  regiment  was  the  eighth  Virginia,  or,  as  it  was  commonly  called,  the 
German  regiment.  This  corps  behaved  with  honor  throughout  the  war.  They 
were  at  Brandyvvine,  Monmouth,  and  Germantown,  and  in  the  southern  campaigns. 
In  1777,  Mr.  Muhlenburg  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  brigadier  general.  After 
the  war,  he  returned  to  Pennsylvania — was  for  many  years  treasurer  of  that  State, 
and  served  three  terms  in  Congress,  after  the  adoption  of  the  constitution.  In 
person,  Gen.  Muhlenburg  was  tall  and  well-proportioned,  and,  in  his  address,  re- 
markably courteous.  He  was  a  fine  disciplinarian,  an  excellent  officer,  and  es- 
teemed and  beloved  by  both  officers  and  soldiers. 


NELSON    COUNTY. 

Nelson  county  was  formed  in  1781,  and  named  for  Gover- 
nor Thomas  Nelson,  of  Virginia.  It  is  situated  in  the  middle  part 
of  the  state,  and  lies  on  the  waters  of  Salt  river  :  Bounded  on 
the  north  by  Spencer  ;  east  by  Washington  and  Marion  ;  south 
by  Larue  ;  west  by  Hardin  ;  and  north-west  by  Bullitt.  The  sur- 
face of  the  county  is  undulating  The  soil  in  the  northern  por- 
tion is  of  an  excellent  quality,  and  well  adapted  to  the  growth 
of  hemp  ;  while  that  of  the  southern  portion  is  rather  thin,  though 
there  are  detached  parcels  of  good  land,  particularly  in  the  bot- 


474 


NELSON   COUNTY. 


toms  of  the  Beech  and  Rolling  forks,  and  Pottinger  creeks.  This 
county  grows  almost  every  variety  of  grain  and  grasses.  The 
exports  are,  principally,  hemp,  flour,  hay,  corn,  apples,  hogs,  cat- 
tle, horses,  mules,  and  whisky. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  Nelson,  252,597  ;  average  value  of 
lands  per  acre,  $9.00  ;  total  valuation  of  taxable  property  in 
1846,  $4,967,176;  number  of  white  males  over  tu'enty-one  years 
of  age,  1,987;  number  of  children  between  live  and  sixteen  years 
old,  1,754.     Population  in  1840,  13,637. 


CATHOLIC    COLLEGE,    BARDSTOWN,     KY. 


The  towns  of  Nelson  are,  Bardstown,  Bloomfield,  Fairfield* 
Chaplin  and  New-Haven.  Bardstown,  the  principal  town  and 
county  seat,  is  situated  on  an  elevated  plain,  three-fourths  of  a 
mile  north  of  the  Beech  fork  of  Salt  river,  about  fifty  miles 
from  Frankfort,  and  forty  miles  south-west  from  Louisville.  It 
contains  a  fine  brick  court-house,  four  churches,  (Baptist,  Metho- 
dist, Presbyterian  and  Roman  Catholic,)  fourteen  lawyers,  nine 
physicians,  ten  dry  goods  stores,  one  drug  store,  several  grocery 
stores,  one  bagging  factory,  one  wool  factory,  one  steam  cotton 
factory,  and  twenty-five  mechanics'  shops.  Population  about 
2,000.     St.  Joscpfi's  'College,  located  in  this  town,  was  founded  in 


FEMALE    COURAGE.  475 

1819,  and  is  under  the  control  of  the  Roman  Catholic  denomina- 
tion. Rev.  Edward  McMahon  is  president,  assisted  by  four  pro- 
fessors. Numbers  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  students,  with  five 
thousand  volumes  in  the  library.  Commencement  in  August. 
The  college  edifice  is  a  very  commodious  and  imposing  structure. 
There  is  a  Roman  Catholic  Fcincde  Institution  two  and  a  half 
miles  north-west  of  Bardstown — and  Presbyterian  and  Metho- 
dist Female  Academics  in  Bardstown — all  extensively  patronised 
and  in  a  flourishing  condition.  Bardstown  is  one  of  the  hand- 
somest towns  of  the  west,  and  contains  an  enterprising,  intelli- 
gent and  remarkably  moral  population. 

There  is  a  natural  tunnel  under  Bardstown,  of  circular  form 
and  several  feet  in  diameter,  commencing  at  the  eastern  and  ter- 
minating at  the  western  declivity  of  the  eminence  on  which  the 
town  is  built.  We  have  not  learned  to  what  extent  this  subter- 
ranean passage  has  been  penetrated. 

Bloomjicld  is  a  handsome  town,  containing  one  Baptist  church, 
two  physicians,  five  stores,  two  taverns,  and  sixteen  mechanics' 
shops,  with  a  population  of  400.  Neio  Haven  has  a  Roman  Cath- 
olic church,  one  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  one  tavern,  four  phy- 
sicians, four  stores,  and  ten  mechanics'  shops  :  Population  300. 
Faiijield  contains  one  Catholic  church,  three  physicians,  one  tav- 
ern, four  stores  and  six  mechanics'  shops — with  a  population  of 
150.  Clmplin  has  three  physicians,  three  stores,  one  tavern,  and 
seven  mechanics'  shops — population  150. 

Female  Couragij:. — The  following  record  of  the  indomitable  courage  and  ama- 
zing physical  strength  of  one  of  the  pioneer  females  of  Kentucky,  we  copy  from 
the  interesting  work  of  Mr.  McClung,  the  Sketches  of  Western  Adventure : 

"  During  the  summer  of  1787,  the  house  of  Mr.  John  Merril,  of  Nelson  county, 
Ky.,  was  attacked  by  the  Indians,  and  defended  with  singular  address  and  good 
fortune.  Merril  was  alarmed  by  the  burking  of  a  dog  about  midnight,  and  upon 
opening  the  door  in  order  to  ascertain  tiie  cause  of  the  disturbance,  he  received 
the  fire  of  six  or  seven  Indians,  by  which  his  arm  and  thigh  were  both  broken. 
He  instantly  sunk  upon  the  floor  and  called  upon  his  wife  to  close  the  door.  This 
had  scarcely  been  done  when  it  was  violently  assailed  by  the  tomahawks  of  the 
enemy,  and  a  large  breach  soon  effected.  Mrs.  Merril,  however,  being  a  perfect 
Amazon,  both  in  strength  and  courage,  guarded  it  with  an  axe,  and  successively 
killed  or  badly  wounded  four  of  the  enemy  as  they  attempted  to  force  their  way 
into  the  cabin. 

"The  Indians  then  ascended  the  roof,  and  attempted  to  enter  by  way  of  the 
chimney  ;  b.it  here  again  tliey  were  met  by  the  same  determined  enemy.  Mrs. 
Merril  seized  the  only  feather  bed  which  the  ciibin  afforded,  and  hastily  ripping 
it  open,  poured  its  contents  upon  the  fire.  A  furious  blaze  and  stifling  smoke 
instantly  ascended  the  chimney,  and  brought  down  two  of  the  enemy,  who  lay 
for  a  few  moments  at  the  mercy  of  the  lady.  Seizing  the  axe,  she  quickly 
dispatched  them,  and  was  instantly  afterwards  summoned  to  the  door,  where  the 
only  remaining  savage  now  appeared,  endeavoring  to  effect  an  entrance,  while 
Mrs.  Merril  was  engaged  at  the  chimney.  He  soon  received  a  gash  in  the  cheek, 
which  compelled  him,  with  a  loud  yell,  to  relinquish  his  purpose,  and  return  has- 
tily to  ChiUicoihe,  where,  from  the  report  of  a  prisoner,  he  gave  an  exaggerated 
account  of  the  fierceness,  strength,  and  courage  of  the  "  long  knife  squaw  !" 

In  August,  1792,  information  was  communicated  to  Major  Brown,  of  Nelson 
county,  that  a  ])arty  of  Indians  were  committing  depredations  on  the  Rolling  fork 
of  Salt  river.     He  immediately  raised  a  company  of  volunteers,  and  commenced 


V^ 


476  NELSON  COUNTY. 

a  vigilant  search  for  the  marauders.  Fallinfj  on  their  trail,  he  pursued  and  over- 
took them,  when  a  brisk  skirmish  ensued  between  his  men  and  the  rear  of  the 
Indian  force,  consistinjj  of  twelve  warriors.  In  this  spirited  conflict,  four  of  the 
Indians  were  left  dead  upon  the  field,  and  the  remainder  were  dispersed.  The 
loss  of  the  whites  was  one  man  killed,  and  two  wounded. 

The  Hon.  Charles  A.  Wicki.iffe,  who  has  filled  a  considerable  space  in  the 
political  history  of  his  State  and  country,  is  a  native  of  Kentucky.  His  father, 
C.  Wickliffe,  removed  from  Virginia  to  Kentucky  in  1784,  when  the  few  and 
feeble  settlements  in  the  western  forests  were  still  exposed  to  the  horrors  of  sav- 
age warfare.  His  mother  was  a  sister  of  Col.  John  Hardin,  so  celebrated  in  the 
traditions  of  the  west,  for  his  heroism  and  tragical  fate.  The  subject  of  our 
sketch  is  the  youngest  of  nine  children.  His  father,  with  small  means  and  a 
large  family,  was  unable,  partly  from  the  condition  of  the  country  at  that  early 
period,  to  bestow  an  education  upon  any  of  his  sons,  beyond  the  rudiments  of  the 
English  language.  The  whole  family,  however,  were  brought  up  in  habits  of 
industry  and  economy. 

The  oldest  brother,  Robert  Wickliffe,  after  he  had  attained  the  age  of  twenty- 
one,  commenced  the  study  of  the  law  under  the  celebrated  George  Nicholas,  and, 
by  his  vigorous  talents,  and  industry,  has  raised  himself  to  well  known  eminence 
at  the  bar  and  in  the  councils  of  his  country.  The  other  two  brothers,  one  of 
whom  is  dead,  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits,  and  attained  great  respectability 
and  high  standing  in  the  society  in  which  they  moved.  Charles  A.  Wickliffe  re- 
mained at  home  until  his  seventeenth  year,  when,  manifesting  a  desire  to  obtain 
an  education,  he  was  sent  to  a  grammar  school  in  Bardstown,  under  the  care  of 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Wilson,  where  he  remained  about  one  year.  He  afterwards  enjoyed 
the  benefit  of  Dr.  Blythe's  instructions,  at  Lexington,  for  about  nine  months. 

Expressing  a  desire  to  study  law,  he  was  placed  under  the  tuition  of  his  rela- 
tive, Gen.  Martin  D.  Hardin.  He  was  forced  to  enter  upon  the  practice  of  his 
profession,  after  a  shorter  term  of  preparation  than  was  usual  at  that  day, — for  his 
father's  property  was  little  more  than  adequate  to  the  support  of  his  family  ;  and 
young  Wickliffe  found  himself  almost  wholly  dependent  upon  his  own  exertions 
for  the  means  of  subsistence.  His  appearance  at  the  bar  was  greeted  bj^  many 
warm  friends  of  his  youth,  to  whose  kindness  he  was  much  indebted  for  his  sub- 
sequent success,  and  for  whom  he  has  ever  expressed  the  most  grateful  regard. 
Yet  he  had  to  struggle  against  a  tremendous  competition. 

The  bar  of  Bardstown,  when  he  commenced  his  professional  career,  was  the 
ablest  west  of  the  Alleghany  mountains.  It  comprised  such  men  as  Rowan, 
who.  as  an  advocate,  was  excelled  by  few,  if  any,  of  his  day  :  afterwards  a  judge 
of  the  highest  court  of  the  commonwealth,  and  senator  in  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States  ;  Pope,  who  has  been  pronounced,  by  good  judges,  one  of  the 
ablest  debaters  that  this  country  has  ever  produced  ;  Hardin,  who  is  well  known 
as  a  skillful  and  learned  jurist;  and,  at  a  subsequent  period,  that  prodigy.  John 
Hays,  whose  marvellous  eloquence  is  never  spoken  of  without  enthusiasm,  by 
those  who  had  the  good  fortune  to  hear  him.  In  this  battle  of  giants,  Mr.  Wick- 
liffe, by  fair  and  honorable  exertion,  forced  his  way  to  that  high  place  in  public 
estimation  which  he  has  ever  since  maintained. 

When  the  popular  mind  began  to  be  deeply  moved  in  reference  to  the  vindica- 
tion of  our  national  rights  and  honor  against  the  maritime  tyranny  of  England, 
Mr.  Wickliffe  took  an  active  part,  by  public  addresses,  in  preparing  the  people 
of  that  part  of  Kentucky  in  which  he  was  then  known,  to  support  a  declaration 
of  war,  and  to  take  a  share  in  the  struggle  worthy  of  her  renown  for  courage  and 
patriotism.  After  war  had  been  declared  in  1812,  he  entered  the  service  as  a  vol- 
unteer, but  was  soon  after  appointed  aid  to  Gen.  Winlock.  He  had  been  chosen 
to  represent  Nelson  county  in  the  legislature,  which  met  in  December,  1812.  This 
was  an  important  session.  Kentucky  had  responded,  with  her  usual  alacrity,  to 
the  call  of  the  country.  During  the  preceding  summer,  great  numbers  of  volun- 
teers had  left  their  homes  for  the  hardships  and  perils  of  the  nortii-western  cam- 
paign. The  general  government  having  failed,  in  a  great  measure,  to  provide  for 
their  wants,  the  legislature  threw  open  the  treasury  of  the  State  ;  and,  at  the  same 
time  that  they  devoted  her  revenues  to  the  public  service,  pledged  the  lives  of  her 
sons  to  the  cause  of  the  nation. 


CHARLES  A.  WICKLIFFE.  477 

While  this  legislature  was  in  session,  came  the  news  of  that  dreadful  disaster 
at  the  Raisin,  which  covered  the  State  with  mourning.  The  two  iiouses  requested 
the  venerable  Gov.  Shelby,  then  in  the  executive  chair,  to  take  command  of  the 
Kenluckians,  and  lead  them  to  victory  and  vengeance.  Of  all  these  measures 
for  the  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war,  Mr.  Wickliffe  was  the  zealous  and  effi- 
cient advocate.  His  re-election,  in  1813,  was  the  best  proof  that  his  constituents 
approved  his  legislative  conduct. 

In  this  year,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  Cripps,  a  lady  who  is  justly  ad- 
mired for  her  colloquial  powers  and  social  accomplishments,  and  esteemed  by  her 
intimate  friends  for  other  less  brilliant,  but  still  more  valuable  qualities.  Her 
father,  some  months  before  her  birth,  had  fallen  in  a  dreadful  conflict  with  the  In- 
dians, near  Bullitt's  Lick,  after  a  display  of  courage  and  generosity  unsurpassed 
in  the  annals  of  western  adventure. 

When  Gov.  Shelby  issued  his  proclamation,  inviting  his  fellow-citizens  to  meet 
him  at  Newport,  Mr.  Wickliffe  again  volunteered,  and  was  appointed  aid  to  Gen. 
Caldwell,  of  the  Kentucky  troops,  in  which  capacity  he  was  present,  and  ren- 
dered valuable  service,  at  the  battle  of  the  Thames.  After  that  battle,  he  returned 
to  Kentucky,  and  served  in  the  ensuing  session  of  the  legislature.  Tie  then  with- 
drew from  public  life,  being  under  the  necessity  of  providing  for  a  family,  by  un- 
divided attention  to  his  professional  business. 

In  1820,  he  was  again  elected  to  the  legislature.  In  the  session  of  that  year 
the  commonwealth  bank  was  chartered.  Mr.  Wickliffe  made  an  able  speech 
against  that  measure,  basing  his  opposition  to  it  not  only  upon  constitutional 
ground,  but  also  upon  the  evils  and  dangers  of  the  paper  system.  He  continued 
a  member  of  the  legislature  until  his  election  to  Congress  in  1822.  In  1825, 
when  the  choice  of  a  president  devolved  upon  the  house  of  representatives,  Mr. 
Wickliffe,  in  opposition  to  most  of  his  colleagues,  voted  for  General  Jackson,  in 
accordance  with  the  wishes  of  a  large  majority  of  the  people  whom  he  repre- 
sented. He  preferred  General  Jackson  to  Mr.  Adams,  from  his  personal  knowl- 
edge of  their  characters,  as  well  as  of  their  views  in  relation  to  the  fundamental 
principles  of  the  federal  government.  His  re-election  to  Congress,  by  the  unusu- 
ally large  majority  of  two  thousand  votes,  was  a  decisive  proof  of  the  approba- 
tion of  his  constituents.  He  continued  to  represent  the  same  district  in  Con- 
gress until  1833,  when  the  pressure  of  domestic  cares  and  professional  business 
compelled  him  once  more  to  retire  from  public  life. 

During  his  ten  years'  service  in  the  councils  of  the  nation,  his  reputation  stea- 
dily rose  as  a  debater  and  a  man  of  business.  He  was  for  several  years  chair- 
man of  the  important  committee  of  public  lands,  and  was  chosen  by  the  house 
one  of  the  managers  of  the  impeachment  of  Judge  Peck,  in  which  capacity  he 
appeared  before  the  senate,  and  made  one  of  the  ablest  speeches  reported  in  the 
proceedings  of  that  celebrated  trial. 

Mr.  Wickliffe  was  not  long  permitted  to  remain  in  retirement.  The  same  year 
in  which  he  left  Congress,  he  was  called  upon  by  the  people  of  Nelson  county 
to  represent  them  in  the  legislature.  In  the  session  of  1834,  he  was  chosen 
speaker  of  the  house  of  representatives.  At  a  subsequent  session  Mr.  Wickliffe 
drafted,  supported  and  carried  through  the  legislature,  in  the  face  of  violent  oppo- 
sition, the  bill  establishing  the  present  jury  system  of  Kentucky.  Every  one 
acquainted  with  the  defects  of  the  former  system,  must  admit  that  we  are  indebted 
to  Mr.  Wickliffe  for  a  valuable  reform  in  the  administration  of  justice — perhaps 
the  most  important  of  all  the  objects  for  which  governments  are  instituted. 

Scarcely  had  he  left  the  legislature,  when,  in  1836,  he  was  chosen  lieutenant 
governor  of  Kentucky,  by  which  he  became  president  of  the  senate.  His  com- 
manding person,  dignified  manners,  and  prompt  decision,  well  qualify  him  to  pre- 
side over  a  deliberative  body.  In  1839,  by  the  death  of  Governor  Clarke,  he 
became  the  acting  governor  of  the  commonwealth,  and  discharged  the  duties  of 
that  high  office  with  ability,  integrity,  and  to  the  general  satisfaction  of  the  pub- 
lic. He  found  the  finances  of  the  commonwealth  in  such  a  condition,  owing  to 
the  excesses  of  the  internal  improvement  system,  as  threatened  to  impair  the  credit 
of  the  State.  He  saw  that  this  state  of  things  required  a  prompt  remedy,  and  in 
his  annual  message,  he  culled  upon  the  legislature  to  prevent  the  further  issue 
and  sale  of  bonds,  without  an  adequate  provision  for  paying  the  interest  on  the 
vast  liabilities  already  incurred. 


478  NELSON   COLNTY. 

In  IRll,  he  was  called  by  Mr.  Tyler  to  a  seat  in  his  cabinet,  as  post  master 
general  of  the  Uniferl  States.  All  who  know  him  will  acknowledfje  that  he  was 
well  qualitied  for  that  responsible  office,  by  methodical  habits  of  business,  saaa- 
city,  combined  with  scrupulous  attention  to  details,  and  unswerving  determination 
to  do  his  duty  according  to  law,  regardless  of  the  clamors  of  interested  men. 
The  close  of  his  official  career  was  signalized  by  a  transaction,  perhaps  the  most 
memorable  of  his  public  life.  It  was  his  fortune  to  take  a  considerable  share  in 
bringing  to  its  final  consummation  the  annexation  of  Texas;  a  measure  which  may 
be  regarded  as  a  link  in  a  chain  of  events  that  will  girdle  the  North  American 
continent  with  a  wide  belt  of  illumination  :  which  has  given  an  impulse  to  the 
extension  of  anglo  American  institutions,  that  cannot  be  arrested  until  the  circuit 
of  empire  shall  have  been  completed  on  the  shores  of  the  Pacific. 

In  conclusion,  we  may  remark  that,  though,  like  all  men  who  have  been  prom- 
inently connected  with  public  transactions,  Mr.  WicklifTe  has  given  offence  to 
many,  his  conduct  in  all  the  domestic  relations,  as  a  citizen,  as  a  man  of  busi- 
ness, and  as  a  christian  gentleman,  secures  the  respect  and  confidence  even  of  his 
bitterest  political  enemies. 

The  Hon.  Benjamin  Hardin  is  one  of  the  ablest  men  in  the  State.  He  has 
frequently  been  a  member  of  the  legislature,  and  elector  for  president  and  vice- 
president.  He  was  a  member  of  Congress  from  1815  to  1817,  from  1819  to  1823, 
and  from  1833  to  1837.  While  in  Congress,  few  occupied  higher  rank  as  a  de- 
bater than  Mr.  Hardin.  His  style  is  peculiar,  pungent,  sarcastic,  pointed  and 
energetic;  making  him  an  antagonist  to  be  feared.  The  late  eccentric  John 
Randolph,  of  Roanoke,  in  allusion  to  Hardin's  peculiar  style  of  oratory,  used  to 
call  him  "  the  kitchen  knife,"  rough  and  homely,  but  keen  and  trenchant.  As 
an  advocate  at  the  bar,  he  has  few  if  any  superiors  in  the  State.  In  1814,  when 
William  Owsley  became  governor  of  the  State,  he  appointed  Hardin  his  secre- 
tary of  state,  which  office  he  held  until  February,  1847,  when  he  resigned.  His 
person  is  tall  and  commanding,  his  eye  remarkably  keen  and  penetrating,  and 
his  countenance  exhibits  striking  indications  of  decided  talent.  In  his  politics 
he  is  a  whig. 

Thomas  Nelson,  one  of  the  signers  of  the  declaration  of  independence,  from 
whom  this  county  received  its  name,  was  a  native  of  Virginia.  He  was  educa- 
ted in  England ;  and  entered  the  Virginia  house  of  burgesses,  in  1774.  In  the 
military  organization  of  Virginia,  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  he  was  appointed 
to  the  command  of  a  regiment.  In  1775,  he  was  sent  to  the  general  Congress, 
at  Philadelphia,  and  was  a  member  of  that  body  at  the  time  of  the  declaration  of 
independence.  About  this  time  he  was  appointed,  by  the  State  of  Virginia,  a 
brigadier  general,  and  invested  with  the  chief  command  of  the  military  of  the 
State.  In  1779,  he  was  again,  for  a  short  time,  a  member  of  Congress,  but  was 
forced  by  ill  health  to  resign  his  seat.  In  1781,  he  succeeded  Mr.  .Tefferson  as 
governor  of  Virginia;  and  continued  to  unite  in  himself  the  two  offices  of  gov- 
ernor and  commander  of  the  military  forces,  until  the  surrender  of  Lord  Corn- 
wall is.     He  died  in  1789,  aged  fifty  years. 

The  following  incidents,  from  an  esteemed  and  valuable  contributor,  were  de- 
signed to  appear  under  the  head  of  Bullitt,  but  were  not  received  until  after  the 
description  of  that  county  had  passed  through  the  hands  of  the  stereotyper.  They 
are  too  interesting  to  be  lost,  and  we  therefore  transfer  them  to  Nelson  : 

"  If  I  could  have  taken  the  time,  I  might  have  given  you  many  other  interest- 
ing particulars  of  the  early  times  about  Bullitt's  Lick — when  the  fires  of  an  hun- 
dred salt  furnaces  gleamed  through  the  forest,  and  the  Wyandot  sat  on  Caha's 
knob  and  looked  down  on  five  hundred  men  on  the  plain  below.  I  iiave  sat  in 
the  fork  of  the  chesnut-oak  to  which  Caha  was  bound  by  the  Indians,  while  they 
procured  his  funeral  pile  out  of  the  dead  limbs  of  the  pitch-pine  that  grows  on 
the  mountain's  side — (they  intended  to  burn  him  in  sight  of  Bullitt's  Lick).  Some 
oxen  had  been  turned  out  to  graze,  and  were  straggling  up  the  hill  side.  The 
Indians  heard  the  cracking  of  the  brush,  and  supposing  it  to  be  their  enemies 
(the  whites)  coming  in  search  of  their  lost  companion,  darted  into  the  thicket  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  hill.  Caha  improved  their  temporar}'  absence — slipped 
his  bands,  and  escaped  in  the  darkness,  and  in  a  half  hour  arrived   safe  at  the 


NICHOLAS   COUNTY.  479 

licks.  A  company  was  immediately  raised,  and  made  pursuit.  Tiiey  followed 
the  trail  of  about  twenty  Indians  to  the  bank  of  the  Ohio  river,  and  saw  the  In- 
dians crossing  on  dead  timber  they  had  rolled  into  the  river.  Some  shots  were 
exchanged,  but  no  damage  was  known  to  be  done  on  either  side. 

"  I  have  sat  under  the  shade  of  the  elm,  about  three  miles  north  of  Shepherds- 
ville,  where  Col.  Floyd  fell  ;  and  have  a  thousand  times  walked  the  path  that 
May  and  his  companions  pursued,  as  they  returned  from  making  surveys  in  the 
new  county  of  Washington,  when  they  were  waylaid  by  some  twelve  Indians, 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  above  Shepherdsville,  on  the  south  side  of  Salt  river. 
The  surveyors,  including  the  elder  May,  were  all  killed  but  one — his  name  was 
Hardin.  He  fled  to  the  river  bank,  pursued  by  the  Indians.  There  was  a  small 
station  on  the  opposite  side,  (called  Brashear's  station,  I  think),  about  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  above  the  site  of  the  present  beautiful  watering  place  called  Paroquette 
Springs.  The  men  in  the  station,  about  twenty-five  in  number,  sallied  out.  Har- 
din ran  under  the  river  bank  and  took  shelter.  The  whites,  on  the  opposite  side, 
kept  the  Indians  oif  of  him  with  their  rifles,  until  a  part  of  their  company  ran 
down  and  crossed  at  the  ford,  (Shepherdsville),  came  up  on  the  side  Hardin  was 
on,  and  drove  the  Indians  from  their  prey.  May's  field-notes  of  his  surveys  were 
preserved,  and  subsequently  sustained  by  the  supreme  court  of  the  commonwealth." 

In  1778,  John  Fitch,  for  whom  the  honor  has  been  claimed  of  having  invented 
the  steamboat,  came  to  Kentucky,  located  a  tract  of  land  in  Nelson  county,  and 
appears  to  have  resided  there  for  some  time.  He  was  a  native  of  Connecticut — 
a  man  of  robust  person  and  vigorous  intellect — inclined  to  mechanics  in  his  stu- 
dies and  habits,  but  not  educated  as  a  practical  mechanic.  The  idea  of  applying 
steam  as  a  propelling  power  in  navigation,  first  suggested  itself  to  his  mind  while 
sitting  on  the  bank  of  the  Ohio  river,  and  thinking  of  the  vastness  and  fertility  of 
the  great  valley  watered  by  that  and  the  Mississippi  river.  After  repeated  trials, 
and  much  annoyance  from  unsuccessful  applications  for  assistance,  he  finally  suc- 
ceeded in  carrying  his  project  into  execution,  and  made  a  boat  which  was  propel- 
led by  steam.  He  visited  Europe,  in  the  course  of  his  labors,  and  availed  him- 
self of  the  knowledge  to  be  obtained  from  an  examination  of  Watts'  improvement 
in  the  steam  engine.  He  endeavored  to  procure  a  patent  for  his  invention,  but 
failed.  The  remainder  of  his  life  was  spent  in  harassing  etiorts  to  make  his  inven- 
tion productive,  but  without  avail.  His  disappointments  preyed  upon  his  spirit. 
He  resorted  to  the  bottle,  and  died  in  extreme  poverty.  He  was  interred  in  the 
public  burial  ground  at  Bardstown. 


NICHO  LAS   COUNTY. 

Nicholas  county  was  formed  in  1799,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Colonel  George  Nicholas.  It  is  situated  in  the  north-east  middle 
part  of  the  State,  and  lies  on  both  sides  of  the  Licking  river, 
which  flows  through  the  county  in  a  north-western  direction. 
The  other  more  important  streams  of  the  county  are,  Flat,  Som- 
erset and  Cassady's  creeks.  That  portion  of  the  county  which 
borders  upon  Bourbon  and  Bath,  is  generally  level  or  gently  undu- 
lating, and  is  quite  rich  and  productive  :  the  remainder  of  the 
county,  with  the  exception  of  the  vallies  of  Licking  and  its  trib- 
utaries, is  broken  oak  lands.  The  soil  is  based  on  limestone, 
with  red  clay  foundation.  The  staple  articles  of  trade  and  com 
merce  are,  corn,  hemp,  cattle  and  hogs.  Carlisle  is  the  present 
seat  of  justice,  58  miles  from  Frankfort.  It  is  a  singular  fact 
that  the  county  seat  has  been  located  at  every  prominent  point 
in  the  county.     First  at  the  Blue  Licks  ;  next  at  Bedinger's  mill, 


480  NICHOLAS   COUNTY. 

two  miles  above  ;  then  at  Ellisville,  on  the  road  from  Maysville 
to  Lexington  ;  and  finally  it  found  a  permanent  location  at  Car- 
lisle in  1816. 

Number  of  acres  of  land  in  Nicholas,  142,305  ;  average  value 
of  land  per  acre,  $11.55  ;  total  valuation  of  taxable  property  in 
1840,  $2,450,145  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years 
old,  1,023;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years 
old,  2,121.     Population  in  1840,  8,745. 

Carlisle,  the  seat  of  justice  for  Nicholas  county,  is  situated  two 
miles  east  of  the  Maysville  and  Lexington  road,  thirty-four  miles 
from  Maysville,  fifty-eight  miles  from  Frankfort,  and  five  hundred 
and  ten  miles  from  Washington  city  :  contains  a  new  brick  court- 
house, two  churches,  six  lawyers,  three  physicians,  two  taverns, 
five  dry  goods  stores,  one  drug  and  hat  store,  two  tanneries  and 
fifteen  mechanics'  shops.  Population  about  300.  Incorporated 
in  1817.  Moorcjicld  is  a  small  village,  six  miles  east  of  Carlisle 
— containing  one  church,  two  physicians,  four  mechanics'  shops, 
and  about  40  inhabitants. 

The  Blue  Lick  Springs  have,  from  various  causes,  become  the  most  celebra- 
ted watering  place  in  the  west.  It  was  here  that  the  bloody  battle  was  fought 
with  the  Indians,  which  shrouded  Kentucky  in  mourning ;  and  next  to  Braddock's 
defeat,  has  become  famous  in  the  annals  of  savage  warfare.  At  an  early  day, 
the  Licks  became  a  point  of  great  importance  to  the  settlers,  as  it  was  chiefly 
here  that  they  procured,  with  great  labor,  and  at  much  expense,  their  supply  of 
salt.  In  modern  times,  it  has  become  a  favorite  and  fashionable  resort,  where 
hundreds  of  the  elite  of  the  land  annually  assemble  in  the  pursuit  of  health  or 
pleasure.  The  largest  and  most  valuable  spring,  whose  supply  of  water  appears 
to  be  inexhaustible,  is  situated  on  the  northern  bank  of  the  Licking  river,  about 
two  hundred  yards  from  that  stream.  The  water  has  been  analyzed  by  experi- 
enced chemists,  and  contains  the  following  ingredients: — Sulphurated  hydrogen, 
carbonic  acid,  muriate  of  soda,  muriate  of  magnesia,  muriate  of  lime,  sulphate 
of  lime,  sulphate  of  soda,  sulphate  of  magnesia,  and  carbonate  of  lime.  In  its 
action  on  the  system,  it  is  purgative,  diaphoretic  and  alterative. 

Since  this  watering  place  has  passed  into  the  possession  of  the  Messrs.  Holli- 
day,  the  buildings  have  been  greatly  extended,  the  accommodations  increased, 
and  the  grounds  improved  and  beautifully  adorned.  The  main  hotel  is  six  hun- 
dred and  seventy  feet  in  length,  three  stories  high,  and  surrounded  by  large  and 
airy  galleries,  eighteen  hundred  feet  in  extent.  It  has  a  large  and  commodious 
dining  room,  ball  room,  and  three  elegantly  furnished  parlors.  The  large  cedar 
grove  which  occupies  the  site  of  the  battle  ground,  has  been  enclosed  and  set  in 
blue  grass,  and  affords  a  delightful  retreat  to  visitors  in  the  hot  months  of  July 
and  August.  The  Blue  Lick  water  has  become  an  important  article  of  commerce, 
several  thousand  barrels  being  annually  exported. 

On  the  25th  of  September,  1776,  Colonel  John  Todd,  with  a  party  of  ten  men, 
left  Hinkston's  station,  for  the  purpose  of  removing  the  military  stores  secreted 
by  General  George  Rogers  Clark  on  Limestone  creek,*  (near  Maysville,)  to 
Harrodsburg.  When  near  the  Blue  Licks,  they  met  a  small  body  of  Indians, 
which  was  following  the  trail  of  Clark  and  his  companions,  who  had  made  their 
way  a  few  days  previous  to  Harrodsburg.  The  savages  made  a  sudden  and  vig- 
orous onset  upon  the  whites,  killing  Jones  and  one  or  two  others,  making  two  or 
three  prisoners,  and  putting  the  remainder  to  flight. 

In  January,  1778,  accompanied  by  thirty  men,  Boone  went  to  the  Blue  Licks 
to  make  salt  for  the  different  stations  ;  and  on  the  seventh  of  February  following, 
while  out  hunting,  he  fell  in  with  one  hundred  and  two  Indian  warriors,  on  their 
march  to  attack  Boonsborough.     He  instantly  fled,  but,  being  upwards  of  fifty 

*  See  sketch  of  General  George  Rogers  Clark. 


BATTLE   OF   THE    BLUE    LICKS.  481 

years  old,  was  unable  to  contend  with  the  fleet  youngs  men  who  pursued  him,  and 
was  a  second  time  taken  prisoner.  As  usual  he  was  treated  with  kindness  until 
his  final  fate  was  determined,  and  was  led  back  to  the  Licks,  where  his  men 
were  still  encamped.  Here  his  whole  party,  to  the  number  of  twenty-seven,  sur- 
rendered themselves,  upon  promise  of  life  and  good  treatment,  both  of  which  con- 
ditions were  faithfully  observed.* 

In  1782,  the  Indians  having  committed  some  depredations  at  Hoy's  station, 
and  taken  two  boys  prisoners.  Captain  Holder  raised  a  party  of  seventeen  men 
and  pursued  them.  Near  the  Upper  Blue  Licks,  he  came  in  sight  of  the  enemy, 
and  a  spirited  conflict  ensued  ;  but  Captain  Holder  finding  his  force  greatly  infe- 
rior in  number  to  the  Indians,  very  prudently  gave  orders  to  retreat,  which  was 
effected  with  the  loss  of  four  men  killed  and  wounded.  The  loss  on  the  part  of 
the  Indians  was  never  ascertained. 

On  the  19th  of  August,  ITS'S,  the  fatal  battle  to  which  we  have  previously  re- 
ferred, took  place,  on  the  old  State  road,  about  half  a  mile  north  of  the  Lower 
Blue  Licks.  The  Kentackians  who  fought  this  battle  left  Bryant's  station  on 
the  afternoon  of  the  18th,  and  was  composed  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-two 
men,  according  to  General  G.  R.  Clark,  and  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-six,  ac- 
cording to  Mr.  Marshall.  The  subjoined  account  of  the  troops,  pursuit,  and  bat- 
tle, we  copy  from  McClung's  Sketches  : 

"  Colonel  Daniel  Boone,  accompanied  by  his  youngest  son,  headed  a  strong 
party  from  Boonsborough ;  Trigg  brought  up  the  force  from  the  neighborhood  of 
Harrodsburg,  and  Todd  commanded  the  militia  around  Lexington,  Nearly  a 
third  of  the  whole  number  assembled  was  composed  of  commissioned  officers, 
who  hurried  from  a  distance  to  the  scene  of  hostilities,  and  for  the  time  took  their 
station  in  the  ranks.  Of  those  under  the  rank  of  colonel,  the  most  conspicuous 
were  Majors  Harland,  McBride,  McGary,  and  Levi  Todd,  and  Captains  Bulger 
and  Gordon.  Of  the  six  last  named  officers,  all  fell  in  the  subsequent  battle,  ex- 
cept Todd  and  McGary.  Todd  and  Trigg,  as  senior  colonels,  took  the  command, 
although  tlieir  authority  seems  to  have  been  in  a  great  measure  nominal.  That, 
however,  was  of  less  consequence,  as  a  sense  of  common  danger  is  often  more 
binding  than  the  strictest  discipline. 

"  A  tumultuous  consultation,  in  which  every  one  seems  to  have  had  a  voice, 
terminated  in  an  unanimous  resolution  to  pursue  the  enemy  without  delay.  It 
was  well  known  that  General  Logan  had  collected  a  strong  force  in  Lincoln,  and 
would  join  them  at  farthest  in  twenty-four  hours.  It  was  distinctly  understood 
that  the  enemy  was  at  least  double,  and,  according  to  Girty's  account,  more  than 
treble  their  own  numbers.  It  was  seen  that  their  trail  was  broad  and  obvious, 
and  that  even  some  indications  of  a  tardiness  and  willingness  to  be  pursued,  had 
been  observed  by  their  scouts,  who  had  been  sent  out  to  reconnoitre,  and  from 
which  it  might  reasonably  be  inferred  that  they  would  halt  on  the  way,  at  least 
march  so  leisurely,  as  to  permit  them  to  wait  for  the  aid  of  Logan  !  Yet  so  keen 
was  the  ardor  of  officer  and  soldier,  that  all  these  obvious  reasons  were  over- 
looked, and  in  the  afternoon  of  the  18th  of  August,  the  line  of  march  was  taken 
U[i,  and  the  pursuit  urged  with  that  precipitate  courage  which  has  so  often  been 
fatal  to  Kentuckians.  Most  of  the  officers  and  many  of  the  privates  were 
mounted. 

"The  Indians  had  followed  the  buffiilo  trace,  and  as  if  to  render  their  trail  still 
more  evident,  they  had  chopped  many  of  the  trees  on  each  side  of  the  road  with 
their  hatchets.  These  strong  indications  of  tardiness,  made  some  impression 
upon  the  cool  and  calculating  mind  of  Boone;  but  it  was  too  late  to  advise  re- 
treat. They  encamped  that  night  in  the  woods,  and  on  the  following  day  reached 
the  fatal  boundary  of  their  pursuit.  At  the  Lower  Blue  Licks,  for  the  first  time 
since  the  pursuit  commenced,  they  came  within  view  of  an  enemy.  As  the  mis- 
cellaneous crowd  of  horse  and  foot  reached  the  southern  bank  of  Licking,  they 
saw  a  number  of  Indians  ascending  the  rocky  ridge  on  the  other  side. 

"They  halted  upon  the  appearance  of  the  Kentuckians,  gazed  at  them  for  a 
few  moments  in  silence,  and  then  leisurely  disappeared  over  the  top  of  the  hill. 
A  halt  immediately  ensued.     A  dozen  or  twenty  officers  met  in  front  of  the  ranks, 

*  Life  of  Boone, 

31 


482  NICHOLAS   COUNTY, 

and  entered  into  consultation.  The  wild  and  lonely  aspect  of  the  country  around 
them,  their  distance  from  any  point  of  support,  with  the  certainty  of  their  being 
in  the  presence  of  a  superior  enemy,  seems  to  have  inspired  a  portion  of  serious- 
ness, borderinor  upon  awe.  All  eyes  were  now  turned  upon  Boone,  and  Colonel 
Todd  asked  his  opinion  as  to  what  should  be  done.  The  veteran  woodsman,  with 
his  usual  unmoved  gravity,  replied: 

"That  their  situation  was  critical  and  delicate;  that  the  force  opposed  to  them  was  un- 
doubtedly numerous  and  ready  for  battle,  as  might  readily  be  seen  from  the  leisurely  retreat 
of  the  few  Indians  who  had  appeared  upon  the  crest  of  the  hill ;  that  he  was  well  acquain- 
ted with  the  ground  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Lick,  and  was  apprehensive  that  an  ambus- 
cade was  formed  at  the  distance  of  a  mile  in  advance,  where  two  ravines,  one  upon  each 
eide  of  the  ridge,  ran  in  such  a  manner  that  a  concealed  enemy  might  assail  them  at  once 
both  in  front  and  flank,  before  they  were  apprised  of  the  danger. 

"  It  would  be  proper,  therefore,  to  do  one  of  two  things.  Either  to  await  the  arrival  of 
Logan,  who  was  now  undoubtedly  on  his  march  to  join  them,  or  if  it  was  determined  to  at- 
tack without  delay,  that  one  half  of  their  number  should  march  up  the  river,  which  there 
bends  in  an  elliptical  form,  cross  at  the  rapids  and  fall  upon  the  rear  of  the  enemy,  while  the 
other  division  attacked  in  front.  At  any  rate,  he  strongly  urged  the  necessity  of  recon- 
noitering  the  ground  carefully  before  the  main  body  crossed  the  river." 

"  Such  was  the  counsel  of  Boone.  And  although  no  measure  could  have  been 
much  more  disastrous  than  that  which  was  adopted,  yet  it  may  be  doubted  if  any 
thing  short  of  an  immediate  retreat  upon  Logan,  could  have  saved  this  gallant 
body  of  men  from  the  fate  which  they  encountered.  If  they  divided  their  force, 
the  enemy,  as  in  Estill's  case,  might  have  overwhelmed  them  in  detail  ;  if  they 
remained  where  they  were,  without  advancing,  the  enemy  would  certainly  have 
attacked  them,  probably  in  the  night,  and  with  a  certainty  of  success.  They  had 
committed  a  great  error  at  first,  in  not  waiting  for  Logan,  and  nothing  short  of  a 
retreat,  which  would  have  been  considered  disgraceful,  could  now  repair  it. 

"  Boone  was  heard  in  silence  and  with  deep  attention.  Some  wished  to  adopt 
the  first  plan  ;  others  preferred  the  second  ;  and  the  discussion  threatened  to  be 
drawn  out  to  some  length,  when  the  boiling  ardor  of  McGary,  who  could  never 
endure  the  presence  of  an  enemy  without  instant  battle,  stimulated  him  to  an  act, 
which  had  nearly  proved  destructive  to  his  country.  He  suddenly  interrupted 
the  consultation  with  a  loud  whoop,  resembling  the  war-cry  of  the  Indians,  spur- 
red his  horse  into  the  stream,  waved  his  hat  over  his  head,  and  shouted  aloud  ; — 
"  Let  all  who  are  not  cowards,  follow  me  I  "  The  words  and  the  action  together, 
produced  an  electrical  effect.  The  mounted  men  dashed  tumultuously  into  the 
river,  each  striving  to  be  foremost.  The  footmen  were  mingled  with  them  in  one 
rolling  and  irregular  mass. 

"  No  order  was  given,  and  none  observed.  They  struggled  through  a  deep 
ford  as  well  as  they  could,  McGary  still  leading  the  van,  closely  followed  by 
Majors  Harland  and  McBride.  With  the  same  rapidity  they  ascended  the  ridge, 
which,  by  the  tramping  of  buffalo  foragers,  had  been  stripped  bare  of  all  vegetation, 
with  the  exception  of  a  few  dwarfish  cedars,  and  which  was  rendered  still  more 
desolate  in  appearance,  by  the  multitude  of  rocks,  blackened  by  the  sun,  which 
were  spread  over  its  surface.  LTpon  reaching  the  top  of  the  ridge,  they  followed 
the  buffalo  trace  with  the  same  precipitate  ardor ;  Todd  and  Trigg  in  the  rear; 
McGary,  Harland,  McBride,  and  Boone  in  front.  No  scouts  were  sent  in  ad- 
vance ;  none  explored  either  flank ;  ofiicers  and  soldiers  seemed  alike  demented 
by  the  contagious  example  of  a  single  man,  and  all  struggled  forward,  horse  and 
foot,  as  if  to  outstrip  each  other  in  the  advance. 

"Suddenly,  the  van  halted.  They  had  reached  the  spot  mentioned  by  Boone, 
where  the  two  ravines  head,  on  each  side  of  the  ridge.  Here  a  body  of  Indians 
presented  themselves,  and  attacked  the  van.  McGary's  party  instantly  returned 
the  fire,  but  under  great  disadvantage.  They  were  upon  a  bare  and  open  ridge  ; 
the  Indians  in  a  bushy  ravine.  The  center  and  rear,  ignorant  of  the  ground,  hur- 
ried up  to  the  assistance  of  the  van,  but  were  soon  stopped  by  a  terrible  fire  from 
the  ravine  which  flanked  them.  They  found  themselves  enclosed  as  if  in  the 
wings  of  a  net,  destitute  of  proper  shelter,  while  the  enemy  were  in  a  great  mea- 
sure covered  from  their  fire.  Still,  however,  they  maintained  their  ground.  The 
action  became  warm  and  bloody.  The  parties  gradually  closed,  the  Indians 
emerged  from  the  ravines,  and  the  fire  became  mutually  destructive.    The  oflicers 


BATTLE  OF  THE  BLUE  LICKS.  483 

suffered  dreadfully.  Todd  and  Trigg  in  the  rear ;  Harland,  McBride,  and  young 
Boone,  in  front,  were  already  killed. 

"The  Indians  gradually  extended  their  line,  to  turn  the  right  of  the  Kentucki- 
ans,  and  cut  off  their  retreat.  This  was  quickly  perceived  by  the  weight  of  the 
fire  from  that  quarter,  and  the  rear  instantly  fell  back  in  disorder,  and  attempted 
to  rush  through  their  only  opening  to  the  river.  The  motion  quickly  communi- 
cated itself  to  the  van,  and  a  hurried  retreat  became  general.  The  Indians  in- 
stantly sprang  forward  in  pursuit,  and  falling  upon  them  with  their  tomahawks, 
made  a  cruel  slaughter.  From  the  battle  ground  to  the  river,  the  spectacle  was 
terrible.  The  horsemen  generally  escaped,  but  the  foot,  particularly  the  van, 
which  had  advanced  farthest  within  the  wings  of  the  net,  were  almost  totally  de- 
stroyed. Colonel  Boone,  after  witnessing  the  death  of  his  son  and  many  of  his 
dearest  friends,  found  himself  almost  entirely  surrounded  at  the  very  commence- 
ment of  the  retreat. 

Several  hundred  Indians  were  between  him  and  the  ford,  to  which  the  great 
mass  of  the  fugitives  were  bending  their  flight,  and  to  which  the  attention  of  the 
savages  was  principally  directed.  Being  intimately  acquainted  with  the  ground, 
he,  together  with  a  few  friends,  dashed  into  the  ravine  which  the  Indians  had  oc- 
cupied, but  which  most  of  them  had  now  left  to  join  in  the  pursuit.  After  sus- 
taining one  or  two  heavy  fires,  and  baffling  one  or  two  small  parties,  who  pursued 
him  for  a  short  distance,  he  crossed  the  river  below  the  ford,  by  swimming,  and 
entering  the  wood  at  a  point  where  there  was  no  pursuit,  returned  by  a  circuitous 
route  to  Bryant's  station.  In  the  mean  time,  the  great  mass  of  the  victors  and 
vanquished  crowded  the  bank  of  the  ford. 

"The  slaughter  was  great  in  the  river.  The  ford  was  crowded  with  horsemen 
and  foot  and  Indians,  all  mingled  together.  Some  were  compelled  to  seek  a  pas- 
sage above  by  swimming  ;  some,  who  could  not  swim,  were  overtaken  and  killed 
at  the  edge  of  the  water.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Netherland,  who  had  for- 
merly been  strongly  suspected  of  cowardice,  here  displayed  a  coolness  and  pres- 
ence of  mind,  equally  noble  and  unexpected.  Being  finely  mounted,  he  had  out- 
stripped the  great  mass  of  the  fugitives,  and  crossed  the  river  in  safety.  A  dozen 
or  twenty  horsemen  accompanied  him,  and  having  placed  the  river  between  them 
and  the  enemy,  showed  a  disposition  to  continue  their  flight,  without  regard  to 
the  safety  of  their  friends  who  were  on  foot,  and  still  struggling  with  the  current. 

"Netherland  instantly  checked  his  horse,  and  in  a  loud  voice,  called  upon  his 
companions  to  halt,  fire  upon  the  Indians,  and  save  those  who  were  still  in  the 
stream.  The  party  instantly  obeyed  ;  and  facing  about,  poured  a  close  and  fatal 
discharge  of  rifles  upon  the  foremost  of  the  pursuers.  The  enemy  instantly  fell 
back  from  the  opposite  bank,  and  gave  time  for  the  harassed  and  miserable  foot- 
men to  cross  in  safety.  The  check,  however,  was  but  momentary.  Indians 
were  seen  crossing  in  great  numbers  above  and  below,  and  the  flight  again  be- 
came general.  Most  of  the  foot  left  the  great  buffalo  track,  and  plunging  into 
the  thickets,  escaped  by  a  circuitous  route  to  Bryant's  station. 

"  But  little  loss  was  sustained  after  crossing  the  river,  although  the  pursuit 
was  urged  keenly  for  twenty  miles.  From  the  battle  ground  to  the  ford,  the  loss 
was  very  heavy;  and  at  that  stage  of  the  retreat,  there  occurred  a  rare  and  strik- 
ing instance  of  magnanimity,  which  it  would  be  criminal  to  omit." 

The  foregoing  account  of  the  battle  of  the  Blue  Licks,  we  copy  from  McClung's 
Sketches,  who,  we  suppose,  derived  his  facts  from  Marshall.  A  letter  to  the  au- 
thor, from  a  distinguished  citizen  of  Kentucky,  far  advanced  in  years,  makes  the 
following  statement  in  reference  to  the  battle,  which  differs,  in  some  important 
particulars,  from  Mr.  McClung.     The  writer  says  : 

"  Will  you  include  the  battle  of  the  Blue  Licks  in  your  notes  upon  Nicholas 
county  ]  If  so,  and  you  are  not  in  possession  of  the  true  account  of  that  battle, 
I  believe  I  can  supply  you,  and  on  information  derived  from  Gen.  Clark  and  Si- 
mon Kenton;  and,  also,  Capt.  Samuel  Johnson  and  Judge  Twyman,  both  of 
whom  were  in  the  battle.  It  substantially  varies  from  Marshall,  &c.,  who  have, 
most  erroneously,  blamed  the  conduct  of  the  officers.  Johnson  was  a  captain, 
and  Judge  Twyman  a  man  of  high  intelligence  and  perfect  veracity.  I  went  over 
the  ground  with  him,  many  years  since,  and  was  not  only  shown  the  spot  where 
the  battle  began,  and  where  Trigg  was  killed,  but  the  position  of  Trigg's,  Todd's 
and  Boone's  lines.     These  statements  agreed  with  Kenton's  and  Gen.  Clark's— 


484  NICHOLAS    COUNTY. 

the  latter  receiving  his  information  from  liis  friends  in  the  action,  and  the  Indian 
chief  who  fought  it.  Indeed,  Boone's  short  letter,  when  correctly  nnderstood, 
corroborates  my  information,  and  proves  Marshall  and  others  to  be  in  error. 

"The  whole  force  assembled  in  the  open  Lick  ground,  and  formed  tliree  lines 
— Todd  commanding  the  centre,  Trigg  the  right,  and  Boone  the  left  lines  ;  while 
Capt.  Harlan,  with  twenty-five  picked  men,  formed  an  advance  guard.  The  whole 
road  from  the  Lick  to  the  forks  was  examined  by  two  spies,  who  reported  that  they 
could  find  no  Indians  between  the  two  points — the  latter,  as  was  soon  ascertained, 
having  fallen  behind  the  river  hills  on  either  side  of  the  horse-shoe,  leaving  a  few 
of  their  number  concealed  in  the  grass,  in  the  right  hand  hollow.  As  the  troops 
moved  on,  Trigg's  battalion  came  upon  the  small  number  last  mentioned,  who 
fired  upon  his  command,  and  killed  him  and  two  or  three  of  his  men.  This  threw 
Trigg's  line  into  confusion,  and,  being  attacked  by  the  Indians  from  the  right  hill 
side  of  the  river,  before  order  could  be  restored,  the  whole  battalion  broke.  This 
exposed  Todd  to  a  fire  in  flank,  while  Harlan  and  his  twenty-five  men  were  at- 
tacked in  front,  and  the  whole,  with  three  exceptions,  cut  down.  Todd's  line,  in 
consequence,  became  exposed  to  the  Indian  fire  in  front  as  well  as  on  his  flank, 
when  a  large  portion  of  his  men  gave  ground,  leaving  the  left  and  front  ranks  ex- 
posed to  the  galling  fire  of  the  enemy.  A  general  and  tumultuous  retreat  soon 
followed,  &c. 

"  Equally  untrue  is  the  statement,  that  Todd  hurried  the  pursuit,  without  wait- 
ing the  arrival  of  Logan,  for  fear  of  being  superseded  in  the  command.  The  fact 
is,  that  Todd  was  then  both  a  militia  colonel  and  a  colonel  in  the  State  line,  and 
Logan  was  but  a  captain.*  Logan  did  not  reach  Bryant's  station  until  the  day 
after  the  action,  so  that,  if  the  battle  had  been  delayed,  the  Indians  would  have 
crossed  the  Ohio  before  he  reached  Lexington." 

There  are  few  objects  of  more  interest  than  the  struggle  of  a  great  mind  with 
all  the  disadvantages  of  poverty  and  obscurity  ;  nor  is  there  any  sight  more  grand 
and  imposing — more  eminently  worthy  of  contemplation — than  the  ultimate  tri- 
umph of  such  a  mind.  Of  such  struggles  and  such  triumphs,  our  country  afl^ords 
many  bright  examples;  though  there  are  few,  if  any,  more  illustrious  than  the 
Subject  of  this  brief  memoir. 

Thomas  Metcalfe  was  born  on  the  20th  of  March,  1780,  in  the  county  of  Fau- 
quier and  State  of  Virginia.  His  parents  were  poor  and  humble,  aspiring  to  no 
distinction  saving  that  of  a  good  name  and  spotless  reputation.  At  an  early  day 
they  emigrated  to  Kentucky,  and  settled  in  the  county  of  Fayette. 

The  necessity  growing  out  of  the  poverty  and  misfortunes  of  his  father  and 
family,  contributed,  in  no  small  degree,  to  stamp  the  character  of  the  boy  with 
the  elements  of  greatness,  which  his  natural  industry  and  enlerprize  subsequently 
so  fully  developed.  In  his  early  youth  he  was  sent  to  school  only  long  enough 
to  attain  to  moderate  perfection  in  the  then  recognized  rudiments  of  an  English 
education — sufficient,  liowever,  to  inspire  an  ardent  love  for  knowledge.  At  the 
age  of  sixteen,  he  was  apprenticed  to  an  elder  brother,  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  stone 
mason.  Here  it  was  that  the  character  he  had  displayed  in  boyhood,  shone  out 
in  its  fullness.  The  hours  which  other  boys  devoted  to  idleness  and  unprofitable 
amusements,  were  by  him  assiduously  devoted  to  study  and  to  books.  What  to 
other  boys  was  labor,  was  to  him  relaxation  and  repose.  At  the  age  of  nineteen, 
bis  father  died,  leaving  his  mother  and  several  children  extremely  poor,  and  de- 
pendent, partially,  upon  him  for  sustenance  and  support.  To  enable  him  more 
eflfectually  to  render  them  the  aid  their  circumstances  required,  his  brother  can- 
celled his  indentures,  and  he  was  declared  free.  With  his  accustomed  energy, 
he  set  about  providing  for  his  widowed  mother  and  her  orphan  children  ;  and  he 
most  faithfully  performed  his  duty  towards  them, — rearing  and  educating  the 
children — protecting  and  sustaining  all  of  them. 

In  1809,  he  made  his  first  public  speech.  A  requisition  had  been  made  upon 
the  State,  to  vindicate  the  honor  of  the  nation  in  the  contemplated  diflSculties  with 

*  Tlie  writer  of  this  letter  evidently  labors  under  a  mistake  in  relation  to  the  rank  of  Gen.  liOgan  at 
this  period.  In  the  year  17S0,  accordinar  to  Mr.  Butler,  (History  of  Kentucky,  pp.  114  and  115),  Ben- 
jamin Logan  was  commi.ssioned  colonel,  and  Stephen  Trigg  lieutenant  colonel,  of  Lincoln ;  and  John 
Todd  colonel,  and  Daniel  lioone  lieutenant  colonel,  of  Fayette.  Marshall,  McClung,  and  Morehead, 
•gree  with  Butler,  as  to  the  rank  of  Logan. 


GOV.    METCALFE'S    RESIDENCE,    FOREST    RETREAT,    KY. 


GEORGE  NICHOLAS.  485 

old  Spain.  In  the  language  of  one  ivlio  witnessed  this  effort  of  the  young  sol- 
dier, "the  fire  of  his  language  spread  through  the  ranks  of  the  regiment,  and  im- 
parted to  the  men  the  same  noble  ardor  that  animated  his  own  bosom.  Nothing 
could  withstand  the  eloquence  of  his  call  ;  and  volunteers  flocked  to  the  standard 
of  this  Norval  of  the  Grampian  hills,  until  an  overflowing  complement  proved  the 
success  of  his  undertaking." 

His  expectations  were  disappointed, — as  indeed  they  had  been  on  two  former 
occasions,  on  which  he  had  raised  volunteers  for  the  contemplated  war.  He  qui- 
etly again  doffed  his  title,  and  betook  himself  to  the  labor  of  his  trade.  In  1812, 
he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  lower  branch  of  the  general  assembly  of  Ken- 
tucky. Here  his  worth  was  as  manifest  as  in  the  station  of  a  private  citizen.  In 
the  spring  of  1813,  he  raised  a  company  of  volunteers;  and,  at  the  memorable 
battle  of  fort  Meigs,  he  commanded  one  of  the  companies  under  Boswell,  on  the 
left  flank  of  the  line  on  this  side  of  the  river,  which  defeated  more  than  double 
its  number  of  Indians.  He  displayed  an  intrepidity  and  gallantry  which  secured 
him  the  favorable  notice  of  his  commander-in-chief,  the  lamented  Harrison. 
"While  absent  on  the  campaign  of  1813,  he  was  again  elected  to  the  legislature, 
receivinfr  the  suffrao-e  of  every  voter  in  the  county  but  thirteen.  He  served  in  this 
body  several  years;  and,  in  1818.  was  elected  a  member  of  Congress,  under  cir- 
cumstances most  oratifying  to  his  friends.  He  remained  in  Congress  until  1827, 
when  he  received  the  nomination  of  the  national  republican  party  as  their  candi- 
date for  governor  of  Kentucky.  He  resigned  his  seat  in  Congress,  returned  to 
Kentucky,  and  accepted  the  nomination.  He  entered  at  once,  fearlessly,  and  with 
his  accustomed  eners;}%  upon  the  duties  of  the  canvass;  and  though  the  majority 
was  understood  to  be  in  favor  of  the  party  of  his  distinguished  competitor.  Major 
Barry,  he  overcame  every  obstacle,  and  bore  his  banner  proudly  and  victoriously 
through  the  contest. 

After  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  service  as  governor,  he  retired  to  his  farm, 
in  Nicholas  county;  but  he  was  not  permitted  to  leave  the  field  of  active  service 
— he  was  soon  recalled  to  public  life.  In  183-1,  he  was  returned  a  member  of  the 
senate,  from  the  district  of  Nicholas  and  Bracken.  In  1840,  he  was  appointed 
president  of  the  board  of  internal  improvements,  which  office  he  has  ever  since 
filled, — the  arduous  and  responsible  duties  of  which,  he  has  most  faithfully  and 
honorably  performed.  The  venerable  man  is  now,  as  ever,  the  honored  and  be- 
loved of  all  who  know  him — a  true  and  worthy  specimen  of  a  "fine  old  Ken- 
tucky gentleman." 

Major  George  M.  Bkdinger  was  a  pioneer  of  Kentucky,  and  an  earlj'^  settler 
in  Nicholas  county.  In  1779,  he  acted  as  adjutant  in  the  unfortunate  expedition 
of  Col.  Bowman  against  the  Indian  town  of  old  Chillicothe;  and,  in  1782,  he 
was  a  major  at  the  fatal  battle  of  the  Blue  Licks.  In  both  the  expedition  and 
battle  he  bore  himself  gallantly,  as  a  brave  and  efficient  officer.  In  1792,  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  house  of  representatives  of  the  first  legislature  of  Ken- 
tucky, from  Bourbon  county — the  territory  of  Nicholas  then  constituting  a  part 
of  that  county.  In  1802,  he  was  elected  a  member  of  Congress,  and  served  two 
terms  in  that  body, — retiring  to  private  life  in  1807.  He  lived  to  an  advanced 
age,  and  died  a  few  years  since,  on  his  farm,  near  the  lower  Blue  Licks. 

Colonel  George  Nicholas,  in  honor  of  whom  Nicholas  county  was  named, 
was  an  eminent  lawyer  of  Virginia,  who  served  for  some  years  as  colonel  during 
the  revolutionary  war.  He  came  to  Kentucky  just  before  it  became  a  State.  He 
was  a  prominent  and  influential  member  of  the  Virginia  convention,  and  a  zeal- 
ous advocate  in  favor  of  the  adoption  of  the  Federal  Constitution.  He  was  a 
prominent,  if  not  the  most  influential  member  of  the  convention  which  framed 
the  first  constitution  of  Kentucky.  He  enjoyed  in  an  eminent  degree  the  confi- 
dence of  the  people  of  Kentucky,  and  contributed  largely,  by  speaking  and  wri- 
ting, to  influence  the  course  they  took  in  the  great  political  contest  of  '08.  He 
died  when  between  fifty  and  sixty  years  of  age,  in  1709.  As  indicating  the  tone 
of  Colonel  Nicholas'  moral  sentiments,  it  may  be  stated  that  in  theory  and  prac- 
tice he  was  opposed  to  duelingr.  The  following  extract  from  a  letter  written  by 
him  to  A.  S.  Bullitt,  in  1792,  is  honorable  alike  to  his  head  and  his  heart.  "  You 
ask  '  if  I  expect  any  further  satisfaction  from  you,  on  this  subject.'  I  make  no 
scruple  to  declare,  that  I  have  long  been  of  opinion  that  fighting  does  no  real 


4S&  OHIO   COUNTY. 

service  to  the  reputation ;  that  I  think  it  wrong  to  hazard  life  in  that  way  contrary 
both  to  the  laws  of  God  and  man  ;  and  that  for  these  reasons  I  shall  never  call  any 
person  to  the  field.  But  I  hold  myself  at  full  liberty  to  resent  any  aspersion  that 
may  be  cast  on  me ;  and  to  defend  myself  against  any  personal  attack  that  may 
be  made  on  me. 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

"G.  NICHOLAS." 


OHIO    COUNTY. 

Ohio  county  was  formed  in  1798,  and  named  from  the  Ohio  river. 
It  is  situated  in  the  west  middle  portion  of  the  State,  lying  on 
the  waters  of  Greene  river,  which  forms  its  southern  and  a  part 
of  its  south-western  boundary — Rough  creek,  quite  a  considera- 
ble stream,  flowing,  in  a  meandering  course,  through  its  north- 
ern territory  :  bounded  on  the  north  by  Hancock  ;  east  by  Gray- 
son ;  south-east  by  Butler ;  south-west  by  Muhlenburg ;  and 
north-west  by  Daveiss.  The  soil  of  this  county  is  considered 
equal  to  that  of  the  Greene  river  lands  generally,  producing 
excellent  crops  of  corn,  tobacco,  oats,  potatoes,  clover  and  other 
grasses,  but  supposed  not  to  contain  sufficient  lime  for  the  profit- 
able growing  of  wheat.  The  timber  is  heavy  and  of  a  superior 
quality.  Iron  ore  abounds  in  the  county,  and  the  beds  of  excel- 
lent coal  are  inexhaustible.  The  morus  multicaulis  flourishes 
here,  and  the  culture  of  silk  might  be  carried  on  to  any  extent. 
Some  specimens  of  the  manufactured  article  have  been  pro- 
nounced equal  to  the  best  Italian. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  in  Ohio  county,  in  1846,  $1,280,- 
237  ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  309,630  ;  average 
value  of  lands  per  acre,  $2.08  ;  number  of  white  males  over 
twenty  one  years  of  age,  1,407  ;  number  of  children  between  five 
and  seventeen  years  old,  2,032.  Population  in  1840,  6,592 — but 
supposed  to  be  one-third  greater  in  1847. 

Hartford,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  situated  on  the  bank  of  Rough 
creek,  about  twenty-eight  miles  by  water  from  its  junction  with 
Greene  river,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles  from  Frankfort. 
Its  location  is  pleasant  and  agreeable,  remarkable  for  its  fine 
water,  and  the  general  health  of  the  population,  which  numbers 
about  400.  It  contains  a  brick  court-house  and  other  county 
buildings,  two  churches  (Methodist  and  Free,)  six  lawyers,  six  phy- 
sicians, two  taverns,  fifteen  stores  and  groceries  and  ten  mechan- 
ics' shops.     Established  in  1808. 

Ohio  was  the  first  county  formed  below  Hardin,  and  once  included  all  of  the 
present  counties  of  Ohio,  Daveiss  and  Hancock,  with  portions  of  Breckinridge, 
Grayson  and  Butler.  The  immediate  vicinity  of  Hartford  was  settled  at  a  very 
early  period,  and  was  often  the  scene  of  bloody  strife  and  acts  of  noble  daring. 
Hartford  and  Barnett's  stations  were  about  two  miles  apart,  and  although  never 
regularly  besieged,  were  frequently  harassed  by  straggling  parties  of  Indians, 
and  a  number  of  persons,  who  imprudently  ventured  out  of  sight  of  the  stations, 


ESCAPE    FROM    INDIANS.  487 

killed  or  captured.     The  following  facts  we  have  derived  from  Mr.  Stephen  State- 
ler,  a  pioneer  and  venerable  and  esteemed  citizen  of  Ohio  county: 

In  April,  1790,  the  Indians  waylaid  Barnett's  station,  and  killed  two  of  the 
children  of  John  Anderson.  One  of  the  party  assaulted  Mrs.  Anderson  with  a 
sword,  inflicted  several  severe  wounds  upon  her  person,  and  while  in  the  act  of 
taking  off  her  scalp,  John  Miller  ran  up  within  about  twenty  steps,  and  snapped 
his  rifle  at  him.  The  Indian  fled,  leaving  his  sword,  but  succeeded  in  carrying 
off  the  scalp  of  Mrs.  Anderson.  She  however  recovered  and  lived  some  ten  or 
twelve  years  afterwards.  The  same  party  captured  and  carried  oflT  Hannah  Bar- 
nett,  a  daughter  of  Colonel  Joseph  Barnett,  then  a  girl  of  about  ten  years  of  age. 
They  retained  her  as  a  captive  until  October  of  the  same  year,  when  through  the 
instrumentality  of  her  brother-in-law,  Robert  Baird,  she  was  recovered  and  res- 
tored to  her  friends. 

In  August,  of  the  same  year,  three  men  were  attacked  by  a  party  of  Indians, 
near  the  mouth  of  Greene  river.  John  Mcllmurray,  one  of  the  whites,  was  killed, 
a  man  named  Faith  was  wounded,  and  Martin  Vannada  was  made  a  prisoner. 
The  Indians  immediately  crossed  the  Ohio  river,  and,  after  traveling  for  some 
days  in  the  direction  of  their  towns,  struck,  as  they  supposed,  the  trail  of  some 
white  men.  In  order  to  pursue  them  with  the  utmost  celerity  and  without  im- 
pediment, they  tied  Vannada  to  a  tree.  With  the  view  of  rendering  his  escape 
hopeless,  during  their  absence,  they  spread  a  blanket  at  the  root  of  a  tree,  and 
caused  him  to  sit  upon  it,  with  his  back  against  the  tree.  His  hands  were  then 
pinioned  behind  him,  and  fastened  to  the  tree  with  one  rope,  while  they  tied  an- 
other rope  around  his  neck,  and  fastened  it  to  the  tree  above.  In  this  painful  po- 
sition they  left  him,  and  commenced  the  pursuit  of  their  supposed  enemies.  But 
no  sooner  had  they  departed,  than  he  commenced  the  work  of  extricating  himself. 
With  much  difficulty  he  succeeded  in  releasing  his  hands,  but  his  task  appeared 
then  only  to  have  begun.  He  ascertained  that  he  could  not  reach  round  the  tree 
so  as  to  get  to  the  knot ;  and  it  was  so  twisted  or  tied  between  his  neck  and  the 
tree,  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  slip  it  one  way  or  the  other.  Without  a 
knife,  he  made  powerful  efforts  to  get  the  rope  between  his  teeth,  that  he  might 
gnaw  it  in  two.  Failing  in  this,  he  almost  regretted  having  made  any  effort  to 
effect  his  escape,  as,  upon  the  return  of  the  Indians,  the  forfeit  of  his  life  would, 
in  all  probability,  be  the  consequence.  At  this  moment  he  recollected  that  there 
were  some  metal  buttons  on  his  waistcoat.  Instantly  tearing  one  off,  he  placed 
it  between  his  teeth,  and,  by  great  efforts,  broke  it  into  two  pieces.  W^ilh  the 
rough  edge  of  one  of  these,  he  succeeded  in  fretting  rather  than  cutting  the  cord 
in  two  which  bound  his  neck  to  the  tree,  and  was  once  more  free.  But  in  what 
a  condition  !  In  a  wilderness  and-  an  enemy's  country,  with  no  clothing  save  a 
shirt,  waistcoat,  breeches  and  moccasins  I — no  provisions,  no  gun,  no  ammunition, 
no  knife,  not  even  a  flint  to  strike  fire  with  !  He  did  not,  however,  hesitate  or 
falter,  but  instantly  struck  into  the  trackless  forest,  in  the  direction  of  home, — 
and,  under  the  direction  of  a  kind  Providence,  reached  Hartford  the  ninth  day 
after  his  escape,  having  subsisted  upon  such  small  animals  and  insects  as  he  could 
catch  and  eat  raw.  He  was  nearly  famished,  and  greatly  emaciated  ;  but  having 
fallen  into  good  hands,  he  was  soon  recruited,  and  returned  to  his  family  in  fine 
health. 

In  the  year  1786  or  1787,  an  incident  occurred  at  a  fort  on  Greene  river,  which 
displays  the  dangers  which  beset  the  emigrants  of  that  period,  and  illustrates  the 
magnanimity  of  the  female  character. 

About  twenty  young  persons — male  and  female — of  the  fort,  had  united  in  a 
flax  pulling,  in  one  of  the  most  distant  fields.  In  the  course  of  the  forf-noon  two 
of  their  mothers  made  them  a  visit,  and  the  younger  took  along  her  child,  about 
eighteen  months  old.  When  the  whole  party  were  near  the  woods,  one  of  the 
young  women,  who  had  climbed  over  the  fence,  was  fired  upon  by  several  Indians 
concealed  in  the  bushes,  who  at  the  same  time  raised  the  usual  war-whoop.  She 
was  wounded,  but  retreated,  as  did  the  whole  party, — some  running  with  her 
down  the  lane,  which  happened  to  open  near  that  point,  and  others  across  the 
field.  They  were  hotly  pursued  by  the  enemy,  who  continued  to  yell  and  fire 
upon  them.  The  older  of  the  two  mothers  who  liad  gone  out,  recollecting  in  her 
flight  that  the  younger,  a  small  and  feeble  woman,  was  burthened  witli  her  child, 
turned  back  in  the  face  of  the  enemy,  they  firing  and  yelling  hideously,  took  the 


488  OLDHAM   COUNTY. 

child  from  its  almost  exhausted  mother,  and  ran  with  it  to  the  fort,  a  distance  of 
three  hundred  yards.  During  the  chase,  she  was  twice  shot  at  with  rifles,  when 
the  enemy  were  so  near  that  the  powder  burned  her,  and  one  arrow  passed  through 
her  sleeve;  but  she  escaped  uninjured.  The  young  woman  who  was  wounded 
almost  reached  the  place  of  safety,  when  she  sunk,  and  her  pursuer,  who  had  th9 
hardihood  to  attempt  to  scalp  her,  was  killed  by  a  bullet  from  the  fort. 


OLDHAM    COUNTY. 

Oldham  county  was  formed  in  1823,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Colonel  William  Oldham.  It  is  situated  in  the  north  middle  part 
of  the  State,  and  lies  on  the  Ohio  river :  bounded  on  the  north 
by  Trimble,  east  by  Henry,  south  by  Jefferson  and  Shelby,  and 
west  and  north-west  by  the  Ohio  river,  and  contains  a  surface  of 
about  one  hundred  and  seventy  square  miles.  The  face  of  the 
country  along  the  Ohio  river  and  Eighteen  Mile  creek,  and  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  county,  adjoining  Trimble,  is  hilly  and  broken. 
The  remainder  of  the  county  is  gently  undulating,  and  generally 
good,  arable  land — based  on  limestone.  The  principal  products 
and  exports  consist  of  wheat,  hemp,  tobacco,  hogs  and  cattle. 
The  principal  streams  of  the  county  are  Harrod's  creek  and 
Curry's  fork  of  Floyd's  fork,  both  having  their  source  in  Henry 
county. 

The  taxable  property  of  Oldham  in  1846  was  assessed  at  $2,- 
517,505  ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  102,423  ;  aver- 
age value  of  land  per  acre,  $13.13  ;  number  of  white  males  over 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  1,066  ;  number  of  children  between  five 
and  sixteen  years  of  age,  1,169.     Population  in  1840,  7,380. 

LaGrange,  the  county  seat,  contains  a  court-house  and  other 
county  buildings,  one  church,  six  lawyers,  three  ph3^sicians,  five 
stores  and  groceries,  twelve  or  fifteen  mechanics'  shops,  and 
about  300  inhabitants.  Masonic  College,  under  the  supervision  and 
sustained  by  the  funds  of  the  grand  lodge  of  Kentucky — located  in 
LaGrange — is  quite  a  flourishing  institution.  LaGrange  took  its 
name  from  General  Lafayette's  residence  in  France.  BaUards- 
vitle  is  a  small  village  four  miles  south-east  of  Lagrange,  and 
contains  one  church,  one  physician,  two  stores,  and  several  me- 
chanics' shops.  Wcst-Po7't,  formerly  the  county  seat,  is  a  small 
town  on  the  Ohio  river,  containing  two  physicians,  two  mer- 
chants, with  several  mechanics.  Broicnshorough,  a  small  village, 
has  two  physicians  and  two  merchants — and  Floydshurg  has  one 
physician  and  three  merchants.  LaGrange,  the  seat  of  justice, 
is  about  forty  miles  from  Frankfort. 

Oldham  county  was  named  in  compliment  to  Colonel  Wilt-iam  Oldham,  whc 
was  killed  by  the  Indians  at  »S7.  Claires  defeat,  on  tiie  4th  of  November,  1791. 
Colonel  Oldham  was  a  brave  and  experienced  officer,  and  commanded  a  regiment 
of  Kentucky  militia  in  that  memorable  battle. 

He  was  a  native  of  Herkely  county,  Virginia,  and  entered  the  revolutionary 
army  in  1775,  as  an  ensign,  and  continued  in  active  service  until  the  spring  of 


OWEN   COUNTY.  489 

1779,  when  he  resigned,  (being  then  a  captain),  and   came  to  the  Falls  of  the 
Ohio,  where  he  remained  until  his  death  in  1791. 

Col.  Oldham  was  a  chivalrous  and  enierprising  man,  and  was  very  efficient  in 
defending  the  country  against  the  incursions  of  the  Indians  :  and  in  other  respects 
contributed  much  to  advance  its  settlement. 

The  following  incident  we  find  in  Cist's  "Cincinnati  Miscellany "  for  1846. 
It  is  from  the  "  Recollections  of  the  Last  Sixty  Years,"  by  J.  Johnston,  Esq.,  of 
Piqua,  Ohio.  The  writer,  in  speaking  of  the  celebrated  Indian  chief.  Little 
Turtle,  says  : 

"The  Little  Turtle  used  to  entertain  us  with  many  of  his  war  adventures,  and 
would  laugh  immoderately  at  the  recital  of  the  following: — A  white  man,  a  pris- 
oner for  many  years  in  the  tribe,  had  often  solicited  permission  to  go  on  a  war 
party  to  Kentucky,  and  had  been  refused.  It  never  was  the  practice  with  the  In- 
dians to  ask  or  encourage  white  prisoners  among  them  to  go  to  war  against  their 
countrymen.  This  man,  however,  had  so  far  acquired  the  confidence  of  the  In- 
dians, and  being  very  importunate  to  go  to  war,  the  Turtle  at  length  consented, 
and  took  him  on  an  expedition  into  Kentucky.  As  was  their  practice,  tliey  had 
reconnoitered  during  the  day,  and  had  fixed  on  a  house  recently  built  and  occu- 
pied, as  the  object  to  be  attacked  next  morning  a  little  before  the  dawn  of  day. 
The  house  was  surrounded  by  a  clearing,  there  being  much  brush  and  fallen  tim- 
ber on  the  ground.  At  the  appointed  time,  the  Indians,  with  the  white  man,  be- 
gan to  move  to  the  attack.  At  all  such  times  no  talking  or  noise  is  to  be  made. 
They  crawl  along  the  ground  on  their  hands  and  feet;  all  is  done  by  signs  from 
the  leader.  The  white  man  all  the  time  was  striving  to  be  foremost,  the  Indians 
beckoning  him  to  keep  back.  In  spite  of  all  their  efforts,  he  would  keep  foremost; 
and  having  at  length  got  within  running  distance  of  the  house,  he  jumped  to  his 
feet  and  went  with  all  his  speed,  shouting  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  "  Indians  !  In- 
dians !  "  The  Turtle  and  his  party  had  to  make  a  precipitate  retreat,  losing  for- 
ever their  white  companion,  and  disappointed  in  their  fancied  conquest  of  the  un- 
suspecting victims  of  the  log  cabin.  From  that  day  forth,  this  chief  would  never 
trust  a  white  man  to  accompany  him  again  to  war." 


OWEN    COUNTY. 

Owen  county  was  formed  in  1819,  and  named  in  honor  of  Col- 
onel Abraham  Owen.  It  is  situated  in  the  north  middle  part  of 
the  State,  and  lies  on  the  Kentucky  river,  which  borders  it  on  the 
west :  bounded  on  the  north  b}^  Carroll  and  Gallatin  ;  east  by 
Grant  and  Pendleton  ;  south  by  Scott  and  Franklin  ;  and  west  by 
Henry.  The  face  of  the  country  is  undulating  and  the  soil  good 
— producing  fine  tobacco,  corn,  oats,  buckwheat,  &c.  Sheep  are 
raised  in  large  numbers,  and  do  well.  The  county  is  watered  by 
the  Kentucky  river  and  Big  Eagle  creek,  with  many  smaller 
streaius.  Big  Eagle  rises  in  Scott,  and  flows  through  the  south- 
ern part  of  Owen  into  Grant  in  a  northern  direction ;  then,  ma- 
king a  sudden  bend,  takes  a  direction  somewhat  south  of  west, 
and  running  parallel  with  the  Ohio  river,  flows  into  the  Kentu«ky 
in  Carroll,  skirting  the  northern  boundary  of  Owen  in  its  pro- 
gress. Many  valuable  mineral  springs  are  found  in  the  county, 
the  medicinal  virtues  of  some  of  which  are  supposed  to  be  equal 
to  any  in  the  State. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  in  Owen  in  184G,  $2,014,066; 


490  OWEN    COUNTY. 

number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  185,462;  average  value 
of  lands  per  acre  $6.28  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 
years  old,  1,602;  number  of  children  between  the  ages  of  five 
and  sixteen  years,  1,963.  Population  in  1830,  5,792 — in  1840, 
8,232. 

The  towns  of  the  county  are — Owenton,  the  seat  of  justice, 
Marion,  New-Liberty  and  Williamsbui'g.  Owenton  is  about  thirty 
miles  from  Frankfort — and  contains  a  court-house  and  the  usual 
county  buildings,  three  churches,  three  lawyers,  five  physicians, 
five  stores  and  groceries,  two  taverns  and  nine  mechanics'  shops. 
Established  in  1828 — population  200.  Marion  is  a  small  village, 
with  but  few  houses.  New-Liberty  has  four  lawyers,  four  physi- 
cians, seven  or  eight  merchants,  fourteen  mechanics'  shops,  two 
taverns,  with  a  population  of  400.  Incorporated  in  1827.  Wil- 
liamsburg is  a  small  village  with  one  tavern,  one  store,  one  phy- 
sician, and  about  fifty  inhabitants.  The  whole  county  contains 
fourteen  Baptist,  six  Methodist,  and  five  Christian  churches,  and 
one  Presbyterian  church. 

There  are  several  remarkable  places  in  Owen,  which  merit  a  description.  The 
"Jump  Off,"  on  the  Kentucky  river,  is  a  perpendicular  precipice,  at  least  one 
hundred  feet  high,  with  a  hollow  passing  through  its  centre  about  wide  enough 
for  a  wagon  road.  The  "  Point  of  Rocks,"  on  Cedar  creek,  just  above  its  mouth, 
and  near  Williamsburg,  is  a  beautiful  and  highly  romantic  spot,  where  an  im- 
mense rock,  about  seventy-five  feet  high,  overhangs  a  place  in  the  creek  called 
the  "  Deep  Hole,"  to  which  no  bottom  has  ever  been  found,  and  whicli  abounds 
with  fish  of  a  fine  quality.  "  Pond  Branch  "  is  a  stream  of  water  which  fiows 
from  a  large  pond  in  a  rich,  alluvial  valley,  which,  from  its  general  appearance, 
is  supposed  to  have  been  at  one  time  the  bed  of  the  Kentucky  river.  It  is  about 
a  mile  and  a  half  distant  from  Lock  and  Dam  number  3.  The  water  flows  from 
the  pond  and  empties  into  the  river,  by  two  outlets,  and  thus  forms  a  complete 
mountain  island,  two  and  a  half  miles  long  and  a  mile  and  a  half  wide  in  its 
broadest  part. 

Colonel  Abraham  Owen,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its  name,  was 
born  in  Prince  Edward  county,  Virginia,  in  the  year  17G9,  and  emigrated  to 
Shelby  county,  Kentucky,  in  1785.  Tlie  particulars  of  his  early  life  are  not 
known,  and  his  first  appearance  on  the  public  theatre  and  in  the  service  of  the 
country,  was  upon  Wilkinson's  campaign,  in  the  summer  of  1791,  on  the  White 
and  Wabash  rivers.  He  was  a  lieutenant  in  Captain  Lemon's  company  in  St. 
Clair's  defeat,  November  4th,  1791,  and  received  two  wounds  in  that  engagement 
— one  on  the  chin,  and  the  other  in  the  arm.  He  was  in  the  expedition  led  by 
Colonel  Hardin  to  White  river,  and  participated  in  the  action  which  routed  the 
Indians  in  their  hunting  camps.  His  brother  .John,  James  Ballard  and  others  of 
Shelby  county,  were  his  associates  on  this  occasion.  It  is  not  known  that  he 
was  in  Wayne's  campaign;  but  in  1796,  he  was  surveyor  of  Shelby  county,  and 
afterwards  a  magistrate.  He  commanded  the  first  militia  company  raised  in  the 
county,  and  the  present  venerable  Singleton  Wilson,  of  Shelbyville,  brother  of 
the  late  Dr.  Wilson  of  Cincinnati,  was  the  lieutenant.  They  bad  been  asso- 
ciates in  Wilkinson's  campaign,  and  the  humane  elforts  of  Colonel  Owen  to  pro- 
vide for  the  wants  and  promote  the  comforts  of  his  companion,  were  illustrative 
of  his  general  good  character.  Owen  was  soon  promoted  to  be  a  major,  and  then 
colonel  of  the  regiment.  Lieutenant  W^ilsnn  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain, 
having  served  with  distinction  as  a  spy  in  the  campaign  led  by  General  Wayne. 

Col.  Owen  was,  soon  after,  elected  to  the  ]egisiatur(>,  by  the  largest  vote  ever 
before  polled  in  the  county;  and,  in  1799,  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  conven- 
tion whicli  framed  our  present  constitution.  Shortly  before  his  death,  he  was  a 
member  of  the  senate  of  Kentucky.  No  man  in  the  couTity  had  a  strrtnger  hold 
on  the  affections  of  the  people,  whom  he  was  always  ready  to  serve  in  peace  or 


OWSLEY  COUNTY.  491 

in  war.  In  1811,  he  was  the  first  to  join  Gov.  Harrison  at  Vincennes,  for  the 
purpose  of  aiding  in  the  elTort  to  resist  the  hostile  movements  of  the  Indian  bands 
collected  by  the  energy  and  influence  of  Tecumseh  and  his  brother,  the  Prophet. 
He  was  chosen  by  Gen.  Harrison  to  be  one  of  his  aids-de-carnp ;  and,  at  the 
memorable  battle  of  Tippecanoe,  fell  at  the  side  of  his  heroic  chief,  bravely  fight- 
ing for  his  country,  deeply  regretted  by  the  whole  army  and  by  his  numerous 
friends  in  Kentucky.  In  battle  he  was  fearless — as  a  citizen,  mild  and  gentle- 
manly. He  was  esteemed  an  excellent  oflicer  on  parade,  and  possessed  a  high 
order  of  military  talent. 

In  the  following  December,  the  legislature  of  Kentucky  went  into  mourning  for 
the  loss  of  colonels  Daveiss  and  Owen,  and  others  who  had  fallen  at  Tippecanoe  ; 
and,  in  1819-20,  the  memory  of  Col.  Owen  was  perpetuated  by  a  county  bearing 
his  name.  McAfee,  in  his  history  of  the  late  war,  says  :  "  His  character  was 
that  of  a  good  citizen  and  a  brave  soldier;"  which  Butler,  in  his  history  of  Ken- 
tucky, speaking  of  him,  pronounces  to  be  "  no  little  praise  in  a  republic  and  in  a 
warlike  State." 

He  left  a  large  family  to  unite  with  his  country  in  deploring  his  premature  fall. 
His  daughters  intermarried  with  the  most  respectable  citizens  of  Henry  county, 
and  his  son  Clark  is  a  distinguished  citizen  of  Texas,  having  won  a  high  rank 
in  her  civil  and  military  annals.  His  brothers,  Robert  and  William,  survive  him, 
and  are  highly  respectable  citizens  of  Shelby  county.  His  father  was  an  early 
settler,  of  high  standing  and  marked  character.  His  fort,  near  Shelbyville,  was 
the  resort  of  intrepid  families  of  that  day,  and  may  be  said  to  have  been  the  foun- 
dation of  the  capital  of  the  flourishing  county  of  Shelby.  The  chivalric  patriot- 
ism of  Col.  Owen,  in  leaving  a  position  of  ease  and  civil  distinction  at  home,  to 
volunteer  his  services  against  the  north-western  savages,  is  truly  illustrative  of 
the  Kentucky  character;  and  after  ages  will  look  back  upon  the  deeds  of  heroism 
at  Tippecanoe,  with  the  same  veneration  with  which  the  present  generation  re- 
gards the  memory  of  those  who  fought  and  fell  at  Thermopylae. 


OWSLEY    COUNTY. 

Owsley  county  was  formed  in  1842,  and  named  after  Gov.  Wil- 
liam Owsley.  It  is  situated  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  on 
each  side  of  the  Kentucky  river, — the  three  forks  of  that  river — 
the  north  fork,  the  middle  fork,  and  the  south-east  fork, — forming 
a  junction  within  the  territory  of  the  county  :  bounded  on  the 
north  by  Montgomery  and  Morgan  ;  east  by  Breathitt ;  south  by 
Clay;  and  west  by  Estill.  The  soil  along  the  river  valleys  is  rich 
and  remarkably  productive  ;  but  the  face  of  the  country  is  gene- 
rally broken,  and  the  soil  not  sufficiently  strong  for  profitable  cul- 
tivation. Corn  is  the  staple  production — but  rye,  wheat  and  oats, 
are  also  raised.  At  the  confluence  and  on  the  banks  of  each  fork 
of  the  Kentucky,  there  are  inexhaustible  supplies  of  bituminous 
coal,  in  strata  of  from  three  to  six  feet  thick.  The  cannel  or  Eng- 
lish coal,  of  a  very  superior  quality,  is  also  found  in  great  abun- 
dance along  the  banks  of  these  rivers. 

In  1846,  the  valuation  of  taxable  property  in  Owsley  county 
amounted  to  $238,396  ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county, 
1.53,141 ;  average  value  of  land  per  acre,  $1.22  ;  number  of  white 
males  over  twenty-one  years  old,  .512  ;  number  of  children  be- 
tween five  and  sixteen  years  of  age,  669. 


492  OWSLEY  COUNTY. 

The  county  seat  bears  the  name  of  Owsley  Court-House.  It 
contains  one  Methodist  church,  four  stores,  two  physicians,  two 
lawyers,  one  tavern,  school,  &c.  Population,  75.  Proctor  is  a 
very  small  village,  containing  about  20  inhabitants. 

William  Owsley,  the  present  governor  of  Kentucky,  was  born  in  the  State  of 
Virginia,  in  the  year  1782.  In  1783,  his  father,  (William  Owsley),  left  that 
State  and  moved  to  the  then  "county  of  Kentucky,"  and  settled  on  the  waters 
of  Drake's  creek,  near  where  the  town  of  Crab  Orchard,  in  Lincoln  county,  now 
stands.  It  was  but  fourteen  years  previous  that  Daniel  Boone  had  first  penetra- 
ted this  western  wilderness,  so  that  William  Owsley  can  date  his  citizensliip  in 
the  State  over  which  he  presides,  with  the  very  first  settlement  made  in  her 
borders. 

The  father  of  William  Owsley  was  one  of  eleven  children,  and  the  family  be- 
ing in  very  moderate  circumstances  in  life,  his  share  of  fortune  and  education 
was  meagre  enough.  But  being  of  an  adventurous  disposition,  he  struck  out 
boldly,  resolved  to  find  a  home  and  fortune  in  this  wild  land.  With  his  young 
family  he  sat  down  in  the  woods  where  the  tomahawk  and  scalping  knife  of  the 
stealthy  savage  stiil  frequently  gleamed  and  bathed  itself  in  the  white  man's 
blood.  In  the  midst  of  such  perils,  common  to  all  the  early  settlers  of  Kentucky, 
our  emigrant  lived,  labored  and  throve  ;  and,  in  worthy  imitation  of  paternal  ex- 
ample, he  had  in  due  time  surrounded  himself  with  ten  or  twelve  children,  a  ma- 
jority of  whom  were  daughters. 

William  and  Joel,  two  of  the  sons,  by  their  devotion  to  study,  succeeded  in 
getting  a  better  education  than  was  common  for  boys  at  that  day.  Joel  studied 
medicine,  and  he  is  now  living,  a  highly  esteemed  physician,  in  Cumberland 
county,  in  this  State. 

William  Owsley  taught  for  a  while  a  country  school,  and,  while  thus  engaged, 
improved  his  education  and  learned  plain  surveying.  He  shortly  after  became 
deputy  surveyor,  and  afterwards  deputy  sheriff,  his  father  being  high  sheriff  of 
the  county. 

It  may  be  proper  to  add,  just  here,  that  among  the  pupils  of  William  Owsley, 
the  young  school  master,  was  a  young  Miss  of  near  seventeen,  whose  name  was 
Elizabeth  Gill.  It  so  fell  out  that  the  lessons  taught  and  learned  between  this 
pupil  and  teacher  soon  pertained  to  other  matters  than  books.  In  a  short  time 
William  Owsley,  being  about  twenty-one  years  of  age,  married  his  young  and 
hloomino^  scholar:  and  this  connexion,  thus  early  and  happily  commenced,  has, 
by  a  kind  Providence,  been  full  forty-four  years  continued — the  wife  as  much  dis- 
tinguished for  all  the  virtues  and  devotion  of  a  Kentucky  housewife,  as  the  man 
for  the  plain,  unostentatious  manners  of  the  olden  time. 

It  was  whilst  William  Owsley  was  engaged  in  his  early  official  pursuits  as 
deputy  sheriff,  &c.,  that  he  attracted  the  attention  of  John  Boyle,  afterwards 
chief  justice  of  Kentucky.  Judge  Boyle,  perceiving  the  promise  that  was  in 
young  Owsley,  offered  him  the  use  of  his  library,  and  the  advantage  of  his  in- 
structions in  the  study  of  law.  The  offer  was  accepted,  and  by  perseverance 
and  close  application,  Owsley  soon  obtained  license  and  commenced  the  practice 
of  law  in  Garrard  county.  His  success  was  immediate.  He  ranked  high  at  the 
bar,  and  became  the  intimate  and  firm  friend  of  Judge  Boyle.  He  afterwards 
represented  Garrard  county  several  years  in  the  legislature,  and  became  so  favor- 
ably known  to  the  public  as  a  legislator  and  lawyer,  that,  in  1812,  when  he  was 
only  thirty-one  years  of  age,  and  had  been  but  few  years  at  tlie  bar.  Governor 
Scott  appointed  him  to  the  supreme  bench  of  the  State,  as  the  colleague  of  Judge 
Boyle,  who  had  been  honored  by  a  seat  on  the  appellate  bencli  three  years  pre- 
viously. Judge  Owsley  resigned  this  office  in  a  short  time,  in  consequence  of 
the  passage  of  a  law  reducing  the  number  of  judges  of  the  court  to  three.  But  a 
vacancy  occurring  in  1813,  he  was  immediately  re-appointed  by  Governor  Shelby. 

During  the  service  of  Boyle,  Owsley  and  Mills,  on  the  supreme  bench,  that 
ever  memorable  controversy  between  the  old  and  new  court  parties  was  waoed. 
The  annals  of  Kentucky's  history  will  attest  the  momentous  character  of  that 
struggle,  and  duly  commemorate  the  virtues  of  the  men  that  were  then  made 
conspicuous.  Never  before  did  the  fires  of  discord  burn  more  fiercely  in  any 
civil  community.    Never  before  was  a  State  so  near  anarchy,  revolution  and  ruin. 


PENDLETON    COUNTY.  493 

Firmness,  wisdom  and  coolness  alone  could  save  the  country  in  that  time  of  dread 
and  peril.  All  these  qualities  were  pre-eminent  in  the  judges  who  then  sat  upon 
the  bench.  They  were  equal  to  the  crisis.  They  withstood  the  storm  of  popular 
tumult,  careless  of  the  rage  of  disappointed  partisans,  iiashed  with  temporary 
triumph,  but  crossed  in  the  enjoyment  of  victory.  It  seems  Providential  that 
such  men  were  on  the  bench  to  save  the  Stale  in  that  stormy  trial. 

Having  seen  the  constitution  of  his  country  safe  through  the  dangers  that 
beset  it,  Judge  Owsley  remained  at  his  high  and  honorable  post  till  the  year  1828, 
when,  after  having  served  upon  the  bench  longer  than  any  man  in  the  State,  except 
Judge  Boyle,  he  resigned  his  office,  and  retired  to  private  life  on  his  farm  in  Gar- 
rard county,  which  he  had  held  and  cultivated  as  a  successful  practical  farmer, 
for  about  twenty-live  years.  Sometime  after  this,  he  again  represented  his  old 
county,  Garrard,  in  the  legislature.  But  finding  it  inconvenient  to  attend  to  his 
circuit  court  practice  and  his  growing  practice  in  the  court  of  appeals,  he  gave 
up  the  former,  and  having  parcelled  out  his  farm  among  his  children,  (of  whom 
he  has  five,)  he  removed  to  Frankfort.  Here  he  resided  until  1843,  when,  out  of 
the  gains  of  his  practice,  he  purchased  himself  a  splendid  farm  in  Boyle  county, 
to  which  he  removed,  giving  up  his  practice  altogether.  In  1844,  after  one  of 
the  most  exciting  and  hard  fought  contests  ever  witnessed  in  the  State,  Wil- 
liam Owsley  was  elected  governor  of  Kentucky  over  Colonel  William  O. 
Butler,  by  far  the  most  popular  and  formidable  candidate  the  democratic  party 
has  ever  run  in  the  State.  The  vote  received  by  Governor  Owsley  was  59.680, 
which  is  larger  by  1,191  than  the  great  vote  received  by  General  Harrison  in  1840. 

Governor  Owsley's  administration  is  not  yet  ended,  and  therefore  can  not  now 
have  the  verdict  of  history.  But  his  friends  confidently  look  to  the  future  for  as 
full  justification  of  all  his  present  and  recent  acts  as  the  present  has  already 
awarded  to  his  past  acts.  As  governor  of  the  Slate,  he  is  distinguished  for  his 
devotion  to  the  duties  of  his  office — his  laborious  and  fiiithful  examination  into 
the  affairs  of  the  State,  particularly  its  public  debt — and  his  clear  and  concise 
statements  thereof  in  his  annual  messages ;  and  for  his  unshaken  determination 
to  bring  every  officer  up  to  his  duty,  and  as  far  as  in  him  lies,  to  have  the  laws 
"faithfully  executed"  in  every  department  of  the  government. 

But  his  friends  claim,  as  the  chief  glory  of  his  administration,  that  the  public 
debt  has  been  checked  in  its  fearful  and  rapid  increase,  and  for  the  first  time  since 
the  debt  was  created,  has  been  from  year  to  year,  during  his  administration,  sen- 
sibly diminished.  Already  has  Governor  Owsley  paid  off  upwards  of  one  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars  of  the  public  debt,  and  he  has  all  the  means  in  constant 
operation  for  the  continued  payment  and  reduction  of  the  State  debt. 

In  person,  Governor  Owsley  is  very  tall,  being  about  six  feet  two  inches  high, 
and  is  slender  for  such  height.  His  disposition  is  reserved,  and  he  talks  very 
little.  His  deportment  is  ever  calm  and  quiet,  and  in  times  of  greatest  excite- 
ment, when  he  might  be  supposed  to  be  intensely  anxious,  there  is  no  perceptible 
change  in  his  spirits  or  demeanor.  He  is  proverbial  for  honesty,  firmness  and 
impartiality,  and  making  the  principle  of  rii^ht  the  ground  of  every  action.  He 
seems  wholly  indifferent  to  falsely  raised  popular  clamor  or  the  present  judgment 
of  men.  and  relies  with  unshaken  confidence  on  the  calm  afterthought  of  the  peo- 
ple. His  manners  are  very  plain,  simple  and  purely  republican,  and  he  has  ever 
been  the  sturdy  foe  of  all  new  fangled  fashions  in  social  intercourse,  and  new 
notions  in  law  and  politics. 


PENDLETON    COUNTY. 

Pendleton  county  was  formed  in  1798^  and  named  for  the  Hon- 
orable Edmund  Pendleton,  of  Virginia.  It  is  situated  in  the  nor- 
thern section  of  the  State,  nearly  square  in  shape,  and  embraces 
about  three  hundred  square  miles.     Bounded  on  the  north  by 


494  PENDLETON   COUNTY. 

Kenton  and  Campbell ;  on  the  east  by  Bracken ;  south  by  Har- 
rison ;  and  west  by  Grant  and  Owen.  Pendleton  is  drained  by 
Main  and  South  Licking  rivers,  which  flow  into  the  county  on 
the  south-eastern  and  southern  borders,  form  a  junction  near 
its  centre,  and  passing  out  near  the  middle  of  its  northern  bor- 
der— having,  as  their  tributaries,  Fork  Lick,  Kincade,  Flour  and 
Grassy  creeks.  Along  the  rivers  and  smaller  streams,  there  are 
many  thousand  acres  of  fine  bottom  lands,  which  produce  rich 
and  luxuriant  crops  of  corn  and  grasses.  Receding  from  the 
streams,  the  surface  is  undulating  and  hilly,  but  the  soil,  based 
upon  limestone,  is  comparatively  good,  and  yields  excellent  crops 
of  tobacco,  wheat,  oats,  rye,  &c.  A  large  portion  of  the  lands, 
although  within  from  twenty  to  thirty  miles  of  the  fine  markets 
of  Cincinnati,  Covington  and  Newport,  are  yet  in  a  state  of  nature. 
In  the  hands  of  enterprising  men,  these  lands  might  be  converted 
into  beautiful  and  profitable  stock  farms,  being  well  adapted 
for  grasses  of  all  kinds,  and  particularly  the  blue  grass,  the  favor- 
ite of  stock  raisers — Licking  river  affording  a  safe  downward 
navigation  through  the  year,  except  at  very  low  water.  The 
timber  along  the  water  courses  in  some  of  the  up-lands,  is 
remarkabl}^  luxuriant,  and  well  adapted  for  all  the  purposes  of 
civilized  life — embracing  the  oak,  the  walnut,  the  poplar,  the 
ash,  cVc. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property,  in  Pendleton  county,  for  1846, 
$927,469 ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  180,760  ;  average 
value  of  lands  per  acre,  $3 .95 ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty- 
one  years  old,  1,128  ;  number  of  children  between  the  ages  of  five 
and  sixteen  years,  1,156.  Population  in  1830,3,886 — in  1840,4,455. 

Falmouth  is  the  seat  of  justice,  and  only  town  of  Pendleton 
county.  It  is  situated  on  an  elevated  and  very  beautiful  and  ex- 
tensive bottom,  at  the  confluence  of  main  Licking  and  the  south 
branch  of  Licking  river,  about  sixty  miles  from  Frankfort :  con- 
tains a  court-house  and  other  county  buildings,  four  churches, 
(Baptist,  Presbyterian,  Methodist  and  Christian,)  two  lawyers,  two 
physicians,  male  and  female  school,  four  stores,  two  taverns,  one 
wool  factory,  and  ten  mechanics'  shops.  Population,  300.  Es- 
tablished in  1793;  and  being  settled  by  Vii-ginians,  was  named 
after  Falmouth,  Virginia. 

There  are  several  salt  and  sulphur  springs  in  Pendleton  ;  iron 
ore  abounds,  and  some  coal  has  been  discovered. 

Within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  boundaries  of  Falmouth,  the  remains  of  an 
ancient  fortification  are  yet  distinctly  visible.  It  is  situated  upon  elevated  and 
commanding^  ground,  near  midway  between  the  two  rivers,  and  commanding  the 
junction,  and  some  distance  up  both  streams.  In  form,  it  is  a  regular  circle,  with 
four  apertures  or  openings,  opposite  to  each  other,  and  corresponding  very  nearly 
to  the  four  cardinal  points  of  the  compass.  Twenty  years  ago,*  trees,  from  two 
and  a  half  to  three  feet  in  diameter,  were  standing  upon  the  circular  embankment 
of  eartli  which  formed  the  fortification  ;  while  the  enclosure,  covering  probably  up- 
wards of  a  quarter  of  an  acre  of  ground,  was  grown  up  in  trees,  bearing  the  same 

*  More  tliiiii  ihirly-fivc  years  since,  when  (he  author  was  a  very  small  boy,  he  recollects  to  have 
examined  these;  ancient  remains.  The  circular  embankment,  at  that  time,  he  thinks,  was  upwards 
of  three  t'eel  high. 


EDMUND   PENDLETON.  495 

marks  as  to  age,  size,  &c.  The  timber  of  the  surrounding  forest  was  about  the 
same  size  of  that  growing  within  and  upon  the  embankment,  and  must  have  grown 
up  many  years  after  this  fortification  had  been  abandoned  by  its  ancient  builders. 
This  fortification,  combined  with  the  fact,  that  every  height  and  hill  surrounding 
the  junction  of  the  two  rivers  and  overlooking  the  fort,  as  well  as  for  miles  around, 
are  crowned  with  one  or  more  Indian  graves,  or  small  mounds,  present  strong  and 
abiding  evidence  that  a  warfare,  of  a  bloody  and  desolating  character,  once  pre- 
vailed here,  between  a  people  possessing  and  occupying  the  ground,  and  an  inva- 
ding and  aggressive  enemy. 

Pendleton  is  not  the  scene  of  any  Indian  battle  or  bloody  rencounter,  within 
the  recollection  of  its  "  oldest  inhabitant."  But  her  territory  has  been  desecrated 
by  the  feet  of  hostile  Britons,  as  well  as  of  the  blood-thirsty  savages.  In  June, 
1779,  Col.  Byrd,  with  his  Canadian  and  Indian  force  of  six  hundred  men,  in  his 
route  to  attack  Ruddell's  station,  ascended  the  Licking  river  to  its  junction  with 
tiie  south  branch,  where  Falmouth  now  stands.  Here  he  landed  his  cannon,  con- 
centrated his  forces,  and  took  up  his  line  of  march  for  that  station.  The  track  he 
pursued  was  distinctly  marked  by  blazing  the  forest  trees,  and  may  still  be  traced 
where  the  trees  are  left  standing.  After  capturing  Ruddell's  and  Martin's  sta- 
tions, he  returned  by  the  same  route,  took  water  at  Falmouth,  and  descended  the 
Licking  to  its  mouth.  The  traces  of  his  march,  south  of  Falmouth,  served  to 
give  notoriety,  in  the  surveyors'  books,  to  the  entries  of  land  subsequently  made. 

Edmund  Pendleton,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  was  named,  was  born  in 
Caroline  county,  Virginia,  in  1741,  and  died  in  Richmond  in  1803.  He  was 
president  of  the  Virginia  court  of  appeals,  and  of  the  Virginia  convention  of 
1775 — was  twice  elected  a  member  of  Congress — in  1778,  was  chosen  president 
of  the  Virginia  convention  which  met  to  consider  the  federal  constitution,  and 
when  the  federal  government  was  organized,  he  was  selected  by  Congress  to  be 
district  Judge  of  Virginia,  but  declined  the  appointment.  Wirt  says,  "  he  had 
in  a  great  measure  overcome  the  disadvantages  of  an  extremely  defective  educa- 
tion, and  by  the  force  of  good  company,  and  the  study  of  correct  anthers,  had  at- 
tained a  great  accuracy  and  perspicuity  of  style.  His  manners  were  elevated, 
graceful,  and  insinuating.  His  person  was  spare,  but  well  proportioned,  and  his 
countenance  one  of  the  finest  in  the  world  ;  serene,  contemplative,  benignant ; 
with  tiiat  expression  of  unclouded  intelligence  and  extensive  reach,  which  seem- 
ed to  denote  him  capable  of  any  thing  that  could  be  effected  by  the  power  of  the 
human  mind.  His  mind  itself  was  of  a  very  fine  order.  It  was  clear,  compre- 
hensive, sagacious  and  correct;  with  a  most  acute  and  subtle  faculty  of  discrim- 
ination ;  a  fertility  of  expedient  which  never  could  be  exhausted  ;  a  dexterity  of 
address  which  never  lost  an  advantage  and  never  gave  one,  and  a  capacity  for  a 
continued  and  unremitting  application  which  was  perfectly  invincible.  As  a  law- 
yer and  a  statesman,  he  had  few  equals  and  no  superiors.  For  parliamentary  man- 
agement, he  was  without  a  rival.  \Nith  all  these  advantages  of  person,  manners, 
address,  and  intellect,  he  was  also  a  speaker  of  distinguished  eminence.  He  had 
that  silver  voice  of  which  Cicero  makes  such  frequent  and  honorable  mention; 
an  articulation  uncommonly  distinct;  a  perennial  stream  of  transparent,  cool  and 
sweet  elocution,  and  the  power  of  presenting  his  arguments  with  great  simplicity 
and  striking  effect.  He  was  always  graceful,  argumentative,  persuasive;  never 
vehement,  rapid  or  abrupt.  He  could  instruct  and  delight;  but  he  had  no  preten 
sions  to  those  high  powers  which  are  calculated  to  "  shake  the  human  soul." 


PERRY    COUNTY. 

Perry  county  was  formed  in  1820,  and  named  in  honor  of  Com- 
modore Oliver  Hazard  Perry,  of  the  United  States'  navy.  It  is 
situated  in  the  south-eastern  section  of  the  State,  and  lies  on  the 
head  waters  of  the  Kentucky  river :   bounded  on  the  north  by 


496  PERRY  COUNTY. 

Breathitt ;  east  by  Floyd  and  Letcher ;  south  by  Harlan,  and  west 
by  Clay.  This  county  is  drained  by  the  north  and  middle  forks 
of  Kentucky  river,  with  their  tributaries,  which  are  navigable,  for 
descending  boats,  the  greater  portion  of  the  year.  The  surface 
is  hilly  and  mountainous,  and  a  large  portion  is  unsuitable  for 
cultivation,  but  well  adapted  for  wool  growing.  The  valleys  are 
fertile  and  productive,  with  a  sandstone  foundation.  The  princi- 
pal articles  of  export  are — horses^,  cattle,  hogs,  salt,  coal,  ginseng 
and  wool. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  in  Perry  in  1846,  $202,068  ;  num- 
ber of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  109,863  ;  average  value  of 
lands  per  acre,  $1.64;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 
years  old,  338  ;  number  of  children  between  the  ages  of  five  and 
sixteen,  678.     Population  in  1840,  3,089. 

Hazard,  the  county  seat,  is  a  small  village,  situated  on  the 
north  fork  of  the  Kentucky  river,  about  one  hundred  miles  from 
Frankfort. 

Early  in  the  summer  of  1794,  a  party  of  Indians  passed  through  the  scattered 
settlements  of  Russell  or  Lee  county,  Virginia,  to  the  residence  of  the  Livings- 
tons, in  Washington  county,  of  the  same  State.  The  two  Livingstons  had  gone 
out  into  the  field,  unarmed  and  unsuspicious  of  danger,  when  the  Indians  broke 
into  the  house,  and  killed  their  mother  (an  old  woman)  and  a  negro  child,  and 
took  the  two  Mrs.  Livingstons,  all  the  children,  a  negro  fellow  and  a  negro  boy, 
prisoners ;  and,  taking  such  other  property  as  they  fancied,  commenced  a  retreat. 
As  the  children  were  running  along  the  path,  in  advance  of  their  mother,  she 
made  signs  to  them  to  take  a  path  which  turned  off  to  a  neighbor's  house,  and 
the  Indians  permitted  them  to  run  on,  only  retaining  the  two  women  and  negroes. 
Knowing  that  the  Indians  must  pass  either  through  Russell  or  Lee  to  gain  the 
wilderness,  expresses  were  instantly  sent  to  both  these  counties.  The  court  was 
in  session  when  the  express  reached  the  court-house,  and  it  immediately  adjourn- 
ed, and  a  party  was  organized  upon  the  spot,  under  the  command  of  (Japt.  Vin- 
cent Hobbs,  to  waylay  a  gap  in  Cumberland  mountain,  called  the  Stone  gap, 
through  which,  it  was  supposed,  the  Indians  would  most  probably  pass.  On  his 
arrival  at  the  gap,  Hobbs  discovered  that  Indians  had  just  passed  through  before 
him  ;  he,  therefore,  pursued  with  eagerness,  and  soon  discovered  two  Indians  kin- 
dling a  fire.  These  they  instantly  dispatched  ;  and,  finding  some  plunder  with 
them  which  they  knew  must  iiave  been  taken  out  of  Livingston's  house,  they  at 
once  came  to  the  conclusion,  that  these  two  had  been  sent  forward  to  hunt  for 
provisions,  and  that  the  others  were  yet  behind,  with  the  prisoners. 

The  object  of  Hobbs  was  now  to  make  a  quick  retreat,  to  cover  his  own  sign,  if 
possible,  at  the  gap,  before  the  Indians  should  discover  it,  and  perhaps  kill  the 
prisoners  and  escape.  Having  gained  this  point,  he  chose  a  place  of  ambuscade: 
but  not  exactly  liking  his  position,  he  left  his  men  there,  and  taking  one  with 
him,  by  the  name  of  Van  Bibber,  he  went  some  little  distance  in  the  advance,  in 
order,  if  possible,  to  find  a  position  better  suited  to  his  purpose.  As  they  stood 
looking  round  for  such  a  place,  they  discovered  the  Indians  advancing,  with  the 
prisoners.  They  cautiously  concealed  themselves,  and  each  singled  out  his  man, 
Benje,  (a  noted  Indian),  having  charge  of  the  younger  Mrs.  Livingston,  led  the  van, 
and  the  others  followed  in  succession;  but  the  Indian  who  had  charge  of  the  elder 
Mrs.  Livingston  was  considerably  behind,  she  not  being  able  to  march  with  the 
same  light,  elastic  step  of  her  sister.  When  the  front  came  directly  opposite  to 
Hobbs  and  Van  Bibber,  they  both  fired,  Hobbs  killing  Benje,  and  Van  Bibber 
the  next  behind  him.  At  the  crack  of  the  guns  the  other  men  rushed  forward, 
but  the  Indians  had  escaped  into  a  laurel  thicket,  taking  with  them  the  negro 
fellow.  The  Indian  who  had  charge  of  the  elder  Mrs.  Livingston  tried  his  best 
to  kill  her,  but  he  was  so  hurried  that  he  missed  his  aim.  Her  arms  were  badly 
cut  by  defending  her  head  from  the  blows  of  his  tomahawk. 


PIKE   COUNTY.  497 

The  prisoners  had  scarcely  time  to  recover  from  their  surprise,  before  the  two 
Livingstons,  who  heard  the  guns  and  who  were  now  in  close  pursuit  with  a  party 
of  men  from  Washington,  came  rushing  up,  and  received  their  wives  at  the  hands 
of  Hobbs  with  a  gust  of  joJ^  Four  Indians  were  killed,  and  five  had  escaped; 
and  it  appears  they  were  separated  into  parties  of  three  and  two.  The  first  had 
the  negro  fellow  with  them,  and,  by  his  account,  they  lodged  that  night  in  a  cave, 
where  he  escaped  from  them  and  got  home. 

In  the  meantime,  a  parly  of  the  hardy  mountaineers  of  Russell  collected  and 
proceeded  in  haste  to  waylay  a  noted  Indian  crossing-place  high  up  on  the  Ken- 
tucky river,  (in  the  present  county  of  Perry.)  When  they  got  there,  they  found 
some  Indians  had  just  passed.  These  they  pursued,  and  soon  overtook  two, 
whom  they  killed.  They  immediately  drew  the  same  conclusion  that  Hobbs 
had  done,  and  hastened  back  to  the  river  for  fear  those  behind  should  discover 
their  sign.  Shortly  after  they  had  stationed  themselves,  the  other  three  made 
their  appearance;  the  men  fired  upon  them,  two  fell  and  the  other  fled,  but  left  a 
trail  of  blood  behind  him,  which  readily  conducted  his  pursuers  to  where  he  had 
taken  refuge  in  a  thick  cane-brake.  It  was  thought  imprudent  to  follow  him  any 
farther,  as  he  might  be  concealed  and  kill  some  of  them  before  they  could  dis- 
cover him.  Thus  eight  of  the  party  were  killed,  and  the  other  perhaps  mortally 
wounded.* 

Commodore  Oliver  Hazard  Perry,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received 
its  name,  was  a  distinguished  officer  in  the  United  States'  navy,  and  was  born  at 
Newport,  Rhode  Island,  in  August,  1785.  He  was  entered  as  a  midshipman  on 
the  sloop  of  war  General  Greene,  in  1798.  He  served  in  the  Tripolitan  war,  and 
secured  the  aiTection  and  respect  of  all  the  officers  and  men  in  the  squadron.  In 
1810  he  was  a  lieutenant  commandant  in  the  schooner  Revenge.  In  this  vessel, 
in  the  spring  of  1811,  he  was  wrecked  in  a  fog  near  Stonington.  He  demanded 
a  court  of  inquiry,  which  acquitted  him  of  all  blame  in  the  affair.  In  1812  he 
was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  master  and  commander,  and  appointed  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  gun  boats  in  the  harbor  of  New  York.  Disliking  his  situation  here, 
he  solicited  to  be  transferred  to  the  lakes,  and  the  greater  portion  of  his  men  went 
with  him.  On  his  arrival  at  Sackett's  Harbor,  he  was  ordered  by  Commodore 
Chauncey  to  Lake  Erie,  to  superintend  the  building  of  vessels  in  order  to  meet 
the  British  force  on  those  waters.  On  the  4th  of  August,  he  got  his  squadron 
over  the  bar,  and  on  the  10th  of  September  met  the  British  squadron  under  Com- 
modore Barclay.  This  fight  resulted  in  a  complete  victory  to  the  Americans,  and 
Perry  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Captain.  In  the  battle  of  the  Thames,  on 
the  5th  of  October,  he  served  as  aid  to.  General  Harrison,  and  rendered  important 
assistance.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  war,  he  was  appointed  to  the  command  of 
the  Java,  a  frigate  of  the  first  class.  In  this  frigate  he  attended  Commodore  De- 
catur, to  chastise  the  Dey  of  Algiers,  who  had  committed  depredations  on  our 
commerce.  In  1819  he  was  sent  to  the  West  India  station,  where  he  died  of 
the  yellow  fever  on  the  SSd  of  August,  1820. 


PIKE    COUNTY. 

Pike  county  was  formed  in  1821,  and  named  in  honor  of  Gen- 
eral Zebulon  M.  Pike.  It  is  situated  in  the  extreme  eastern  part 
of  the  State,  and  is  drained  by  the  West  and  Tug  forks  of  Big 
Sandy  river  :  bounded  on  the  north  by  Johnson  and  P''loyd;  north- 
east, east,  and  south-east  and  south  b}'  Virginia  ;  west  by  Letcher ; 
and  north-west  by  Floyd.  The  surface  of  the  county  presents 
quite  a  A'ariegated  appearance.  Along  the  water  courses,  the 
lands  are  of  a  superior  quality  and  very  productive  :  but  the  up- 

*  Benjainiii  Sharp,  in  the  Western  Pioneer,  Vol.  I.  pp.  466-7-8. 

32 


498  PULASKI   COUNTY. 

lands  are  broken  and  mountainous,  and  the  soil  generally  com- 
paratively poor.  Stone  coal,  of  a  fine  quality,  abounds — some 
banks  have  been  opened,  where  the  seam  is  from  five  to  eight  feet 
thick.  Iron  ore  is  found  in  small  bodies,  but  has  not  been  worked. 
There  are  a  number  of  salt  wells  in  the  county,  at  two  of  which 
salt  has  been  manufactured.  Corn  is  the  staple  product,  but 
oats,  wheat,  rye,  buck-wheat  and  potatoes  are  also  cultivated. 
Value  of  taxable  property  in  Pike  in  1846,  $450,984  ;  number  of 
acres  of  land  in  the  county,  104,100  ;  average  value  of  lands  per 
acre,  $2.82  :  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  old, 
698  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  old,  1,112. 
Population  in  1840,  3,567. 

PiKEviLLE,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  situated  on  the  West  fork  of 
Big  Sandy  river,  near  the  centre  of  the  county,  and  about  one 
hundred  miles  from  Frankfort — being  at  the  head  of  navigation 
on  the  river  named;  it  contains  a  court-house  and  other  county 
buildings,  three  lawyers,  three  physicians,  nine  stores  and  gro- 
ceries, and  eight  or  ten  mechanics'  shops.     Established  in  1824. 

This  county  was  named  in  honor  of  General  Zebulon  M.  Pike,  who  was  born 
at  Lamberton,  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  January  5th,  1779.  His  father  was  a 
respectable  officer  in  the  army  of  the  United  States.  He  entered  the  army  while 
yet  a  boy,  and  served  for  some  time  as  a  cadet  in  his  father's  company,  which 
was  then  stationed  on  the  western  frontiers  of  the  United  Stales.  At  an  early 
age  he  obtained  a  commission  as  ensign,  and  some  time  after  that  of  lieutenant. 
Tn  1805  he  was  sent  by  the  government  of  the  United  States  to  explore  the  Mis- 
sissippi river  to  its  sources.  After  his  return  from  this  expedition,  he  was  sent 
by  General  Wilkinson  on  an  excursion  into  the  interior  of  Louisiana,  with  a 
view  of  fixing  the  boundary  line  between  New  Mexico  and  the  Lhiited  States. 
This  expedition  proved  a  partial  failure,  and  after  a  variety  of  adventures,  he 
returned  with  his  little  band  to  the  United  States,  July  1,  1807.  Upon  his  return 
he  was  appointed  a  captain,  subsequently  a  major,  and  in  1810  a  colonel  of 
infantry.  In  1812  he  was  stationed  with  his  regiment  on  the  northern  frontier, 
and  at  the  beginning  of  the  campaign  of  1813  appointed  a  brigadier  general.  He 
was  selected  to  command  the  land  forces  in  an  expedition  against  York,  the  capi- 
tal of  Upper  Canada,  and  April  -25111  sailed  from  Sackett's  Harbor  in  the  squad- 
ron commanded  by  Commodore  Chauncey.  On  the  27th  he  arrived  at  York  with 
seventeen  hundred  chosen  men.  A  landing  having  been  effected  under  a  heavy 
fire  from  the  enemy,  General  Pike  assaulted  the  works,  and  in  the  course  of  the 
attack,  the  British  magazine  exploded,  throwing  large  stones  in  every  direction, 
one  of  which  struck  Pike  on  the  breast,  inflicting  a  mortal  wound,  of  which  he 
died  in  a  few  hours. 


PULASKI    COUNTY. 

Pulaski  county  was  formed  in  1798,  and  named  for  Count 
Pulaski.  It  is  situated  in  the  south  middle  part  of  the  State,  ancj 
is  drained  by  the  Cumberland  river,  which  skirts  it  on  the  south 
and  east :  bounded  by  Lincoln  on  the  north  ;  Casey  and  Laurel 
on  the  east ;  Wayne  on  the  south  ;  and  Russell  and  Casey  on  the 
west.  The  northern  part  of  the  county  is  gently  undulating — 
the  remainder  hilly  or   mountainous.     There  are  extensive  coal 


JOSEPH  PULASKI.  499 

mines  in  the  county,  principally  bordering  on  the  Cumberland  river, 
from  which  large  quantities  are  shipped  annually  to  the  city  of 
Nashville  and  other  points  on  the  river.  Salt  is  manufactured  in 
considerable  quantities  at  Fishing  creek  salt  works,  about  five 
miles  from  Somerset.  The  Cumberland  river  is  navigable  for 
steamboats  of  the  smaller  class  as  high  up  as  Stegall's  ferry  and 
Waitsborough,  and  within  six  miles  of  Somerset.  The  staple 
products  of  the  county  are — corn,  wheat,  rye,  oats  and  tobacco. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  in  Pulaski  in  1846,  $1,264,975  ; 
number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  288,509  ;  average  value 
of  lands  per  acre,  $2.16;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  2,097  ;  number  of  children  between  the  ages  of 
five  and  sixteen  years,  3,197.     Population  in  1840,  9,620. 

Somerset,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  about  eighty  miles  nearly  south 
from  Frankfort.  It  contains  three  churches,  (Baptist,  Methodist 
and  Christian,)  one  school,  six  lawyers,  five  physicians,  thirteen 
stores  and  groceries,  four  taverns,  one  iron  foundry,  one  tannery, 
ten  mechanical  trades,  with  a  population  of  about  three  hundred. 
Incorporated  in  1812.  Waitsborough  is  a  small  village,  laid  out  in 
1845,  and  situated  on  the  Cumberland — containing  a  "warehouse 
and  a  few  residences. 

In  the  month  of  December,  1786,  a  body  of  Indians  defeated  a  small  party  of 
whites,  at  the  mouth  of  Buck  creek,  under  the  command  of  Captain  Hargrove. 
The  Indians  made  their  attack  in  the  night,  killed  one  man,  and  severely  woun- 
ded Hargrove.  An  Indian,  who  had  probably  fired  his  rifle,  made  an  onset  on 
Captain  Hargrove  with  his  tomahawk,  and  a  fierce  encounter  ensued.  Each 
party  exerted  himself  to  the  utmost.  Hargrove  finally  succeeded  in  wresting  the 
tomahawk  from  the  hand  of  the  Indian,  and  bore  it  off. 

In  May,  1788,  a  party  of  southern  Indians  stole  some  horses  near  the  Crab 
Orchard.  Nathan  McClure,  lieutenant  to  Captain  Whitley,  with  a  portion  of  his 
company,  pursued  the  trail  to  the  ridge  between  Rockcastle  and  Buck  creek. 
Here  he  incidentally  fell  in  with  another  party,  and  a  fierce  skirmish  ensued. 
After  several  discharges  of  their  guns,  both  parties  precipitately  retreated — but 
not  until  after  Lieutenant  McClure  was  mortally,  and  several  of  his  men,  slightly 
wounded.  The  loss  on  the  part  of  the  Indians  was  not  ascertained.  McClure 
died  the  succeeding  night  in  a  cave,  where,  at  his  own  instance,  he  had  been 
left — and  on  the  next  day,  when  a  party  came  for  him,  his  remains  were  found 
shockingly  mangled  and  torn  by  wild  beasts.  He  was  an  active  officer,  and  his 
loss  was  deeply  deplored. 

This  county  was  named  in  honor  of  Count  Joseph  Pulaski,  a  distinguished 
Pole,  who  after  in  vain  attempting  to  restore  the  independence  of  his  own  coun- 
try, entered  the  American  service.  Pulaski  had  followed  the  profession  of  the 
law,  and  in  1768  was  at  the  head  of  the  patriots  who  formed  the  confederation 
of  Bar.  Eight  noblemen  only  constituted  the  first  assembly  of  that  confede- 
ration ;  and  of  these,  three  were  the  sons  and  one  the  nephew  of  Pulaski.  In 
1771,  at  the  head  of  a  few  accomplices,  he  seized  the  person  of  the  king,  but  the 
latter  having  procured  his  liberation,  Pulaski  was  condemned  to  death,  and  obli- 
ged to  save  himself  by  flight.  He  soon  after  came  to  America,  and  offered  his 
services  to  the  United  States  against  the  mother  country.  Being  appointed  briga- 
dier general  in  the  American  service,  he  served  both  in  the  northern  and  in  the 
southern  army.  October  9,  1779,  he  was  mortally  wounded  in  the  attack  on  Sa- 
vannah, and  died  two  days  afterwards. 


500  ROCKCASTLE   COUNTY. 


ROCKCASTLE   COUNTY. 

Rockcastle  county  was  formed  in  1810,  and  named  after  Rock- 
castle river,  which  forms  its  south-eastern  border.  It  is  situated 
in  the  south-east  middle  section  of  the  State  :  bounded  on  the 
north  by  Madison  and  Garrard  ;  north-east  by  Madison ;  south- 
east by  Lam-el ;  south-west  by  Pulaski ;  and  west  by  Lincoln. 
The  north-eastern  and  south- eastein  parts  of  the  county  are  bro- 
ken and  hilly,  but  interspersed  with  numerous  creeks  and  branch- 
es, along  which  there  are  some  fine,  rich  bottom  lands.  In  the 
western  part  of  the  county,  the  surface  is  level,  or  gently  undu- 
lating, and  the  soil  quite  productive.  The  timber  consists,  prin- 
cipally, of  hickory,  poplar,  white,  chesnut,  black  and  spotted 
oak ;  lynn,  walnut,  and  dogwood  ;  and,  on  the  watercourses,  large 
and  lofty  sycamore.  In  some  locations  there  are  fine  sugar  or- 
chards, which  yield  a  large  quantity  of  sugar  for  domestic  con- 
sumption.    The  staple  products  are  corn,  wheat  and  oats. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  in  Rockcastle  in  1846,  $518,876; 
number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  124,214;  average  value 
of  lands  per  acre,  $2.19  ;  number  of  white  males  in  the  county 
over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  812  ;  number  of  children  between 
the  ages  of  five  and  sixteen  years,  1,176.  Population  in  1840, 
4,238. 

Mount  Vernon,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  situated  on  the  main  road 
from  Crab  Orchard  to  the  Cumberland  Gap, — thirteen  miles  from 
the  former,  seventy-eight  miles  from  the  latter,  and  about  seventy 
miles  from  Frankfort.  It  contains  a  court-house  and  other  county 
buildings  ;  one  Presbyterian,  one  Methodist,  one  Baptist,  and  one 
Christian  church,  (with  fom-  others  in  the  county);  one  school  in 
town,  (and  various  schools  in  the  county  on  the  free  school  sys- 
tem) ;  eight  lawjj^ers,  two  physicians,  two  taverns,  six  stores,  five 
tanneries,  and  a  number  of  mechanics'  shops.  Established  in 
1818,  and  contains  about  200  inhabitants. 

Rockcastle  river,  from  its  source  to  the  mouth,  is  about  seventy- 
five  miles.  It  is  lined  by  numerous  banks  of  bituminous  coal ; 
but,  for  the  want  of  navigation,  they  have  not  been  opened  to 
any  extent.  The  river  is  about  eighty  yards  wide,  but  the  navi- 
gation is  obstructed,  near  its  mouth,  by  what  are  called  "  the  nar- 
rows." By  some  freak  of  nature,  or  powerful  concussion  of  the 
earth,  the  rocks  have  broken  loose  from  the  adjoining  cliffs  and 
tumbled  into  the  bed  of  the  river,  forming  an  impenetrable  bar- 
rier to  water  crafts  for  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile.  The  whole 
bed  is  so  closely  obstructed,  that  the  largest  size  fish  in  Cumber- 
land river  do  not  pass.  The  expenditure  of  forty  thousand  dol- 
lars, according  to  the  report  of  the  state  engineer,  would  render 
the  river  navigable,  and  open  a  market  to  one  of  the  finest  coal 
regions  in  the  State. 

Among  the  hills  of  Rockcastle  there  are  numerous  saltpetre  caves,  at  which 
large  quantities  of  saltpetre  were  manufactured  during  the  late  war.     One  of  these, 


RUSSELL   COUNTY.  501 

called  the  "  Big  Cave,"  eight  miles  north-east  of  the  county  seat,  extends  through 
a  spur  of  the  mountain,  usually  termed  the  "  Big  Hill,"  about  six  hundred  yards. 
It  was  discovered  by  John  Baker,  who,  in  company  with  his  wife,  commenced 
exploring  it  with  a  torchlight.  At  the  distance  of  about  three  hundred  yards, 
their  light  went  out,  and  they  were  forced  to  crawl  about,  in  perfect  darkness,  for 
forty  hours,  before  they  found  the  place  at  which  they  entered.  The  arch  is  from 
ten  to  twenty  feet  high.  Large  rooms  branch  off  several  hundred  yards  long,  and 
the  end  of  one  has  not  been  reached.  Some  of  the  rooms  cover  an  area  of  seve- 
ral acres.  The  saltpetre  manufactured  here,  before  and  during  the  late  war,  gave 
employment  to  some  sixty  or  seventy  laborers.  There  is  a  fine,  bold  running 
stream  of  water  in  the  cave,  and  works  were  constructed  inside,  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  saltpetre  by  torchlight.  Carts  and  wagons  passed  through,  from  one 
side  of  the  mountain  to  the  other,  without  difficulty.  The  way  is  so  level  and 
straight,  that  oxen  were  soon  taught  to  pass  through  in  perfect  darkness,  without 
a  driver. 

There  are  several  mineral  springs  in  the  county,  but  their  waters  have  never 
been  analyzed. 

Boone's  old  trace,  and  Skegg's  trace,  pass  through  this  county, — the  former 
leading  to  Boonsborough,  and  the  latter  to  the  Crab  Orchard.  On  Skegg's  trace, 
there  were  two  defeats  among  the  emigrants,  in  the  early  settlement  of  Kentucky. 
McClure's  family  and  company  were  defeated  near  the  head  of  the  east  fork  of 
Skegg's  creek,  and  Capt.  Baughman  and  company  on  Negro  creek. 

The  following  incident  appears  in  Cist's  "  Cincinnati  Miscellany,"  for  1846. 
It  is  characteristic  of  the  female  character,  in  times  of  emergency  : 

"  About  the  year  1790.  several  families  emigrating  together  into  the  interior  of 
Kentucky,  encamped  at  the  distance  of  a  mile  from  a  new  settlement  of  five  cab- 
ins. Before  they  had  laid  down,  and  were  still  sitting  around  the  blazing  brush, 
a  party  of  Indians  approached  behind  the  trees,  and  fired  upon  them.  One  man 
was  killed  on  the  spot,  and  another  fled  to  the  village,  leaving  behind  him  a  young 
wife  and  infant  child  !  As  no  danger  had  been  apprehended,  the  men  had  not 
their  ammunition  at  hand,  and  were  so  confused  by  the  fire  of  the  savages,  that 
it  was  left  for  one  of  the  mothers  of  the  party  to  ascend  into  the  wagon  where  it 
was  deposited,  break  open  the  box  with  an  axe,  hand  it  out,  and  direct  the  men 
to  return  the  fire  of  the  enemy.     This  was  done,  and  they  dispersed." 


RUSSELL   COUNTY. 

Russell  county  was  formed  in  1825,  and  named  for  Col.  Wil- 
LiAiM  Russell.  It  is  situated  in  the  south  middle  section  of  the 
State,  and  lies  on  both  sides  of  Cumberland  river :  bounded  on 
the  north  by  Casey  ;  east  by  Pulaski  and  Wayne  ;  south  by  Clin- 
ton ;  and  west  and  north-west  by  Cumberland  and  Adair.  The 
beautiful  level  bottom  lands  on  the  Cumberland  are  very  fertile ; 
but  the  surface  of  the  county,  generally,  is  hilly  and  broken,  and 
the  soil  not  well  adapted  for  profitable  agriculture.  The  water 
power  of  the  county  is  remarkably  fine — one  cotton  and  two 
woollen  factories  have  been  already  erected,  and  many  others 
might  be  profitably  established. 

Russell  is  a  small  county,  embracing  118,544  acres  of  land,  the 
average  value  of  which,  in  1846,  was  $2.01  ;  total  valuation  of 
taxable  property,  same  year,  $523,067  ;  nttmber  of  white  males 
over  twenty-one  years  old,  825  ;  number  of  children  between  five 
and  sixteen  years  of  age,  1,307.     Population  in  1840,  4,238. 


502  RUSSELL   COUNTY 

Jamestown,  the  seat  of  justice,  contains  four  lawyers,  five  phy- 
sicians, six  stores,  three  taverns,  eight  or  ten  mechanics'  shops, 
the  usual  public  buildings,  and  about  150  inhabitants.  Creiisburg 
is  a  small  village,  situated  on  the  Cumberland  river,  and  contains 
about  50  inhabitants. 

Colonel  William  Russell,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  was  named,  was 
born  in  the  year  1758,  in  the  county  of  Culpepper,  in  the  then  province  of  Vir- 
ginia. Whilst  yet  a  boy,  his  father,  a  man  of  an  enterprising  and  adventurous 
disposition,  and  who  afterwards  attained  considerable  distinction  in  the  strug- 
gles of  the  revolution,  removed  into  the  extreme  south-western  portion  of  the 
province — then  an  exposed  frontier  settlement.  Here  the  youthful  days  of  Wil- 
liam Russell  were  spent  in  acquiring  such  information  as  the  means  of  a  new 
settlement  afforded  him,  or  in  the  hardy  and  robust  exercises  incident  to  a  fron- 
tier residence. 

It  is  not  our  purpose,  in  this  sketch,  to  detail  minutely  the  various  transactions 
of  his  useful  life.  The  limits  to  which  we  are  necessarily  prescribed,  will  per- 
mit us  only  to  glance  at  some  of  the  most  prominent  events  of  his  military  and 
political  career.  In  the  year  1774,  young  Russell,  at  the  early  age  of  fifteen, 
was  engaged  with  a  party  under  the  command  of  the  illustrious  Daniel  Boone, 
in  repelling  the  aggressions  made  upon  the  settlement  by  a  tribe  of  southern 
Indians.  During  his  expedition,  his  comrades,  from  his  tender  age,  were  com- 
pelled to  relieve  the  weight  of  his  riile,  by  carrying  his  portion  of  baggage  and 
provisions.  From  this  period,  until  the  year  1779,  both  before  and  after  the 
epoch  of  Independence,  he  was  engaged  in  frequent  excursions  against  the  sava- 
ges, who  waged  a  continued  warfare  with  the  white  settlers.  In  the  spring  of 
1780  he  visited  Kentucky,  and  thence  proceeded  to  West  Tennessee,  where  a 
settlement  had  just  been  effected  on  what  now  forms  the  site  of  the  flourishing 
city  of  Nashville.  Here  he  spent  the  summer,  generously  aiding  the  settlers  in 
defending  their  infant  home  against  the  repeated  assaults  of  the  neighboring  In- 
dians. He  returned  to  Virginia  the  ensuing  fall.  During  his  absence  the  war 
of  the  Revolution  which  hitherto  had  raged  at  a  distance,  had  now,  besides 
assuming  a  much  more  appalling  aspect,  approached  the  vicinity  of  his  own 
abode.  That  courage  and  intrepidity  so  often  evinced  in  his  previous  engage- 
ments with  the  Indians,  combined  with  a  natural  love  of  liberty,  soon  nerved  his 
still  youthful  arm  for  the  patriotic  struggle.  The  memorable  battle  of  "  King's 
Mountain,"  which  may  be  considered  the  most  decisive  of  the  revolution,  burst 
like  a  meteor  light  upon  the  drooping  spirits  of  the  American  army.  The  imme- 
diate results  of  this  victory  proved  an  epoch  in  the  struggle,  and  has  conferred 
the  boon  of  immortality  upon  the  principal  actors.  In  this  glorious  contest,  young 
Russell  bore  a  valiant  and  distinguished  part.  He  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  moun- 
ted regiment  from  Virginia,  and  owing  to  the  indisposition  of  his  captain,  led  his 
company  in  the  action.  He  was,  it  is  believed,  the  first  man  in  the  advance,  to 
reach  the  summit  of  the  mountain,  and  among  the  first  to  receive  a  sword  from 
the  vanquished  enemy.  In  the  course  of  the  same  season.  Captain  Russell  joined 
an  expedition  against  tlie  Cherokee  Indians,  which  led  in  its  results  to  a  treaty 
of  peace.  The  succeeding  spring  he  joined  a  company  of  volunteers  under  the 
command  of  Colonel  William  Campbell,  and  in  the  capacity  of  his  lieutenant, 
marched  to  the  assistance  of  the  southern  army.  During  the  service  that  ensued, 
he  fought  in  the  battle  of  Whitsell's  mills,  and  subsequently  was  engaged  in  the 
memorable  action  of  Guilford  court-house.  Soon  after  the  conclusion  of  the  war, 
Captain  Russell  migrated  to  Kentucky,  and  settled  himself  in  Fayette  county, 
then  the  constant  scone  of  Indian  depredations.  Hence  the  event  of  peace,  far 
from  terminating  his  military  operations,  served  only  to  enlarge  their  field  and 
add  to  his  exposures.  The  promjjtitude  and  alacrity  which  he  ever  displayed  in 
leaving  his  home  and  fireside,  and  marching  to  repel  the  slightest  encroachment 
of  the  savage  upon  the  defenceless  inhabitants,  endeared  him  to  the  early  settlers, 
and  rendered  him  distinguished  for  all  the  noble  traits  of  the  western  pioneer. 
In  almost  every  general  expedition  in  the  western  country,  he  bore  an  active  par- 
ticipation. In  each  of  the  expeditions  which  were  conducted  in  the  course  of 
the  same  season  respectively  by  the  late  Governor  Scott  and  General  Wilkinson 


WILLIAM   RUSSELL.  503 

against  the  Indian  towns  in  the  North-western  Territory,  he  volunteered  as  a 
private.  His  patriotic  services,  however,  had  been  too  conspicuous  to  permit  his 
merit  to  escape  the  attention  of  his  commanders.  In  the  iirst  he  was  invested 
under  General  Hardin,  by  the  intrepid  Scott,  with  the  command  of  the  advance 
of  the  army.  In  the  second,  he  was  selected  by  General  Wilkinson  and  assigned 
to  the  chief  command  of  the  same  post  of  danger  and  of  honor. 

In  tiie  celebrated  expedition  under  Wayne,  Colonel  Russell  commanded  one  of 
the  regiments  of  Kentucky  volunteers,  and  when  in  the  second  campaign  of  that 
distinguisiied  officer,  these  regiments  were  reduced  to  battalions,  he  again  appeared 
in  the  field  at  the  head  of  a  battalion.  At  the  close  of  this  campaign,  which  led 
in  its  results  to  the  restoration  of  peace  to  all  of  our  savage  frontier.  Colonel 
Russell  returned  to  the  pursuits  of  agriculture.  But  the  patriotism,  zeal  and  fidel- 
ity which  he  had  so  often  exhibited  in  a  military  capacity,  soon  pointed  him  out 
to  his  fellow  citizens  as  eminently  qualified  to  do  service  in  another  department. 
Accordingly,  in  1789,  he  was  elected  a  delegate  to  the  Virginia  legislature  which 
passed  the  act  separating  the  district  of  Kentucky  from  the  parent  State.  Imme- 
diately after  the  organization  of  the  State  government,  he  was  annually  returned  a 
member  of  the  legislature  from  Fayette,  except  one  or  two  years,  until  1808. 
During  the  whole  of  this  period,  he  was  the  intimate  as&jciate  of  Nicholas  and 
Breckinridge.  In  1808,  Colonel  Russell  was  again  called  to  resume  his  original 
profession  ;  Mr.  Madison,  in  anticipation  of  the  rupture  with  Great  Britain,  hav- 
ing appointed  him  to  the  command  of  a  regiment  in  the  regular  army.  In  1811, 
after  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe,  where  as  much  gallantry  and  intrepidity  was 
evinced  as  on  any  subsequent  occasion  during  the  war.  General  Harrison  by  a 
combination  of  circumstances  was  transferred  to  the  command  of  the  nonh-wes- 
tern  army,  and  it  became  important  that  he  should  be  succeeded  by  an  officer  of 
judgment  and  experience.  The  whole  frontier  of  Indiana,  Illinois  and  Missouri 
was  nakedly  exposed  to  the  depredations  of  the  Indians,  and  Colonel  Russell 
was  assigned  to  this  important  command  by  General  Harrison.  Taking  into  con- 
sideration the  almost  boundless  frontier  which  he  had  to  protect  from  the  merci- 
less attacks  of  the  savage,  and  the  comparatively  small  force  under  his  command, 
consisting  only  of  one  regiment  of  rangers,  scattered  in  forts  at  great  distances 
apart,  we  must  admire,  even  at  this  day,  when  much  of  the  character  of  the 
Indian  warfare  is  forgotten,  the  activity,  sagacity  and  courage  of  the  man  who 
could  thus  avert  the  ruthless  butchery  of  so  many  innocent  women  and  children. 

After  Hopkins'  campaign,  Col.  Russell,  in  conjunction  with  Gov.  Edwards,  of 
Illinois,  planned  the  expedition  against  the  Peoria  Indians.  The  secrecy  and  ce- 
lerity attending  the  movements  of  this  expedition,  together  with  the  complete 
success  that  crowned  the  enterprise,  exhibit  the  strongest  evidences  of  the  skill 
of  the  commander.  When  peace  was  restored,  Col.  Russell  retired  again  to  his 
farm,  in  Fayette  county,  where,  surrounded  by  a  large  family  and  numerous  con- 
nexions, he  devoted  his  time  and  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  In  1823, 
during  the  prevalence  of  great  political  excitement  in  the  State,  the  attention  of 
his  fellow-citizens  was,  with  one  accord,  directed  to  Col.  Russell ;  and  he  was 
induced,  reluctantly,  to  leave  the  quiet  and  retirement  of  his  farm,  and  to  become 
a  candidate  for  the  legislature.  The  contending  parties  seemed  to  forget  their 
feuds,  and  all  rallied  around  the  "  o/rf  so/c/zer."  Subsequently,  he  was  urgently 
solicited  to  offer  as  a  candidate  for  the  chief  magistracy  of  the  State.  The  mod- 
esty of  his  nature  shrunk  from  the  solicitation  as  the  result  of  the  partiality  of 
friendship.  He  was  urged  to  it  by  some  of  the  most  distinguished  men  of  the 
State.  In  fact,  he  seemed  to  be  the  only  individual  of  his  party  who  offered  any 
promise  of  success.  He  was  presented  as  a  candidate,  and  when  both  parties 
seemed,  in  consideration  of  his  public  services,  about  to  forget  the  difference  of 
sentiment  that  divided  them,  and  unite  in  his  unanimous  choice,  some  strange  in- 
fatuation seized  the  minds  of  his  own  party,  and  he  was  suddenly  discarded  in 
favor  of  another  candidate,  and  the  State  thus  deprived  of  his  ripe  experience  and 
valuable  services.  In  the  spring  of  1825,  he  was  called  from  his  sick  room  to 
preside  over  a  public  meeting  ;  and,  from  the  exposure  of  the  occasion,  contracted 
an  illness  whicli  resulted,  in  a  few  weeks,  in  his  death. 

Possessing  an  amiable  disposition,  a  kind  heart,  and  a  high  moral  character, 
few  men  were  more  useful  in  society.  From  the  age  of  sixteen  to  that  of  sixty- 
seven,  in  the  field  or  in  the  cabinet,  he  may  literally  be  said  to  have  been  employed 


504  SCOTT   COUNTY. 

in  the  service  of  his  country.  In  both  stations,  many  have  served  their  country 
with  a  greater  glare  of  personal  renown — some  more  successfully  ;  but  no  man 
ever  served  his  country  with  a  more  steady  and  persevering  zeal,  or  with  a  more 
fervent  and  devoted  patriotism.  J.  H.  T. 


SCOTT    COUNTY. 

Scott  county  was  formed  in  179"J,  and  named  in  honor  of  Gov- 
ernor Charles  Scott.  It  is  situated  in  the  north  middle  part  of 
the  State,  and  watered  by  North  Elkhurn  and  Eagle  creeks — both 
of  which  flow  into  the  Kentucky  river  :  bounded  on  the  north  by 
Owen  ;  east  by  Harrison  and  Bourbon  ;  south  by  Fayette  and 
Woodford  ;  and  west  by  Franklin.  The  surface  of  the  county 
presents  quite  a  variegated  appearance — level,  undulating,  and 
hilly.  The  southern  and  south-eastern  portion,  bordering  on 
Woodford,  Fayette  and  Bourbon,  is  embraced  in  that  beautiful 
region  known  as  the  "  Garden  of  Kentucky  ;"  with  a  level  or 
very  gently  undulating  surface,  and  a  deep,  rich,  black  soil,  based 
on  limestone,  and  unsurpassed  in  fertility.  In  the  northern  and 
north-western  parts  of  the  count}',  which  are  drained  by  Big 
Eagle  and  Elkhorn,  the  surface  is  hilly  and  broken,  and  the  soil 
less  rich  and  productive.  The  exports  consist,  principally,  of 
horses,  mules,  cattle  and  hogs.  Hemp  and  corn  are  the  staple 
products,  and  wheat  is  cultivated  to  some  extent. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  in  Scott  in  1846,  $5,945,662; 
number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  167,179;  average  value 
of  land  per  acre,  $20.73  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 
years  old,  1,917  ;  number  of  children  between  the  ages  of  five 
and  sixteen  years,  1,697.     Population  in  1840,  13,668. 

There  are  five  towns  in  Scott,  viz  :  Georgetown,  Great  Cross- 
ings, Marion,  Newtown,  and  Stamping  Ground. 

Georgetown,  the  seat  of  justice,  occupies  an  elevated  site,  se- 
venteen miles  east  of  Frankfort,  sixteen  miles  west  of  Paris, 
twelve  miles  north  of  Lexington,  and  seventy  miles  south  of  Cov- 
ington and  Cincinnati.  Contains  six  churches, — Regular  Baptist, 
Particular  Baptist,  Presbyterian,  Methodist,  Christian,  and  Afri- 
can, under  the  Regular  Baptists, — one  college,  two  female  schools, 
four  primary  schools,  (including  a  common  school),  ten  lawyers, 
ten  physicians,  ten  dry  goods  stores,  two  drug  and  book  stores, 
thirteen  grocery  stores,  one  shoe  store,  five  taverns,  two  woollen 
manufactories,  two  carding  factories,  two  bagging  and  ro])e  fac- 
tories, one  printing  office,  (Georgetown  Herald),  one  tannery,  and 
forty-five  mechanics'  shops.  Po|)ulation,  1,800.  Incorporated  by 
the  legislature  of  Virginia  in  1790,  and  named  in  honor  of  George 
Washington.  One  of  the  finest  springs  in  the  State, — called  at 
an  early  period  the  "  Roi/al  Spring- " — and  affording  an  ample  sup- 
ply of  water  for  the  entire  population, — bursts  from  a  high  bluff 
of  limestone  rock,  and  ilovvs  through  the  west  end  of  the  town, 


GEORGETOWN    COLLEGE. 


505 


and  empties  into  Elkhorn  five-eighths  of  a  mile  from  its  source. 
The  stream  from  this  spring  aifords  sufficient  water  power  for  a 
woollen  factory  and  grist  mill,  which  are  located  upon  it.  The 
late  Nathaniel  Hart,  of  Woodford  county,  advanced  the  opinion, 
that  the  first  settlement  in  Kentucky  was  made  at  this  spring. 


GEORGETOWN  COLLEGE  GEORGETOWN,  KY 


Georgetown  College  occupies  a  fine  swell,  on  the  south-eastern 
border  of  the  town,  and  affords  a  handsome  view  of  the  surround- 
ing country.  The  buildings  consist,  1,  of  a  PresidcnVs  House*  with 
fifty  acres  of  land.  2.  The  Main  Edifice,  one  hundred  feet  long 
by  sixty  wide,  two  stories  high,  and  a  basement.  It  contains  a 
handsome  chapel,  sixt}^  by  forty  feet — spacious  halls  for  library, 
philosophical  rooms,  cabinets,  museum,  laboratory,  &c.  3.  Pauld- 
ing Hall,  appropriated  to  the  use  of  candidates  for  the  ministry. 
It  contains,  besides  chapel  and  dining-room,  apartments  for  a  stew- 
ard's family  and   thirty-two  students.     4,   Rittcnhouse  Academy ^ 

*'niis  building  does  not  appear  hi  the  engraving. 


FEMALE    COLLEGIATE    INSTITUTE,    GEORGETOWN,    KY. 


WESTERN    MILITARY    INSTITUTK,    GEORGETOWN,    KY. 


SCOTT   COUNTY.  507 

forty-five  feet  square,  two  stories  high,  with  a  cupola.  The  lower 
story  accommodates  the  preparatory  department,  and  the  upper 
furnishes  two  good  halls  for  the  voluntary  societies  connected 
with  the  college.  The  lawn  embraces  about  sixteen  acres,  beau- 
tifully elevated,  and  laid  out  with  trees  and  shrubbery. 

The  library  contains  about  four  thousand  volumes,  many  of 
them  rare  and  valuable  ;  besides  a  large  collection  of  ancient  and 
modern  maps,  charts,  &c.  The  philosophical  apparatus  is  of  the 
most  recent  construction,  and  has  been  procured  at  great  expense. 
It  includes  a  standing  telescope,  for  astronomical  observations, 
Chamlain's  great  air-pump,  fine  magnetic  and  galvanic  imple- 
ments, and  abundant  means  of  illustrating  mechanical  powers. 
Chemical  experiments  are  given  ;  and  the  cabinets  of  minerals, 
fossils,  shells,  and  natural  productions,  furnish  many  facilities  in 
the  natural  sciences. 

The  institution  began  its  chartered  existence  in  1829,  but  the 
faculty  was  never  full  till  1840,  and  the  usual  classes  were  not 
all  formed  till  1842.  The  commencement  of  the  enterprise  was 
a  legacy  of  $20,000  from  Issachar  Paulding,  a  native  of  New 
Jersey,  long  settled  in  Kentucky  :  but  most  of  the  endowment 
was  obtained  in  1839,  by  the  Rev.  Rockwell  Giddings,  from  New 
England,  who  had  settled  in  Shelbyville,  over  the  Baptist  church 
in  that  place.  He  was  elected  President  of  the  college,  and  ob- 
tained, in  less  than  a  year,  about  $70,000  in  subscriptions,  but 
died  before  he  had  completed  his  great  work.  In  1840,  Rev.  How- 
ard Malcom,  D.  D.,  was  chosen  president,  and  is  still  in  office — 
(1847). 

Besides  the  usual  four  years'  course,  there  is  a  shorter  or  scien- 
tific course,  which  may  be  completed  in  two  or  three  years,  accord- 
ing to  the  proficiency  of  the  student  at  the  time  of  entering.  It 
embraces  the  regular  course,  except  the  Latin  and  Greek  lan- 
guages, and  on  completing  it,  the  student  is  entitled  to  a  diploma 
certifjang  the  fact.  Persons  whose  circumstances  do  not  permit 
them  to  complete  either  course,  may  study  particular  branches 
and  receive  certificates  of  their  actual  attainments.  Chemistry 
is  now  taught  in  the  institution  with  special  reference  to  agricul- 
ture and  the  improvement  of  soils. 

The  college  is  not  in  debt,  and  possesses  rcA  enues,  aside  from 
tuition,  sufficient  to  maintain  the  faculty  even  with  the  present 
average  of  students,  which  is  about  130.  The  Institution  is 
deservedly  enjoying  great  prosperity  ;  and  from  the  high  qualifi- 
cations of  the  faculty,  combined  with  its  salubrious  location,  the 
intelligence,  refinement  and  elevated  morality  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  beautiful  and  thriving  town,  it  must  continue  to  grow  in 
popular  favor. 

Two  flourishing  Female  Institutions,  of  high  grade,  are  located 
at  Georgetown. 

The  Female  Collegiate  Institute,  T.  F.  Johnson,  Esq.,  principal, 
was  organized  in  March,  1838,  and  has  continued  steadily  to 
advance  in  public  estimation.     The  number  of  students  at  pres- 


508  SCOTT   COUNTY. 

ent  (1847)  in  attendance  is  about  100.  The  Institute  is  provided 
with  splendid  philosophical  and  chemical  apparatus,  and  has  a 
select  library  containing  live  hundred  volumes.  The  pupils  have 
free  use  of  these  without  charge.  The  assistants,  who  are  expe- 
rienced teachers  IVomthe  best  female  schools  in  the  United  States, 
reside  at  the  Institute,  and  are  constant  in  their  attentions  to  the 
pupils.  The  pupils  are  permitted  to  attend  any  place  of  wor- 
ship they  may  prefer,  but  are  not  allowed  to  visit  or  receive  vis- 
its, or  to  attend  night  meetings  or  parties  of  pleasure.  The  col- 
legiate year  is  divided  into  two  sessions  ;  the  iirst  commencing 
on  the  first  Monday  in  March,  and  closing  on  the  third  Friday  in 
July  ;  the  second  opens  on  the  first  Monday  in  August,  and  closes 
at  Christmas. 

The  advantages  possessed  by  this  school,  together  with  the 
high  character  of  the  estimable  gentleman  at  the  head,  makes  it 
one  of  the  most  eligible  institutions  of  the  kind  in  the  United 
States  ;  and  it  bids  fair  to  have  a  career  of  extensive  usefulness 
and  prosperity. 

The  Western.  Military  Institute,  also  under  the  superintendence 
of  Professor  Johnson,  was  recently  established  with  a  view  to 
unite  civil  education  with  military  discipline.  It  has  been  incor- 
porated by  an  act  of  the  legislature,  with  all  the  powers,  privi- 
leges and  rights  in  conferring  literary  degrees  and  honors,  and 
granting  diplomas,  which  are  exercised  by  any  college  in  the 
State.  The  professors  are  men  of  science,  and  have  had  a  large 
experience  in  the  instruction  of  youth.  The  principal,  together 
with  several  of  the  professors,  were  educated  at  the  Actional  Alil- 
itary  Academy  at  West  Point.  The  design  of  the  Institution  is 
to  alford  to  youth  a  course  of  instruction  as  varied  and  more 
pracdccd  than  can  be  obtained  at  most  seminaries  of  learning.  In 
the  scientific  and  mathematical  departments,  are  taught  chemis- 
try, mineralogy,  civil  engineering,  architecture,  navigation,  sur- 
veying, drawing,  &c.  In  the  languages,  Greek,  Latin,  French 
German  and  Spanish.  In  the  department  of  law,  is  taught  the 
elements  of  constitutional,  international  and  common  law.  In 
the  military  department,  special  attention  is  paid  to  field  fortifica- 
tions, infantry,  rifle  and  artillery  drills  ;  and,  where  circumstan- 
ces justify,  to  the  sword  exercise,  cavalry  drill,  &c.  The  insti- 
tute, already,  has  a  large  number  of  students,  and  is  in  a  most 
flourishing  condition. 

Great  Crossings  is  a  small  but  neat  village,  containing  one 
Baptist  church,  one  school,  one  physician,  two  stores,  one  grocer}'^, 
one  tavern,  one  paper  and  flouring  mill,  six  mechanics'  shops,  and 
a  population  of  130.  Took  its  name  from  the  fact  that  the  great 
burt'alo  trace  from  the  southern  part  of  Kentucky  to  the  Ohio 
river,  crossed  North  Elkhorn  at  that  point.  Marion  is  a  small 
village,  having  a  population  of  about  fifty  souls — with  one  Meth- 
odist and  one  Christian  church,  one  school,  one  physician,  and  five 
mechanical  trades.  iYc'i(;to?A'ft  contains  Methodist  and  Presbyterian 
churches,   one   school,    store,   grocery,   post   ofiice,   and   several 


COLONEL   PATTERSON,  509 

mechanics'  shops — population  100.  Stamping  Ground  has  a  Bap- 
tist and  a  Christian  church,  two  schools,  three  physicians,  two 
taverns,  four  stores  and  groceries,  one  tannery,  ten  mechanics' 
shops,  with  a  population  of  150.  Incorporated  in  1834.  Derived 
its  name  from  the  fact  that  the  herds  of  bulfalo  which  resorted 
here  for  salt  water,  tramped  down  the  undergrowth  as  well  as  the 
soil  for  a  great  distance  around — hence  the  name  of  "  Stamping 
Ground." 

During  the  summer  of  1776,  several  families,  collected  from  the  mouth  of  Ken- 
tucky river,  from  Kingston's  settlement,  and  from  Drennon's  Lick,  built  a  fort  at 
Uoyai  Spring,  where  Georgetown  now  stands,  which  received  the  name  of  Mc- 
Oleilan's  fort  or  station.  On  the  29th  of  December,  of  the  same  year,  a  large 
body  of  Indians  made  an  attack  on  this  fort,  and  killed  McCleilan  and  two  others. 
Tiie  terror  inspired  by  this  event,  caused  the  occupants  to  abandon  the  fort  and 
retire  to  Harrodsburg.  Col.  Patterson*  assisted  in  building  the  fort,  and  was 
one  of  its  defenders  until  the  beginning  of  October,  1776.  The  supply  of  pow- 
der being  nearly  exhausted,  he  and  six  others  started  to  Pittsburgh  to  procure  am- 
munition and  other  necessaries.  On  their  way  they  spent  several  days  at  the  Blue 
Licks,  curing  buffalo  jerk  and  tallow  for  their  journey  up  the  river.  At  Lime- 
stone (now  Maysville)  they  procured  a  canoe,  coamrenced  their  journey,  and  ar- 
rived at  Point  Pleasant,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Kanawha,  without  encounter- 
ing any  Indians.  From  the  Point  they  proceeded  on  their  journey,  traveling  very 
cautiously, — starting  before  daybreak  and  going  on  until  after  dark,  and  sleeping 
without  fire. 

Late  in  the  evening  of  the  12th  of  October,  they  landed  a  few  miles  below  the 
mouth  of  Hockhocking,  in  the  present  State  of  Ohio,  and,  contrary  to  their  usual 
))ractice,  made  a  fire, — having  become  less  cautious  in  consequence  of  their  near 
approach  to  the  settlements.  They  laid  upon  their  arms  around  the  fire,  and  in 
tlie  night  were  attacked  by  a  party  of  eleven  Indians,  who  gave  thein  a  volley, 
and  then  fell  upon  them  with  their  tomahawks.  Col.  Patterson  received  two  balls 
in  his  right  arm,  by  which  it  v^^as  broken;  and  a  tomahawk  was  struck  into  his 
side,  between  two  of  his  ribs,  penetrating  into  the  cavity  of  the  body.  He  sprang 
out  into  the  darkness  and  got  clear,  supposing  all  his  companions  were  killed. 
He  made  for  the  river,  in  hopes  of  getting  into  the  canoe  and  floating  down  to 
Point  Pleasant ;  but  as  he  approached  it,  he  discovered  that  there  was  an  Lidian 
in  it.  In  a  short  time  the  whole  party  of  Indians  went  on  board,  and  floated  down 
the  river.  Col.  Patterson  then  made  an  attempt  to  get  to  the  fire,  in  which  he 
succeeded.  He  found  a  companion,  named  Templeton,  wounded  in  a  manner 
very  similar  to  his  own  case;  another,  named  Wernock,  wounded  dangerously; 
and  another,  named  Perry,  slightly.  Of  the  otiier  three,  one  was  killed,  one  was 
missing,  and  the  other,  named  Mitchell,  was  unhurt,  'i'hey  had  saved  one  gun 
and  some  ammunition.  They  remained  on  the  ground  until  morning,  when  they 
attempted  to  proceed  up  the  river  on  foot;  but  Wernock  was  unable  to  move,  and 
they  were  forced  to  leave  him.  They,  however,  found  themselves  unable  to  pro- 
ceed i'arther  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  camp,  and  it  was  then  agreed  that 
Perry  should  endeavor  to  reach  Grave  creek,  and  bring  them  aid,  while  Mitchell 
was  to  remain  and  take  care  of  the  others.  Wernock,  who  was  left  behind,  died 
in  the  evening;  and  Mitchell,  who  had  gone  back  to  assist  him,  lost  his  way  in 
returning  to  Patterson  and  Templeton,  and  did  not  find  them  until  next  morning. 
They  then  moved  a  couple  of  hundred  yards  further  from  the  river,  and  the  next 
day  got  under  a  cliff,  which  sheltered  them  from  the  rain,  where  they  remained 
until  Perry  returned  from  Grave  creek  with  assistance.  They  were  removed  to 
that  place,  after  lying  eight  days  in  their  suffering  condition.  Patterson  laid 
twelve  months  under  the  surgeon's  care.f 

In  the  latter  part  of  May,  1778,  a  party  of  Indians  stole  twenty  horses,  near 

*See  the  interesting  iiicident  in  the  battle  of  the  Blue  I^icks.  Col.  Patterson  was  a  brave  and  mer- 
itorious officer  and  valnabl'"  citizen.  Me  removed  from  Lexington  in  1804.  to  the  vicinity  of  Dayton, 
Ohio,  wliere  he  resided  on  a  farm  till  his  death,  in  August,  1897,  in  the  sevenly-fifth  year  of  his  age. 

t  Amerieaa  Pioneer,  vol.  2,  pp.  344-5. 


510  SCOTT   COUNTY. 

Col.  Johnson's  mill.  They  were  pursued  by  Capt.  Herndon  with  a  small  body 
of  whites,  but  escaped.  On  this  occasion,  a  most  singular  manoeuvre  was  exe- 
cuted by  one  of  the  Indians,  probably  the  leader.  The  party,  after  traveling  about 
twenty  miles,  halted  in  a  brushy  copse  of  wood,  and  were  overtaken  by  the  pur- 
suers, who  came  upon  them  before  they  were  discovered  or  saw  their  adversary. 
The  whites,  on  discovering  the  marauders,  made  instant  preparation  to  fire  ;  and, 
at  the  same  moment,  the  Indians  gave  a  loud  yell,  sprang  to  their  feet,  and,  with 
one  exception,  ran  in  various  directions.  One,  who  remained  in  view  of  the 
whites,  continued  to  yell  and  scream  and  jump — now  flying  to  one  tree,  tlien  to 
another — now  dodging,  tlien  springing  aloft,  as  one  perfectly  frantic.  This  strange 
exhibition  attracted  and  so  engrossed  the  attention  of  the  whites,  that  they  did 
not  even  fire — thus,  without  doubt,  effecting  the  very  object  intended  by  this  dex- 
terous and  wily  savage.  In  the  mean  lime,  the  other  Indians  had  secured  their 
guns  and  blankets,  and  made  their  escape,  as  did  also  the  partisan  hero,  in  an  in- 
stant after  his  followers  were  safe — leaving  an  enemy,  superior  in  numbers,  to 
express  their  wonder  at  the  enchantment  which  had  thus  deluded  them.* 

About  the  20th  of  June,  1788,  three  Indians  made  an  incursion  into  vScott county, 
and  stole  three  horses  from  the  farm  of  Jacob  Stacker,  on  North  Elkhorn.  On 
the  succeeding  day,  a  lad  was  killed  near  Col.  Johnson's  mill.  The  neighbor- 
hood was  roused,  and  Capt  Henderson,  immediately  assembling  a  company,  gave 
pursuit.  He  struck  the  horse  trail,  and,  pursuing  it  with  great  vigor,  soon  over- 
hauled the  Indians.  At  the  first  fire,  two  of  the  Indians  fell  dead,  and  the  third, 
though  wounded,  effected  his  escape.  The  horses  were  recovered,  and  the  whites 
returned  to  their  homes  without  having  received  the  slightest  injury. 

The  first  paper  mill  in  Kentucky  was  erected  by  Messrs.  Craig  and  Parkers, 
near  Georgetown,  in  the  year  1795. 

Captain  William  Hobbell. — The  subject  of  this  brief  notice  was  a  native  of 
Vermont,  and  served  five  and  a  half  years  in  the  revolutionary  army,  in  the  vari- 
ous stations  of  private,  sergeant,  ensign,  and  second  and  first  lieutenant.  He 
participated  in  the  capture  of  St.  John's  and  Montreal,  and  was  engaged  in  many 
skirmishes  during  the  war.  Some  years  after  the  close  of  the  revolutionary  war, 
Captain  Hubbell  reuioved  to  Kentucky,  and  settled  in  Scott  county,  where  he  resi- 
ded until  his  death  at  a  very  advanced  ago — enjoying  throughout  life,  in  an  emi- 
nent degree,  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the  couimunity  among  whom  his  lot 
was  cast.  In  the  year  1791,  while  the  Indians  were  yet  troublesome,  especially 
on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  Captain  Hubbell,  who  had  been  compelled  to  go  to 
the  eastward  on  business,  was  returning  to  his  home  in  Kentucky.  On  one  of  the 
tributary  streams  of  the  river  Monongahela,  he  procured  a  flat  bottomed  boat,  and 
embarked  in  company  with  Mr.  Daniel  Light,  and  Mr.  William  Plascut  and  his 
family,  consisting  of  a  wife  and  eight  children,  destined  for  Limestone,  Kentucky. 
On  their  progress  down  the  river  Ohio,  and  soon  after  passing  Pittsburgh,  they 
saw  evident  traces  of  Indians  along  the  banks,  and  there  is  every  reason  to  believe 
that  a  boat  which  they  overtook,  and  which,  through  carelessness,  was  suffered 
to  run  aground  on  an  island,  became  a  prey  to  the  merciless  savages. 

Though  Captain  Hubbell  and  his  party  stopped  some  time  for  it  in  a  lower 
part  of  the  river,  it  did  not  arrive,  and  has  never  to  their  knowledge  been  heard 
of  since.  Before  they  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Kenhawa,  they  had,  by 
several  successive  additions,  increased  their  number  to  twenty,  consisting  of  nine 
men,  three  women,  and  eight  children.  The  men,  besides  those  mentioned  above, 
were  one  John  Stoner,  an  Irishman,  and  a  Dutchman,  whose  names  are  not 
recollected,  Messrs.  Ray  and  Tucker,  and  a  Mr.  Kilpatrick,  whose  two  daugh- 
ters also  were  of  the  party.  Information  received  at  Gallipolis  confirmed  the 
expectation  which  appearances  previously  raised,  of  a  serious  conflict  with  a 
large  body  of  Indians  ;  and  as  Captain  Hubbell  had  been  regularly  appointed 
commander  of  the  boat,  every  possible  preparation  was  made  for  a  formidable  and 
successful  resistance  of  the  anticipated  attack. 

The  nine  men  were  divided  into  three  watches  for  the  night,  who  were  alternately 
to  continue  awake  and  be  on  the  look-out  for  two  hours  at  a  time.  The  arms  on 
board,  which  consisted  principally  of  old  muskets  much  out  of  order,  were  col- 

*  Marshall's  History,  Vol.  I,  pp.  282-3. 


WILLIAM   HUBBELL.  511 

lected,  loaded,  and  put  in  the  best  possible  condition  for  service.  At  about  sun- 
set on  that  day,  the  23d  of  March,  1791,  our  party  overtook  a  fleet  of  six  boats 
descending  the  river  in  company,  and  intended  to  have  continued  with  them ;  but 
as  their  passengers  seemed  more  disposed  to  dancing  than  fighting,  and  as,  soon 
after  dark,  notwithstanding  the  remonstrances  of  Captain  Hubbell,  they  com- 
menced fiddling  and  dancing  instead  of  preparing  their  arms  and  taking  the  neces- 
sary rest  preparatory  to  battle,  it  was  wisely  considered  more  hazardous  to  be 
in  such  company  than  to  be  alone. 

It  was  therefore  determined  to  proceed  rapidly  forward  by  aid  of  the  oars,  and 
to  leave  those  thoughtless  fellow-travelers  behind.  One  of  the  boats,  however, 
belonging  to  the  fleet,  commanded  by  a  Captain  Greathouse,*  adopted  the  same 
plan,  and  for  a  while  kept  up  with  Captain  Hubbell,  but  all  its  crew  at  length 
falling  asleep,  that  boat  also  ceased  to  be  propelled  by  the  oars,  and  Captain 
Hubbell  and  his  p.irty  proceeded  steadily  forward  ahme.  Early  in  the  night  a 
canoe  was  dimly  seen  floating  down  the  river,  in  which  were  probably  Indians 
reconnoitering,  and  other  evident  indications  were  o!)served  of  the  neighborhood 
and  hostile  intentions  of  a  formidable  parly  of  savages. 

It  was  now  agreed,  that  should  the  attack,  as  was  probable,  be  deferred  till 
morning,  every  man  should  be  up  before  the  dawn,  in  order  to  make  as  great  a 
show  as  possible  of  numbers  and  of  strength  ;  and  that,  whenever  the  action 
should  take  place,  the  women  and  children  should  lie  down  on  the  cabin  floor  and 
be  protected  as  well  as  they  could  by  the  trunks  and  other  baggage,  which  mioht 
be  placed  around  them.  In  this  perilous  situation  they  continued  during  the 
night,  and  the  captain,  who  had  not  slept  more  than  one  hour  since  he  left  Pitts- 
burgh, was  too  deeply  impressed  with  the  imminent  danger  which  surrounded 
him  to  obtain  any  rest  at  that  time. 

Just  as  daylight  began  to  appear  in  the  east,  and  before  the  men  were  up  and 
at  their  posts  agreeably  to  arrangement,  a  voice  at  some  distance  below  them  in 
a  plaintive  tone  repeatedly  solicited  them  to  come  on  shore,  as  there  were  some 
white  persons  who  wished  to  obtain  a  passage  in  their  boat.  This  the  captain 
very  naturally  and  correctly  concluded  to  be  an  Indian  artifice,  and  its  only  effect 
was  to  rouse  the  men  and  place  every  one  on  his  guard.  The  voice  of  entreaty 
was  soon  changed  into  the  language  of  indignation  and  insult,  and  the  sound  of 
distant  paddles  announced  the  approach  of  the  savage  foe.  At  length  three 
Indian  canoes  were  seen  through  the  mist  of  the  morning  rapidly  advancing. 
With  the  utmost  coolness  the  captain  and  his  companions  prepared  to  receive 
them.  The  chairs,  tables,  and  other  incumbrances  were  thrown  into  the  river,  in 
order  to  clear  the  deck  for  action. 

Every  man  took  his  position,  and  was  ordered  not  to  fire  till  the  savages  had 
approached  so  near,  that  (to  use  the  words  of  Captain  Hubbell,)  "  the  flash  from 
the  guns  might  singe  their  eyebrows  ;  "  and  a  special  caution  was  given  that  the 
men  should  fire  successively,  so  that  there  might  be  no  interval.  On  the  arrival 
of  the  canoes,  they  were  found  to  contain  about  twenty-five  or  thirty  Indians 
each.  As  soon  as  they  approached  within  the  reach  of  musket  shot,  a  general 
fire  was  given  from  one  of  them,  which  wounded  Mr.  Tucker  through  the  hip  so 
severely  that  his  leg  hung  only  by  the  flesh,  and  shot  Mr.  Light  just  below  the 
ribs.  The  three  canoes  placed  themselves  at  the  bow,  stern,  and  on  the  right 
side  of  the  boat,  so  that  they  had  an  opportunity  of  raking  in  every  direction. 
The  fire  now  commenced  from  the  boat,  and  had  a  powerful  effect  in  checking 
the  confidence  and  fury  of  the  Indians. 

The  captain,  after  firing  his  own  gun,  took  up  that  of  one  of  the  wounded  men, 
raised  it  to  his  shoulder,  and  was  about  to  discharge  it,  when  a  ball  came  and 
took  away  the  lock  ;  he  coolly  turned  round,  seized  a  brand  of  fire  from  the  ket- 
tle which  served  for  a  caboose,  and  applying  it  to  the  pan,  discharged  the  piece 
with  effect.  A  very  regular  and  constant  fire  was  now  kept  up  on  both  sides. 
The  captain  was  just  in  the  act  of  raising  his  gun  a  third  time,  when  a  ball  passed 
through  his  right  arm,  and  for  a  moment  disabled  him.  Scarcely  had  he  recov- 
ered from  the  shock  and  re-acquired  the  use  of  his  hand,  which  had  been  sud- 
denly drawn  up  by  the  wound,  when  he  observed  the  Indians  in  one  of  the 
canoes  just  about  to  board  the  boat  in  its  bow,  where  the  horses  were  placed 

*  Captain  Greatliouse  was  on  shore  hunting,  and  shot  in  the  river  while  swimming  to  his  boat. 


512  SCOTT   COUNTY. 

belonjring  to  the  party.  So  near  had  they  approached,  that  some  of  theitl  had 
actually  seized  with  their  hands  tiie  side  of  the  boat. 

Severely  wounded  as  he  was,  he  caught  up  a  pair  of  horseman's  pistols,  and 
rushed  forward  to  repel  the  attempt  at  boarding.  On  his  approach  the  Indians 
fell  back,  and  he  discharged  a  pist(jl  with  effect  at  the  foremost  man.  After  fir- 
ing the  second  j)istol,  he  found  himself  without  arms,  and  was  compelled  to 
retreat;  but  stepping  back  upon  a  pile  of  small  wood  which  had  been  prepared 
for  burning  in  the  kettle,  the  tiiought  struck  him,  that  it  might  be  made  use  of  in 
repelling  the  foe,  and  he  continued  for  some  time  to  strike  them  with  it  so  forci- 
bly and  actively  that  they  were  unable  to  enter  the  boat,  and  at  length  he  woun- 
ded one  of  them  so  severely  that  with  a  yell  they  suddenly  gave  way.  All  the 
canoes  instantly  discontinued  the  contest  and  directed  their  course  to  Captain 
Greathouse's  boat,  which  was  then  in  siglit.  Here  a  striking  contrast  was  exhib- 
ited to  the  firmness  and  intrepidity  which  had  been  displayed. 

Instead  of  resisting  the  attack,  the  people  on  board  of  this  boat  retired  to  the 
cabin  in  dismay.  The  Indians  entered  it  without  opposition,  and  rowed  it  to 
the  shore,  where  they  instantly  killed  the  captain  and  a  lad  of  about  fourteen 
years  of  age.  The  women  they  placed  in  the  centre  of  their  canoes,  and  man- 
ning them  with  fresh  hands,  again  pursued  Captain  Hubbell  and  party.  A  mel- 
ancholy alternative  now  presented  itself  to  these  brave  but  almost  desponding 
men,  either  to  fall  a  prey  to  the  savages  themselves,  or  to  run  the  risk  of  shoot- 
ing the  women,  who  had  been  placed  in  the  canoes  in  the  hope  of  deriving  pro- 
tection from  their  presence.  But  "self  preservation  is  the  first  law  of  nature," 
and  the  captain  very  justly  remarked,  there  would  not  be  much  humanity  in  pre- 
serving their  lives  at  such  a  sacrifice,  merely  that  they  might  become  victims  of 
savage  cruelty  at  some  subsequent  period. 

There  were  now  but  four  men  left  on  board  of  Captain  Hubbell's  boat,  capable 
of  defending  it,  and  the  captain  himself  was  severely  wounded  in  two  places.  The 
second  attack,  however,  was  resisted  with  almost  incredible  firmness  and  vigor. 
Whenever  the  Indians  would  rise  to  fire,  their  opponents  would  commonly  give 
them  the  first  shot,  which  in  almost  every  instance  would  prove  fatal.  Notwith- 
standing the  disparity  of  numbers,  and  the  exhausted  condition  of  the  defenders 
of  the  boat,  the  Indians  at  length  appeared  to  despair  of  success,  and  the  canoes 
successively  retired  to  the  shore.  Just  as  the  last  one  was  departing,  Captain 
Hubbell  called  to  the  Indian,  who  was  standing  in  the  stern,  and  on  his  turning 
round,  discharged  his  piece  at  him.  When  the  smoke,  which  for  a  moment 
obstructed  the  vision,  was  dissipated,  he  was  seen  lying  on  his  back,  and  appeared 
to  be  severely,  perhaps  mortally  wounded. 

Unfortunately  the  boat  now  drifted  near  to  the  shore  where  the  Indians  were  col- 
lected, and  a  large  concourse,  probably  between  four  and  five  hundred,  were  seen 
rushing  down  on  the  bank.  Ray  and  Plascut,  the  only  men  remaining  unhurt, 
were  placed  at  the  oars,  and  as  the  boat  was  not  more  than  twenty  yards  from 
shore,  it  was  deemed  prudent  for  all  to  lie  down  in  as  safe  a  position  as  possible 
and  attempt  to  push  forward  with  the  utmost  practicable  rapidity.  While  they 
continued  in  this  situation,  nine  balls  were  shot  into  one  oar,  and  ten  into  the 
other,  without  wounding  the  rowers,  who  were  hidden  from  view  and  protected 
by  the  side  of  the  boat  and  the  blankets  in  its  stern.  During  this  dreadful  expo- 
sure to  the  fire  of  the  savages,  which  continued  about  twenty  minutes,  Mr.  Kil- 
patrick  observed  a  particular  Indian,  whom  he  thought  a  favorable  mark  for  his 
rifle,  and,  notwithstanding  the  solemn  warning  of  Captain  Hubbell,  rose  to  shoot 
him.  He  immediately  received  a  ball  in  his  mouth,  which  passed  out  at  the  back 
part  of  his  head,  and  was  almost  at  the  same  moment  shot  through  the  heart. 
He  fell  among  the  horses  that  about  the  same  time  were  killed,  and  presented  to 
his  afflicted  daughters  and  fellow  travelers,  who  were  witnesses  of  the  awful  oc- 
currence, a  spectacle  of  horror  which  we  need  not  further  attempt  to  describe. 

The  boat  was  now  providentially  and  suddenly  carried  out  into  the  middle  of 
the  stream,  and  taken  by  the  current  beyond  the  reach  of  the  enemy's  balls.  Our 
little  band,  reduced  as  they  were  in  numbers,  wounded,  afflicted,  and  almost 
exhausted  by  fatigue,  were  still  unsubdued  in  spirit,  and  being  assembled  in  all 
their  strength,  men,  women  and  children,  with  an  appearance  of  triumph  gave 
three  hearty  cheers,  calling  to  the  Indians  to  come  on  again  if  they  were  fond  of 
the  sport. 


WILLIAM   HUBBELL.  513 

Thus  ended  this  awful  conflict,  in  which,  out  of  nine  men,  two  only  escaped 
unhurt.  Tucker  and  Kilpatrick  were  killed  on  the  spot,  Stoner  was  mortally 
wounded,  and  died  on  his  arrival  at  Limestone,  and  all  the  rest,  excepting  Ray 
and  Plascut,  were  severely  wounded.  The  women  and  children  were  all  unin- 
jured, excepting  a  little  son  of  Mr.  Plascut,  who,  after  the  battle  was  over,  came 
to  the  captain,  and,  with  great  coolness,  requested  him  to  take  a  ball  out  of  his 
head.  On  examination,  it  appeared  that  a  bullet,  which  had  passed  tlirough  the 
side  of  the  boat,  had  penetrated  the  forehead  of  this  little  hero,  and  remained  un- 
der the  skin.  The  cajjtain  took  it  out,  and  the  youth,  observing,  "  thai  i^  not  all,'''' 
raised  his  arm,  and  exhibited  a  piece  of  bone  at  the  point  of  his  elbow,  which 
had  been  shot  off,  and  hung  only  by  the  skin.  His  mother  exclaimed,  "  why  did 
you  not  tell  me  of  this]"  "Because,"  he  coolly  replied,  "  the  captain  directed 
us  to  be  silent  during  the  action,  and  I  thought  you  would  be  likely  to  make  a 
noise  if  I  told  you." 

The  boat  made  the  best  of  its  way  down  the  river,  and  the  object  was  to  reach 
Limestone  that  night.  The  captain's  arm  had  bled  profusely,  and  he  was  com- 
pelled to  close  the  sleeve  of  his  coat  in  order  to  retain  the  blood  and  stop  its  effu- 
sion. In  this  situation,  tormented  by  excruciating  pain  and  faint  through  loss  of 
blood,  he  was  under  the  necessity  of  steering  the  boat  with  his  left  arm,  till  about 
ten  o'clock  that  night,  when  he  was  relieved  by  Mr.  William  Brooks,  who  resi- 
ded on  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  who  was  induced,  by  the  calls  of  the  suffering 
party,  to  come  out  to  their  assistance.  By  his  aid,  and  that  of  some  other  persons, 
who  were  in  the  same  manner  brought  to  their  relief,  they  were  enabled  to  reach 
Limestone  about  twelve  o'clock  that  night. 

Immediately  on  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Brooks,  Capt.  Hubbell,  relieved  from  labor 
and  responsibility,  sunk  under  the  weight  of  pain  and  fatigue,  and  became  for  a 
while  totally  insensible.  When  the  boat  reached  Limestone,  he  found  himself 
unable  to  walk,  and  was  obliged  to  be  carried  up  to  the  tavern.  Here  he  had  his 
wound  dressed,  and  continued  several  days,  until  he  acquired  sufficient  strength 
to  proceed  homewards. 

On  the  arrival  of  our  party  at  Limestone,  they  found  a  considerable  force  of 
armed  men,  about  to  march  against  the  same  Indians,  from  whose  attacks  they 
had  so  severely  suffered.  They  now  learned,  that  on  the  Sunday  preceding,  the 
same  party  of  savages  had  cut  off  a  detachment  of  men  ascending  the  Ohio  from 
Fort  Washington,  at  the  mouth  of  Licking  river,  and  had  killed  with  their  toma- 
hawks, without  firing  a  gun,  twenty-one  out  of  twenty-two  men,  of  which  the 
detachment  consisted. 

Crowds  of  people,  as  might  be  expected,  came  to  witness  the  boat  which  had 
been  the  scene  of  so  much  heroism,  and  such  horrid  carnage,  and  to  visit  the  reso- 
lute little  band  by  whom  it  had  been  so  gallantly  and  perseveringly  defended.  On 
examination,  it  was  found  that  the  sides  of  the  boat  were  literally  filled  with  bul- 
lets and  with  bullet  holes.  There  was  scarcely  a  space  of  two  feet  square,  in  the 
part  above  water,  which  had  not  either  a  ball  remaining  in  it,  or  a  hole  through 
which  a  ball  had  passed.  Some  persons  who  had  the  cariosity  to  count  the  num- 
ber of  holes  in  the  blankets  which  were  hung  up  as  curtains  in  the  stern  of  the 
boat,  affirmed  that  in  the  space  of  five  feet  square  there  were  one  hundred  and 
twenty-two.  Four  horses  out  of  five  were  killed,  and  the  escape  of  the  fifth, 
amidst  such  a  shower  of  balls,  appears  almost  miraculous. 

The  day  after  the  arrival  of  Capt.  Hubbell  and  his  companions,  the  five  remain- 
ing boats,  which  they  had  passed  on  the  night  preceding  the  battle,  reached  Lime- 
stone. Those  on  board  remarked,  that  daring  the  action  they  distinctly  saw  the 
flashes,  but  could  not  hear  the  reports  of  the  guns.  The  Indians,  it  appears,  had 
met  with  too  formidable  a  resistance  from  a  single  boat  to  attack  a  fleet,  and  suf- 
fered them  to  pass  unmolested  ;  and  since  that  time,  it  is  believed  that  no  boat 
has  been  assailed  by  Indians  on  the  Ohio. 

The  force  which  marched  out  to  disperse  this  formidable  body  of  savages,  dis- 
covered several  Indians  dead  on  the  shore,  near  the  scene  of  action.  They  also 
found  the  bodies  of  Capt.  Greathouse  and  several  others, — men,  women  and  chil- 
dren,— who  had  been  on  board  of  his  boat.  Most  of  them  appeared  to  have  been 
whipped  to  death,  as  they  were  found  stripped,  tied  to  trees,  and  marked  with  the 
appearance  of  lashes;  and  large  rods,  which  seemed  to  have  been  worn  with  use, 
were  observed  lying  near  them. 
33 


514  SCOTT   COUNTY. 

In  the  year  1788,  a  party  of  hunters, — five  in  number, — from  the  station  near 
Georgetown,  Kentuci<y,  landed  at  the  mouth  of  Deer  creek,  in  Cincinnati,  in  two 
canoes.*  After  hiding  the  canoes  among  the  willows  and  weeds,  that  grew  thick 
and  rank  upon  that  little  stream,  they  proceeded  to  ascend  the  creek  along  the  left 
bank.  At  the  distance  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from  the  mouth,  in 
the  shade  of  a  branching  elm,  they  halted  for  refreshment,  and  sat  down  to  par- 
take of  the  rude  repast  of  the  wilderness.  The  month  was  September,  the  day 
clear  and  warm,  and  the  hour  that  within  which  the  sun  would  "sink  to  rest." 
After  having  partaken  of  their  coarse  evening  meal,  the  party,  at  the  suggestion 
of  a  man  named  Hall, — one  of  their  number, — proposed,  as  a  matter  of  safety 
and  comfort,  that  they  should  go  among  the  northern  hills,  and  there  encamp  un- 
til the  morning's  dawn,  as  the  musquitoes  and  the  frogs,  amongst  the  creek's 
marshes,  dinned  the  night  with  most  annoying  cherivari.  The  proposition  of 
Hall  was  acceded  to,  and  the  party  packed  up  for  their  journey. 

Emerging  from  a  thicket  of  iron  weed,  through  which  a  deer-path  was  open, 
and  into  which  the  party  walked  single  file,  they  entered,  one  after  another,  upon 
a  grassy,  weedless  knob,  which  being  elevated  some  distance  above  the  tops  of 
the  blossomed  iron  weeds  around,  had  the  appearance  of  a  green  island  in  the 
midst  of  a  purple  sea.  The  deer-path  crossed  the  knob,  and  entered  the  weed 
thicket  again  on  the  northern  side.  The  hunters  did  not  pause  for  a  moment,  but 
entered  the  narrow  avenue,  one  after  another. 

As  the  last  man  was  about  to  enter  the  path,  he  fell  simultaneously  with  the 
crack  of  a  rifle,  discharged  from  amongst  the  weeds  on  the  western  slope.  The 
whole  party  dashed  into  the  thicket  on  either  side,  and  "squatted,"  with  rifles 
cocked,  ready  for  any  emergency.  Quietly  in  this  position  they  waited  until  night- 
fall ;  but  every  thing  around  being  still,  and  no  further  hostile  demonstrations  be- 
ing made,  one  after  another  they  again  ventured  out  into  the  path  and  started  to- 
wards the  opening — observing,  however,  the  utmost  caution. 

Hall,  a  bold  fellow,  and  connected  by  ties  of  kindred  with  the  man  who  had 
been  shot,  whose  name  was  Baxter,  crawled  quietly  upon  his  hands  and  knees  to 
the  spot  where  his  comrade  had  fallen,  and  found  him  dead,  lying  wilii  his  face 
downward,  a  bullet  having  entered  his  skull  forward  of  the  left  temple.  Baxter 
had  fallen  some  ten  feet  from  the  thicket's  entrance,  and  Hall,  after  getting  out 
of  the  thicket,  rolled  slowly  to  the  side  of  the  dead  man,  lest  he  should  be  ob- 
served by  the  skulking  enemy — as,  in  an  upright  position,  notwitiistanding  the 
gloom  of  nightfall,  he  would  have  been.  He  lay  for  several  minutes  by  the  side 
of  the  corpse,  analyzing,  as  it  were,  the  sounds  of  the  night,  as  if  to  detect  in 
them  the  decoying  tricks  so  common  with  the  Indian.  There  was  nothing,  how- 
ever, that,  even  to  his  practiced  ear,  indicated  the  presence  of  an  enemy ;  and  he 
ventured,  at  length,  to  stand  erect.  With  rifle  ready,  and  eye-ball  strained  to 
penetrate  the  gloom  that  hung  like  a  marsh-mist  upon  the  purple  fields  around,  he 
stood  for  several  seconds,  and  then  gave  a  signal  for  the  ap|)roach  of  his  compa- 
nions. The  party  cautiously  approached  the  spot  where  Hall  stood,  and  after  a 
moment's  consultation  in  whispers,  agreed  to  bury  the  unfortunate  man,  and  then 
pursue  their  journey.  Poor  Baxter  was  carried  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  si- 
lently interred  under  a  beech,  a  few  feet  from  the  bluff,  the  grave  being  dug  by 
the  knives  and  tomahawks  of  his  late  companions.  Yet  in  the  warmth  of  recent 
life,  the  body  was  laid  in  its  rude  resting-place,  and  the  sod  which  was  to  shut  it 
out  from  the  glow  of  star  or  planet — the  light  of  sun  or  moon — was  moistened 
with  many  a  tear  from  many  an  eye  that  danger  never  blenched. 

Having  performed  the  last  sad  duties  to  the  departed,  the  party  prepared  to 
leave,  and  had  advanced,  silently,  a  step  or  two,  when  they  were  startled  by  a 
sound  upon  the  water.  "  A  canoe !"  whispered  Hall.  A  suspicion  flashed  upon 
his  mind,  aiul  he  crawled  to  the  s])ot  where  the  canoes  had  been  hidoen,  and  found 
one  of  them  gone. 

Quick  to  decide,  and  fired  with  a  spirit  of  vengeance,  he  proposed  to  his  com- 
rades that  immediate  pursuit  be  mailu.  The  proposition  was  agreed  to,  and  in 
less  than  five  minutes  three  of  the  hunters,  armed  and  determined  for  a  deadly 
mission,  were  darting  silently  through  llu;  quiet  waters,  in  the  direction  of  the 
sound  which  they  had  recently  heard.     About  one  hundred  yards  below  the  mouth 

*  Cisl's  Cincinnati  Adverliser,  1847. 


JOSEPH   DESHA.  515 

of  Lickincr,  on  the  Kentucky  side,  they  came  within  rifle-shot  of  the  canoe,  fired 
at  the  person  who  was  paddling  it,  scarcely  visible  in  the  dim  starlight,  and  a 
short  exclamation  of  agony  evidenced  the  certainty  of  the  shot. 

Paddling  up  along  side,  the  canoe  was  found  to  contain  but  a  single  person, 
and  that  an  old  Indian,  writhing  in  death's  agony,  the  blood  gushing  from  his 
shaven  brow.  In  the  bottom  of  the  canoe  lay  a  rifle,  and  near  it  a  pouch  of 
parched  corn,  and  a  gourd  about  half  filled  with  whisky.  It  was  this  Indian, 
evidently,  who  shot  Baxter,  and  it  seemed  equally  evident  that  he  was  alone  upon 
the  war-path.     The  savage  was  scalped,  and  his  body  thrown  into  the  river. 

Hall  and  his  party  returned  to  the  mouth  of  the  creek — again  hid  the  canoes — 
encamped  near  I3axter's  grave  for  the  night,  and  with  the  morning's  dawn  started 
upon  their  journey  to  the  north. 

Col.  Robert  .Tohnson  (the  father  of  colonels  Richard  M.,  James,  and  Major 
John  T.  Johnson,)  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  emigrated  to  Kentucky,  then  a 
county  of  that  State,  during  the  st.  rniy  period  of  the  revolution.  He  was  distin- 
guished for  that  high-toned  integrity  and  courage  which  marked  the  age  and  coun- 
try in  which  he  lived  ;  and  took  an  active  and  prominent  part  in  the  sanguinary 
conflicts  which  raged  between  the  settlers  and  natives,  in  the  early  settlement  of 
Kentuck}'.  So  great  was  the  confidence  reposed  in  his  skill  and  courage,  by  the 
adventurers  of  that  age,  by  whom  he  was  surrounded,  that  he  was  called  to  take 
a  cons  .icuoas  position  in  almost  every  hazardous  enterprise.  The  sentiments  of 
patrio  ism  and  integrity  which  marked  the  history  of  his  active  life,  he  did  not 
fail  to  inculcate  upon  the  minds  of  his  children  ;  and  the  character  of  those  chil- 
dren, as  developed,  shows  that  they  were  not  without  their  proper  effect.  Of  Col. 
Richard  M.  Johnson,  the  eldest  son,  a  sketch  will  be  found  under  the  head  of 
Johnson  county.  Col,  James  Johnson  was  the  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  mounted 
regiment  of  Col.  R.  iM.  Johnson,  during  the  late  war,  and  distinguisiied  himself 
at  the  battle  of  the  Thames,  as  well  as  on  several  occasions  while  in  the  service. 
He  subsequently  served  several  sessions  in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States, 
with  general  acceptance.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  many  years 
since,  he  was  in  communion  with  the  Baptist  church,  and  was  esteemed  a  zealous 
and  devoted  christian.  Major  John  T.  Johnson  was,  for  a  short  time,  a  member 
of  the  appellate  court  of  Kentucky  ;  subsequently,  for  several  sessions,  a  member 
of  Congress  ;  and  is  now,  (18-17),  and  has  been  for  some  eight  or  ten  years,  a  dis- 
tinguished minister  of  the  Christian  church. 

Gen.  Joseph  Desha  was  a  descendant  of  the  Huguenots  of  France,  his  pater- 
nal grandfather  being  one  of  that  persecuted  sect,  who  in  the  middle  of  the  seven- 
teenth century  fled  to  America,  to  avoid  the  fury  of  intolerance,  and  enjoy,  unmo- 
lested, the  religion  of  their  choice.  The  subject  of  this  notice  was  born  on  the 
9th  day  of  December,  17G8,  in  the  western  part  of  the  then  colony  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. In  July,  1781,  his  father  emigrated  to  Kentucky,  and  in  the  following 
year  removed  to  that  part  of  the  present  State  of  Tennessee  which  was  then 
known  as  the  Cumberland  District.  In  the  month  of  December,  1789,  Joseph 
Desha  was  united  in  marriage  with  the  daughter  of  Col.  Bledsoe;  and  in  the 
year  1792,  settled  perma'^ently  in  Mason  county,  KentuckJ^ 

As  early  as  the  year  1794,  he  volunteered  under  General  Wayne,  and  served  in 
his  campaigns  against  the  Indians,  with  distinction.  Indeed,  at  the  early  age  of 
fifteen,  and  between  that  age  and  twenty-two,  he  took  an  active  part  in  various 
skirmishes  with  the  foe,  who  at  that  period  in  the  early  history  of  the  west,  proved 
so  fatal  an  annoyance  to  the  settlers.  In  one  of  these  skirmishes  he  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  lose  two  of  his  brothers,  who  were  shot  down  by  his  side  ;  an  event 
which  no  doubt  stimulated  his  courage  and  greatly  excited  his  vengeance  against 
the  perfidious  enemy.  His  gallant  bearing  as  a  soldier,  and  amiable  qualities  as 
a  man,  rendered  him  justly  popular  with  the  people,  and  for  several  years  pre- 
vious to  1806,  he  represented  the  county  of  Mason  in  the  State  legislature.  In 
1816  he  was  elected  to  Congress,  and  by  successive  re-elections  was  continued 
in  that  body  until  the  year  1819. 

While  in  Congress  he  acted  with  the  republican  party,  and  was  devotedly 
zealous  in  the  prosecution  of  all  such  measures  as  were  calculated  in  his  judg- 
ment 10  advance  the  interest  and  glory  of  the  nation.     He  was  a  warm  supporter 


516  SCOTT  COUNTY. 

of  the  war  of  1812,  and  in  1813  accpptfcl  a  commission  as  major  general  of  vol- 
unteers, and  was  present  with  his  division,  in  the  halthi  vt'  the  'J'iiames. 

In  1824  he  was  elected  governor  of  Kentucky,  and  served  the  usual  term  of 
four  years.  His  administration  of  the  Slate  government  was  efficient  and  vicror- 
ous.  At  the  expiration  of  his  term  he  retired  from  public  life,  and  continued 
engaged  in  his  private  affairs  upon  his  farm,  in  Harrison  county,  until  his  death, 
which  occurred,  at  Georgetown,  Scott  county,  on  the  11th  of  October,  1842. 

General  Charles  Scott,  from  whom  this  county  received  its  name,  a  distin- 
guished officer  of  the  revolution,  was  born  in  Cumberland  county,  Virginia.  He 
served  as  a  corporal  in  a  volunteer  company  of  militia  in  the  memorable  cam- 
paign of  1755,  which  terminated  in  Braddock's  defeat.  Upon  tbe  breaking  out 
of  the  revolutionary  war,  he  raised  the  first  company  of  volunteers  south  of  .Tames 
river  that  entered  into  actual  service,  and  so  distinguished  himself  that  when  the 
county  of  Powhatan  was  formed  in  1777,  the  county  of  Scott  was  named  in  honor 
of  him.  Having  been  appointed  by  General  Washington  to  the  command  of  a 
regiment  in  the  continental  line,  he  was  with  General  Wayne  at  the  storming  of 
Stony  Point.  He  was  in  Charleston  when  it  surrendered  to  Sir  Henry  Clinton, 
When  marching  out  of  the  gate  a  British  officer  spoke  to  him  very  abruptly  ; 
ordered  him  to  march  faster  to  give  room  for  others.  Scott  turned  upon  him,  rip- 
ped out  a  tremendous  oath,  (one  of  his  characteristics,)  and  shamed  the  officer 
for  having  let  so  few  men  stand  out  so  long  against  so  large  an  army.  The  offi- 
cer molested  him  no  further.  After  the  war  terminated  he  removed  to  Kentucky, 
and  in  1785  settled  in  Woodford  county.  He  was  with  General  St.  Clair  in  his 
defeat  on  the  4th  of  November,  1791,  when  there  were  about  six  hundred  men 
killed  in  one  hour.  In  17G3,  he  and  General  Wilkinson  conducted  a  corps  of 
horsemen  against  the  Indian  towns  on  the  Wabash,  killed  some  of  the  warriors 
and  took  a  number  of  prisoners.  In  1794  he  commanded  a  portion  of  Wayne's 
army  at  the  battle  of  the  Fallen  Timber,  where  the  Indians  were  defeated  and 
driven  under  the  walls  of  the  British  fort.  In  1808  he  was  elected  to  the  office 
of  Governor  of  Kentucky,  and  discharged  its  duties  faithfully. 

General  Scott  was  a  man  of  strong  natural  powers,  but  somewhat  illiterate, 
and  rough  in  his  manners.  He  was  very  eccentric,  and  many  amusing  anecdotes 
are  related  of  him.     The  following  anecdote  we  believe  is  literally  authentic: 

While  Scott,  as  governor  of  Kentucky,  was  reposing  on  his  military  renown, 
a  puny  whipster,  himself  just  about  as  brave  a  man  as  any  of  the  descendants  of 
Ezekiel  Polk,  took  it  into  his  head  to  distinguish  his  own  prowess,  and  as  a  mark 
for  its  exhibition,  pretending  some  offence,  singled  out  General  Scott,  to  whom 
he  sent  a  challenge  to  a  duel.  The  old  veteran  very  properly  returned  no  answ^er 
to  the  summons.  Meantime  the  braggart  had  been  ostentatiously  speculating  on 
the  occurrence  in  advance,  not  anticipating  the  turn  it  took.  Being  committed 
by  the  knowledge  of  the  public,  he  was  in  a  desperate  j)redicament.  After  wait- 
ing in  vain  for  an  acceptance,  and  not  even  receiving  an  answer,  he  went  person- 
ally to  demand  an  explanation. 

"  General  Scott,  you  received  a  challenge  from  me  1  " 

"  Your  challenge  was  delivered,  sir." 

"But  I  have  received  neither  an  acknowledgment  nor  an  acceptance  of  it." 

"  I  presume  not  sir,  as  I  have  sent  neither." 

"  But  of  course  you  intend  to  accept  ■?  " 

"  Of  course  I  do  not." 

"  What !  Not  accept  my  challenge  1  Is  it  possible  that  you,  General  Scott, 
brought  up  in  the  army,  decline  a  combat] " 

"I  do  with  you,   sir,"  coolly  answered  the  hero. 

"Then  I  have  no  means  of  satisfaction  left,  but  to  post  you  a  coward." 

"  Post  me  a  coward  ?     Ha,  ha,  ha !     Post  and  be ;  but  if  you  do,  you 

will  only  post  yourself  a liar,  and  every  body  else  will  say  so." 

And  that  was  the  end  of  it. 

General  Scott  was  a  faithful  and  constant  friend,  but  a  bitter  and  implacable 
enemy.     He  died  about  the  year  1820,  at  a  very  advanced  age. 


SHELBY   COUNTY.  517 


SHELBY    COUNTY. 

Shelby  county  was  formed  in  1792,  and  named  in  honor  of  Gov. 
Isaac  Shelby.  It  is  drained  by  the  waters  of  Kentucky  and  Salt 
rivers  :  bounded  on  the  north  by  Oldham  and  Henry  ;  east  by 
FrankUn;  south  by  Spencer  ;  and  west  by  Jefferson.  The  streams 
of  the  county  are — Clear,  Beech,  Brashear's,  Bullskin,  Fox,  Jef- 
frey's and  Fitch's  creeks,  which  flow  into  the  Kentucky,  and  Six 
Mile  creek,  which  enters  into  Salt  river.  The  general  surface  is 
gently  undulating,  and  the  lands  finely  timbered,  and  in  a  high 
state  of  cultivation.  The  soil  is  based  upon  limestone,  with  red 
clay  foundation,  and  is  black,  friable,  and  remarkably  fertile.  The 
grasses  succeed  well ;  but  hemp,  corn  and  wheat,  form  the  staple 
products ;  horses,  mules,  cattle,  hogs,  bagging  and  bale  rope,  the 
principal  articles  of  export.  The  exports  of  Shelby,  in  1846, 
amounted  to  the  sum  of  $630,750— the  imports  to  .§350,000,— 
leaving  an  excess,  in  favor  of  the  exports,  of  $280,750. 

Valuation  of  the  lands  of  Shelby,  $4,852,725  ;  total  valuation 
of  taxable  propert}'^  in  1846,  $8,331,400  ;  number  of  acres  of  land 
in  the  county,  241,523  ;  average  value  of  land  per  acre,  $19.94; 
number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  2,348 ; 
number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen  years  old,  2714. 
Population  in  1840,  17,768. 

The  towns  of  Shelby  consist  of  Shelbyville,  the  seat  of  justice, 
Christiansburg,  Hardinsville,  Simpsonville,  Clay  village,  and  Har- 
risonville. 

Shelbyville  is  situated  on  the  waters  of  Clear  creek,  thirty  miles 
from  Louisville,  and  twenty-one  miles  from  Frankfort,  immedi- 
ately on  the  turnpike  road  from  the  former  to  the  latter  place. 
It  has  a  population  of  about  1,600;  seven  churches,  with  four 
denominations,  viz  :  Baptists,  Methodists,  Presbyterians  and  Chris- 
tians ;  ten  lawyers,  nine  physicians,  fourteen  merchants,  thirty- 
one  mechanics'  shops,  and  nine  manufacturing  establishments. 
It  contains,  also,  one  college,  and  two  male  and  two  female  schools. 
The  court-house  is  a  large  three  story  new  brick  building,  ninety 
feet  in  length  and  seventy-five  feet  in  width,  including  com*t  room, 
and  the  various  offices  of  the  clerks,  sheriff,  &c. 

Trustees  to  lay  oif  a  town  at  Shelby  court-house,  were  appointed  by  an  act  of 
the  general  assembly  of  Kentucky,  passed  in  1792;  and  on  the  15th  day  of  Jan- 
uary, 1793,  the  said  trustees  met,  and  laid  off  fifty-one  acres  of  land,  "around 
and  adjacent  to  the  place  whereon  the  public  buildings  are  to  be  erected,  into  suit- 
able lots  and  streets."  The  "  gentlemen  trustees,"  as  they  styled  themselves  in 
the  record,  among  their  first  acts,  passed  the  following  resolution,  indicating,  very 
clearly,  the  plaiimess  and  simplicity  of  the  style  of  building  of  our  ancestors: 
"  Ordered,  that  every  purchaser  or  purchasers  of  lulls  in  the  town  of  Shelbyville, 
shall  build  thereon  a  hned  log  house,  with  a  briclc  or  stone  chimney,  not  less  than 
one  story  and  a  half  higfh,  otherwise  the  lot  or  lots  shall  be  forfeited  for  the  use 
of  the  town."  These  trustees  were  David  Standiford,  Joseph  VVinlock,  and  Abra- 
ham Owen — the  last  of  whom  was  the  Col.  Owen  who  fell  at  the  battle  of  Tip- 
pecanoe. 

Shelby  College,  which  is  located  here,  was  organized  in  1836, 


518  SHELBY   COUNTY. 

and  transferred  to  the  Episcopal  church  in  1841.  Its  presidency 
is  now  (1847)  temporarily  vacant.  The  college  edifice  is  a  hand- 
Bome  brick  building,  forty-two  feet  by  seventy,  with  a  president's 
house  on  the  grounds,  which  include  about  eighteen  acres.  The 
Female  SeiMinaries  are  very  popular  institutions,  and  embrace  a 
large  number  of  pupils.  The  one  under  the  superintendence  of 
W.  F.  Hill,  has  a  beautiful  edifice,  lately  constructed.  The  loca- 
tion of  Shelbyville  is  very  favorable  to  health  ;  and  the  zeal  and 
liberality  displayed  by  the  citizens  in  the  cause  of  education, — 
resulting  in  the  organization  of  an  unusual  number  of  flourish- 
ing schools, — is  a  guaranty  of  its  permanent  prosperity.  The 
population  of  the  town  and  county,  generally,  is  intelligent,  re- 
fined, and  remarkably  moral. 

Ckristiaasburg  is  a  small  village,  situated  on  the  New-Castle 
road,  eight  miles  east  of  Shelbyville ;  and  contains  two  churches, 
(Baptist  and  Methodist),  two  physicians,  two  taverns,  four  stores 
and  groceries,  a  steam  saw-mill,  woollen  factory,  and  three  or 
four  mechanics'  shops.  Hardinsvillc  is  situated  at  the  east  corner 
of  the  county,  at  the  junction  of  the  Louisville,  Frankfort,  and 
Harrodsburg  turnpike  roads,  fifteen  miles  from  Shelbyville,  and 
nine  miles  from  Frankfort :  contains  one  tavern,  two  stores,  post- 
office,  and  several  mechanics'  shops.  Population,  60.  Simpson- 
vil/e  is  situated  on  the  turnpike  from  Louisville  to  Shelbyville, 
eight  miles  west  of  the  latter ;  was  laid  out  in  1816,  and  named 
after  Capt.  John  Simpson,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  the 
river  Raisin,  during  the  late  war  with  Great  Britain.  It  has 
a  population  of  200 ;  three  churches,  (Baptist,  Methodist  and 
Presbyterian,)  three  physicans,  three  merchants,  four  mechanics' 
shops,  one  steam  saw-mill,  and  a  school  for  males  and  females. 
Clay  Village  lies  on  the  road  from  Louisville  to  Frankfort,  six  miles 
east  of  Shelbyville  ;  was  established  in  the  year  1820,  and  named 
after  Henry  Clay,  the  great  statesman  of  Kentucky  :  has  a  popu- 
lation of  about  100  souls;  two  physicians,  five  merchants,  four- 
teen mechanics'  shops,  two  manufacturing  establishments,  and 
one  Universalist  church.  HarrisonvUlc  is  situated  in  the  south- 
east corner  of  the  county,  about  sixteen  miles  from  Shelbyville  ; 
was  established  about  the  year  1825,  and  originally  known  by 
the  name  of  Connersville,  after  the  proprietor,  but  is  now  called 
for  Gen.  William  II.  Harrison.     It  is  a  small  village. 

In  the  month  of  Septcinher,  ITfil,  a  station  settled  by  Squire  Boone,  (a  brother 
of  the  great  hunter,)  near  where  Shelbyville  is  built,  I)ecaine  alarmed  at  the  appear- 
ance of  Indians  in  the  neicrhborhood,  and  determined  to  remove  to  the  stronger 
settlements  on  Beargrass.  InefTHCtintr  this  object,  the  party — necessarily  encum- 
bered with  women,  children  and  houseiiold  goods — was  attacked  by  a  large  body 
of  Indians  near  Long  run,  defeated  and  dispersed  with  considerable  loss.  Colo- 
nel Floyd,  on  hearing  of  the  disaster,  immediately  collected  a  party  of  twent)'-five 
men,  and  repaired  with  honorable  promptitude  to  relieve  the  whites  and  chastise 
the  Indians.  He  advanced  with  his  usual  caution,  dividing  his  men  into  two 
parties  ;  and  yet,  in  spite  of  his  prudence,  he  fell  into  an  ambuscade  of  two  hun- 
dred Indians.  He  was  defeated  with  the  loss  of  half  his  men,  and  nine  or  ten  of 
the  Indians  were  killed.  While  Colonel  Floyd  was  retreating  on  foot,  nearly 
exhausted  and  closely  pursued    by  the  Indians,  Captain   Samuel   Wells,   who 


ARCHIBALD   CAMERON.  519 

retained  his  hcrse,  dismounted  and  gave  it  to  Floyd,  and  ran  by  his  side  to  sup- 
port him.  The  magnanimity  of  the  action,  is  enhanced  by  the  previous  hostility 
between  these  officers,  which  was,  however,  cancelled  forever — "  they  lived  and 
died  friends." 

William  Logan  was  the  eldest  son  of  General  Benjamin  Logan,  and  was  born 
at  Harrodsburg  on  the  8th  of  December,  1776.  He  was,  probably,  the  first 
white  child  born  in  Kentucky,  In  1799  he  was  a  member  of  the  convention 
w^hich  formed  the  present  constitution  of  the  state,  being  then  only  twenty-three 
years  of  age.  His  selection  to  this  responsible  office,  so  early  in  life,  evinced 
the  high  opinion  entertained  of  his  character  and  talents,  by  his  fellow-citizens. 
About  the  same  time  he  commenced  the  practice  of  the  law,  and  soon  attained 
considerable  eminence  in  his  profession.  He  was  frequently  elected  to  repre- 
sent his  county  in  the  legislature,  and  on  several  occasions  was  made  speaker 
of  the  house  of  representatives.  He  was  twice  appointed  a  judge  of  the  court 
of  appeals,  in  which  station  he  was  noted  for  the  propriety  with  which  he  dis- 
charged its  various  duties.  In  1820,  he  was  elected  a  Senator  in  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States.  He  resigned  his  seat  in  this  body  in  1820,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  becoming  a  candidate  for  governor  of  the  State,  but  was  not  elected. 

He  died  at  his  residence  in  Shelby  county,  on  the  8th  of  August,  1822,  in  the 
46th  year  of  his  age.  At  the  time  of  his  decease  he  was  generally  looked  to  by 
the  people  of  the  State,  as  the  candidate  for  Governor  in  1824,  and  had  he  lived 
would  no  doubt  have  succeeded  General  Adair  in  that  office. 

When  he  was  not  prevented  from  mingling  in  politics  by  his  duties  as  a  judge, 
he  was  an  active  and  influential  member  of  the  republican  party,  and  was  warmly 
engaged  in  the  controversy  which  arose  on  the  question  of  a  new  election  upon 
the  death  of  Governor  Madison.  On  this  occasion  he  took  the  ground  which  was 
finally  settled  as  the  true  construction  of  the  constitution,  that  upon  the  death  of 
the  governor,  the  lieutenant-governor  should  succeed  to  his  place,  and  serve  out 
the  term.  He  was  also  an  active  partizan  on  the  new  and  old  court  questions, 
having  espoused  the  cause  of  the  old  court.  In  his  private  and  social  relations 
he  was  a  gentleman  of  great  moral  worth,  courteous  in  his  manners,  and  of  inflex- 
ible integrity.  His  early  death  was  a  loss  to  the  State,  and  was  very  generally 
deplored. 

The  Rev.  Archibald  Cameron,  a  distinguished  minister  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  but  was  brought  to  America  by  his  parents 
when  very  young.  He  was  of  good  parentage,  his  father,  John  Cameron,  of  the 
"clan  Cameron,"  being  a  mcin  of  sound  understanding,  correct  principles  and 
decided  integrity  of  character.  His  mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Janet 
McDonald,  of  the  "McDonald  clan,"  was  a  lady  of  superior  capacity,  and  dis- 
tinguished for  extensive  and  general  information,  sterling  integrity,  exemplary 
piety,  and  great  force  of  character.  She  was  a  "Scotch  Presbyterian"  of  the 
genuine  stamp. 

Archibald,  the  youngest  of  six  children,  was  born  in  the  Highlands,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Fort  William,  about  the  year  1770  or  1771.  The  family  soon  after 
his  birth  removed  to  America,  and  settled  on  the  Monongahela  river ;  where  they 
resided  till  April,  1781,  when  they  removed  to  Kentucky,  and  settled  on  a  farm 
at  the  foot  of  "  Cameron's  Knob,"  about  six  miles  from  Bardstown. 

Little  is  known  of  Mr.  Cameron's  early  history  ;  but  as  his  father  was  a  farmer, 
and  in  moderate  circumstances,  he  was  probaitly  employed  in  agricultural  pur- 
suits. His  education,  however,  was  not  neglected  ;  and  he  commenced  the  study 
of  the  Latin  and  Greek  languages  with  his  eldest  brother,  Angus  Cameron,  who 
had  received  a  thorough  education  before  he  left  Scotland.  At  about  the  age  of 
fifteen,  he  was  sent  to  a  school  then  kept  in  Bardstown  by  Dr.  Priestly.  His 
companions  at  this  school  were  John  Rowan,  Felix  Grundy,  John  P^pe,  Col. 
John  Allen,  John  Simpson,  and  others,  all  of  whom  became  distinguished  in  after 
life.  Mr.  Cameron  took  a  high  stand,  and  was  considered  the  best  scholar  in  the 
school.  Upon  leaving  this  school,  he  spent  about  one  year  at  the  "Transylvania 
Seminary,"  tlien  under  the  charge  of  Mr.  James  Moore.  At  the  age  of  nineteen 
he  professed  religion,  and  connected  himself  with  the  Presbyterian  church  at 
Bardstown.  His  religious  experience,  written  about  this  time,  and  preserved 
among  his  papers,  agrees  most  strikingly  with  those  evangelical  doctrines  for 


520  SHELBY  COUNTY. 

which  his  preaching  was  afterwards  distinguished.  He  studied  theology  unde. 
the  Rev.  David  Rice,  and  was  licensed  by  Transylvania  Presbytery,  February 
14,  1795. 

He  preached  at  many  points  in  the  counties  of  Nelson,  Shelby  and  Jefferson 
where  he  laid  the  foundations  of  Presbyterianism,  and  at  most  of  which  he  af- 
terwards organized  cluirches.  Having  received  a  call  from  Simpson's  creek 
church,  in  Nelson  county,  and  from  Ackron  and  Fox  run,  new  churches  in  Shelby 
county,  he  was  ordained  and  installed  over  them,  June  2,  1796.  The  first  admin- 
istration of  the  Lord's  supper  in  Shelby  county,  was  in  the  fall  of  1796,  when 
the  number  of  members  had  increased  to  thirty-five,  mostly  received  on  examina- 
tion. His  labors  were  spread  over  a  wide  region,  now  occupied  by  the  congrega- 
tions of  Shelbyville,  Mulberry,  Six  Mile,  Shiloh,  Olivet,  and  Big  Spring,  and  em- 
bracing a  circuit  of  from  thirty  to  forty  miles. 

All  these  clnirches  were  planted  and  built  up  by  him;  hut  tbe  field  being  too 
extensive,  in  LS03  he  relinijuished  Simpson's  creek,  and  devoted  his  whole  time 
to  the  churches  in  Shelby  county.  In  these  he  labored  with  great  self-denial  and 
success,  till  1818,  when  the  churches  now  called  .Sliiloh  and  Olivet  secured  the 
services  of  Rev.  Dr.  Crow.  L\  this  extended  field  his  labors  were  much  blessed, 
constant  accessions  being  received  to  his  churches  ;  but  these  accessions  did  not 
increase  their  members  in  proportion,  which  were  constantly  reduced  by  removals. 
He  spent  a  long,  eventful,  a  happy  and  useful  life,  among  the  people  of  these 
counties — having  been  their  pastor  for  more  than  forty  years;  and  long  will  his 
name  be  borne  in  memory  by  them. 

In  intellect  Mr.  Cameron  had  few  equals.  His  mind  was  cast  in  the  finest 
mould,  and  cultivated  to  a  high  degree.  The  distinctive  characteristics  of  his 
mind  were  strength,  originality  and  discrimination.  He  was  a  man  of  great 
shrewdness,  and  gifted  with  keen  powers  of  satire.  His  discourses  were  always 
systematic,  instructive  and  practical.  As  a  dfictrinal  and  experimental  preacher, 
he  was  excelled  by  none;  and  his  appeals  were  often  most  eloquent  and  impres- 
sive. As  a  pastor,  he  was  highly  esteemed  and  much  beloved  by  the  people  of 
his  charge;  as  a  friend,  he  was  frank,  generous,  and  confiding;  as  a  divine,  he 
ranked  in  the  very  first  class,  and  was  regarded  by  all  who  knew  him  as  the  ablest 
man  in  the  synod.  He  was  the  author  of  many  published  writings  of  high  re- 
pute, and  extensively  known.     Among  these  may  be  mentioned — 

1.  The  Faithful  Steward:  against  baptizing  adults  who  do  not  give  evidence 
of  faith  and  repentance,  or  the  children  of  such  adults.     1806 — pp.  53. 

2.  The  Monitor:  on  Religious  Liberty,  Church  Government,  Discipline,  &c. 
1806— pp.  109. 

3.  An  Appeal  to  the  Scriptures,  on  the  Design,  Extent,  and  Effect  of  the  Pro- 
pitiation made  by  Christ.     1811 — pp.  79. 

4.  A  Discourse  between  the  Confession  of  Faith  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  a  Preacher  in  that  Society  who  holds  the  Doctrine  of  Indefinite,  Universal 
Atonement.     1814 — pp.  21. 

5.  A  Defence  of  the  Doctrines  of  Grace:  A  Series  of  Letters  in  Reply  to 
Judge  Davidge's  publication  addressed  to  the  "Advocates  of  a  Partial  Gospel." 
1816— pp.  49. 

6.  A  Reply  to  some  Arniinian  Questions  on  Divine  Predestination,  and  to  a 
doggerel  poem,  "The  Trial  of  Cain."     1822 — pp.  36, 

7.  An  Anonymous  Letter  on  Fore-ordination;   pp.  22. 

8.  Two  pamphlets,  addressed  to  the  Rev.  George  Light,  a  Methodist  preacher. 

9.  A  Sketch  of  the  Transylvania  Presbytery,  for  the  General  Assembly's  com- 
mittee appointed  to  write  a  History  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

During  bis  last  illness,  which  was  protracted,  his  mind  was  sustained  hy  the 
spirit  of  that  gospel  which,  with  so  much  faithfulness  and  success,  he  had  preach- 
ed to  his  fellow  men.  The  exercises  of  bis  mind  were  in  unison  with  the  gene- 
ral tenor  of  his  religious  sentiments.  The  prevailinsj  feeling  of  his  heart  was 
submission  to  God,  and  reliance  on  Christ.  His  brethren  of  tbe  Presbytery  can 
never  forget,  that  at  their  meeting  the  spring  before  his  death,  when  he  was  sup- 
posed, by  himself  and  others,  to  be  on  the  very  borders  of  the  grave,  he  sent 
them  a  message  full  of  tenderness,  saying,  that  the  nearer  he  approached  to  the  eter- 
nal world,  the  more  precious  did  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  as  held  in  our  stand- 
ards, become;  and  from  the  very  waters  of  Jordan  did  he  look  back,  and  bid 


CHARLES  S.  TODD.  521 

them  all  U  hold  fast  tliose  truths  so  precious  while  we  live — so  unspeakably  pre- 
cious when  we  come  to  die.     He  died  on  the  4th  of  December,  183C, 

Colonel  Charles  S.  Todd,  late  minister  to  Russia,  so  favorably  known  as  a 
soldier  and  a  diplomatist,  is  a  son  of  the  late  Thomas  Todd,  who  for  many  years 
filled  the  high  office  of  judjre  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States.  He 
was  born  near  Danville,  Kentucky,  on  the  2'2d  January,  1791 — and  having  entered 
at  an  early  age  on  a  classical  course  of  education  in  the  best  schools  of  Ken- 
tucky, in  1807,  entered  the  ancient  university  of  William  and  Mary,  in  Virginia, 
as  a  junior,  and  graduated  with  high  reputation  in  1809.  His  thesis  at  the 
time  of  his  graduation  was  the  subject  of  encomium  by  the  faculty.  He  returned 
to  Kentucky  in  1809,  and  commenced  the  study  of  law  with  his  father,  and  in 
1810  he  proceeded  to  Litchfield,  Connecticut,  to  attend  a  course  of  lectures  by 
the  celebrated  Judges  Reeves  and  Gould. 

In  1811-13  Colonel  Todd  established  a  law  office  in  Lexington,  but  having 
cherished  an  ardent  military  spirit  during  his  residence  at  college,  where  he  was 
elected  ensign  in  a  volunteer  company  raised  on  account  of  the  attack  on  the 
(/hesapeake,  he  volunteered  his  services  in  June,  1812,  and  was  elected  ensign  in 
one  of  the  companies  from  Lexington,  though  before  the  march  of  the  troops  in 
August,  he  was  appointed  to  a  situation  in  the  quarter  master  general's  depart- 
ment, which  made  him  the  acting  quarter  master  of  the  advance  of  the  left  wing  of 
the  north-western  army.  In  December  he  was  appointed  into  General  Harrison's 
staff  as  division  judge  advocate  of  the  Kentucky  troops.  In  this  capacity  he  was 
the  bearer,  one  hundred  miles  across  the  wilderness,  on  snow  and  ice,  of  the  con- 
fidential instructions  from  the  commander-in-chief  to  General  Winchester,  previous 
to  the  disastrous  affair  of  the  river  Raisin.  At  the  close  of  the  campaign  Ensign 
Todd  returned  to  Kentucky,  with  a  letter  from  General  Harrison  recommending 
him  for  a  captaincy  in  the  regular  army,  adding  the  beautiful  compliment  that  "  he 
appeared  to  combine  the  ardor  of  youth  with  the  maturity  of  age."  McAfee's 
History  of  the  War,  Butler's  History  of  Kentucky,  and  Judge  Hall's  Life  of 
Harrison,  all  speak  of  incidents  in  this  campaign  in  which  Ensign  Todd's  enter- 
prise and  intrepidity  were  commended.  He  was,  on  persanal  appliad'um  at 
the  war  uffice  of  Secretary  Munrne,  appointed  to  a  vacancy  of  captain  in  the  17th 
regiment  of  infantry.  Captain  Todd,  after  commanding  the  recruiting  rendezvous 
of  the  regiment,  at  Newport,  was  transferred  to  an  original  vacancy  in  the  28th 
infantry,  attached  to  the  brigade  of  General  Cass,  and  was  appointed  aid  to  Gen- 
eral Harrison.  Captain  Todfl's  conduct  on  the  campaign,  and  particularly  in  the 
battle  of  the  Thames,  is  thus  noticed  in  General  Harrison's  official  report :  "  My 
aids-de-camp.  Lieutenant  O'Fallon  and  Captain  Todd,  of  the  line,  and  my  volunteer 
aids,  John  vSpeed  Smith  and  John  Chambers,  Esqs.,  have  rendered  me  the  most 
important  services  from  the  opening  of  the  campaign."  "  Major  Wood,  of  the 
engineers,  already  distinguished  !)y  his  conduct  at  Fort  Meigs,  attended  the  army 
with  two  six  pounders.  Having  no  use  for  them  in  the  action,  he  joined  in  the 
pursuit  of  the  enemy,  and  with  Major  Payne  of  the  mounted  regiment,  two  of 
my  aids-de-camp,  Todd  and  Chambers,  and  three  privates,  continued  it  for  sev- 
eral miles  after  the  rest  of  the  troops  had  halted,  and  made  many  prisoners." 
After  the  capture  of  the  British  troops,  he  was  sent  with  an  order  to  Governor 
Shelby,  to  bring  up  Simrall's  regiment  to  reinforce  the  crotchet,  and  participated 
in  the  operations  on  the  left  against  the  Indians.  He  was  then  dispatched  with 
Major  Payne's  battalion  to  pursue  General  Proctor,  whose  sword,  prtjxrs,  ^'c. 
were  the  joint  prize  of  Major  Wood,  and  Captain  Todd.  He  accompanied  Gen- 
eral Harrison  down  the  lakes  to  the  Niagara  frontier,  and  Sackett's  Harbor,  and 
thence,  via  New  York  and  Washington,  to  Cincinnati,  having  succeeded  Mnjor 
Hukill  as  deputy  inspector  general  of  the  8th  military  district.  During  the  sum- 
mer of  181 1,  Major  Todd  acted  also  as  adjutant  general  of  the  district,  and  is 
thus  handsomely  noticed  in  General  McArthur's  report  of  the  expedition  into 
Canada  during  that  fall  :  "  I  have  the  support  of  the  troops  in  assuring  you,  sir, 
that  to  the  military  talents,  activity  and  intelligence  of  Major  Todd,  who  acted 
as  my  adjutant  general,  much  of  the  fortunate  progress  and  issue  of  tins  expedi- 
tion is  attributable,  and  I  cheerfully  embrace  this  occasion  to  acknowledge  the 
important  services  which  he  has  at  all  times  rendered  me  whilst  in  command  of 
the  district.     His  various  merits,  justly  entitle  him  to  the  notice  of  government." 


522  SHELBY   COUNTY. 

In  march  following,  he  was  proinoted  to  the  situation  of  inspector  general,  with 
the  brevet  rank  and  pay  of  colonel  of  cavalry.  Subsequently  to  the  war,  Gen- 
eral Harrison,  in  a  letter  to  a  member  of  the  cabinet  at  Washington,  expressed  the 
opinion  "  that  Colonel  Todd  was  equal  in  bravery,  and  superior  in  intelligence  to 
any  officer  of  his  rank  in  the  army." 

At  the  peace  in  1815,  and  upon  the  disbandment  of  the  army  in  1815,  he 
returned  to  his  original  profession  at  Frankfort,  Kentucky,  and  in  1816  married 
the  youngest  daughter  of  Governor  Shelby.  He  was  soon  after  appointed  secretary 
of  state  by  the  new  Governor  Madison.  Upon  the  death  of  Governor  Madison, 
Colonel  Todd  resigned  his  office,  and  the  year  following  was  returned  to  the  legis- 
lature from  Franklin  county,  and  again  in  1818, highest  over  Judges  Bibb  and 
Marshall  and  General  Hardin.  His  conduct  in  the  legislature  was  so  acceptable 
to  his  fellow  citizens  that  he  could  have  been  re-elected  at  any  time,  but  unex- 
pectedly he  was  invited  by  President  Monroe  to  proceed  to  the  government  of 
Colombia,  in  South  America,  upon  a  confidential  mission,  with  the  pay  and  duties 
of  a  charge  d'affaires.  He  was  deputed  to  complete  negotiations  which  had  been 
in  part  effected  by  the  lamented  Perry,  and  to  look  into  the  actual  condition  of 
affairs  in  that  country.  He  returned  to  the  United  States  in  1821,  and  resumed  his 
position  at  the  capital  of  Colombia  in  1822,  bearing  the  recognition  of  the  inde- 
pendence of  that  government.  In  these  two  trips  to  South  America,  Colonel 
Todd  passed  through  seas  infested  with  pirates,  encountering  hurricanes  and 
malignant  diseases,  and  passed  one  thousand  miles  over  the  Andes  on  mules  at  a 
time  when  the  country  was  involved  in  a  sanguinary  civil  war.  In  the  summer 
of  1821,  he  received  a  letter  from  the  department  of  state,  announcing  that  his 
conduct  on  the  mission  had  been  approved  by  the  president.  In  June,  1823, 
Mr.  Adams,  in  his  dispatch,  said,  "  I  have  been  directed  by  the  president  to 
assure  you  of  his  undiminished  confidence  in  your  talents,  zeal  and  usefulness." 

Colonel  Todd,  after  declining  an  acceptance  of  several  important  offices,  estab- 
lished himself  as  a  cultivator  of  the  soil,  in  Shelby  county.  For  a  number  of 
years  whilst  engaged  in  improving  his  beautiful  farm,  his  pen  was  devoted  to  the 
great  subjects  of  religion,  agriculture  and  politics.  In  1837  and  '39  he  served  as 
a  commissioner  in  the  Presbyterian  General  Assembly,  in  Philadelphia,  by  which 
the  separation  was  effected,  he  sustaining  the  old  school  party.  For  several  years 
he  was  vice  president  of  the  State  agricultural  society,  and  in  1839  delivered  the 
annual  address  in  the  legislative  hall.  He  had  always  sustained  the  claims  of 
that  distinguished  orator  and  statesman,  Mr.  Clay,  with  whom  from  his  youth  up, 
he  had  maintained  relations  of  the  most  intimate  friendships  but  as  Mr.  Clay  had 
been  withdrawn  from  the  canvass  in  1835,  he  advocated  the  claims  of  General 
Harrison  to  the  presidency.  In  the  spring  of  1810,  he  was  invited  by  the  committees 
of  Ohio  and  Kentucky,  in  connection  with  the  late  Benjamin  Drake,  of  Cincin- 
nati, to  prepare  sketches  of  the  civil  and  military  history  of  that  distinguished 
patriot.  These  were  received  with  great  favor.  He  then  moved  to  Cincinnati, 
and  assumed  the  editorial  charge  of  the  Cincinnati  Republican,  devoted  to  the 
support  of  General  Harrison's  claims  to  the  presidency.  His  efficiency  was 
acknowledged  by  both  parties.  In  February,  '41  he  accompanied  General  Flar- 
rison  to  Washington,  and  at  the  hour  of  that  death  whicii  covered  his  country  as 
with  a  pall,  he  was  near  the  pillow  of  that  illustrious  patriot,  whose  confidence 
he  enjoyed  in  an  eminent  degree,  and  who  designed  to  engage  his  services  for 
the  country,  in  the  mission  to  Vienna,  as  envoy  extraordinary  and  minister  pleni- 
potentiary :  but  in  the  subsequent  arrangements  of  President  Tyler,  it  was  thought 
best  to  send  Colonel  Tndd  to  Russia,  a  decision  which,  so  far  as  the  country  was 
concerned,  was  most  eminently  judicious. 

He  reached  St.  Petersburg  early  in  November,  1811.  As  the  intimate  friend 
and  companion-in-arms  of  the  lamented  Harrison,  he  was  at  once  commended  to 
the  respect  of  the  Russian  government;  and  being  invited  by  the  emperor  to  at- 
tend his  military  parades,  thus  had  access  to  many  sources  of  information  and  in- 
fluence, which  a  mere  politici.m  could  not  have  enjoyed.  He  traveled  into  the 
interior  of  Rvissia,  having  visited  Moscow  and  the  annual  fair  at  Nishnii  Novogo- 
rod,  on  the  Volga,  where  he  enconntpred  two  hundred  thousand  people,  speaking 
twenty  different  laiijiuagcs.  He  afterwards  visited  Sweden,  and  had  the  good 
fortune  of  being  presented  to  the  celebrated  Bernadotte,  the  only  marshal  of  Na- 
poleon who  retained  his  crown.     As  an  evidence  of  the  estimation  in  which  Col. 


ISAAC  SHELBY.  523 

Todd  was'neld  in  the  capital  of  Russia,  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Imperial 
Agricultural  Society — the  only  instance  in  wiiich  a  foreigner  was  admitted.  A 
vote  of  thanks  was  entered  on  the  journal ;  and  upon  liis  leaving  the  capital,  he 
was  presented  with  -i  geld  medal.  The  merchants  in  the  American  trade  tender- 
ed him  a  letter,  with  assurances  of  high  regard  and  esteem,  and  of  their  great 
regret  at  his  departure.  A  touching  compliment,  which  any  minister  might  be 
proud  to  receive,  was  extended  to  Col.  Todd  a  few  days  before  he  left  St.  Peters- 
burg, by  Gen.  Kaveline,  the  governor-general  of  the  city,  who  drank  the  health 
of  the  American  minister  in  the  following  language  : 

"Though  our  respective  countries  be  situated  on  two  different  parts  of  the 
world,  and  consequently  very  distant  from  each  other,  yet  I  hope  that  you  will 
acknowledge  with  me,  that  there  is  no  distance  for  friendship.  I  then  dare  say, 
Hon.  Mr.  Todd,  that  when  on  the  distant  shores  of  the  New  World,  you  will 
sometimes  remember  the  friends  you  leave  here,  whose  hearts  you  have  won  by 
your  eminently  good  qualities,  and  in  whose  bosom  and  memory  your  remem- 
brance will  remain  engraved  forever." 

An  extract  from  a  dispatch  from  Mr.  Webster,  will  show  the  estimation  in 
which  Col.  Todd  was  held  by  both  governments: 

"  The  president  directs  me  to  express  to  you  his  approbation  of  the  manner  in 
which  you  have  discharged  your  duties,  as  the  representative  of  your  country  at 
the  imperial  court  of  Russia.  While  he  is  satisfied  that  you  have  sedulously 
sought,  on  all  occasions,  to  promote  the  interests  of  the  United  States,  it  gives 
him  much  pleasure  to  understand  that  your  public  conduct  and  personal  deport- 
ment have  been  quite  satisfactory  to  the  government  to  which  you  have  been  ac- 
credited." 

President  Polk  thought  proper  to  terminate  Col.  Todd's  mission  to  Russia,  in 
the  fall  of  1845 ;  the  secretary  of  state  having  comnmnicated,  in  a  private  letter, 
that  this  act  had  not  proceeded  from  any  unfriendly  feeling,  but  was  the  result  of 
a  change  in  the  administration,  and  the  application  of  what  he  was  pleased  to 
term  the  four  years  rule  or  practice,  as  to  the  continuance  in  office  of  our  minis- 
ters. 

In  the  course  of  a  long  public  career,  in  war  and  in  peace,  at  home  and  abroad, 
there  are  man}'  interesting  incidents  connected  with  the  subject  of  this  memoir,  a 
recital  of  which  would  gratify  the  public  taste,  but  for  want  of  space  they  are 
omitted.  It  will  be  seen  that  Col.  Todd  was  reared  in  the  military  school  of  Har- 
rison, and  was  a  pupil  in  the  diplomatic  school  of  Monroe.  Having  returned  to 
his  country,  in  all  the  vigor  of  life,  after  a  long  and  distant  service,  attended  with 
great  sacrifices,  and  maintaining  a  high  moral  standard,  with  a  ripe  experience 
in  public  affairs,  and  high  mental  accomplishments  united  to  courteous  and  grace- 
ful manners,  he  has  shown  himself  worthy  to  have  been  associated  with  such 
eminent  patriots  and  illustrious  statesmen  as  Madison,  Monroe,  Adams,  Harrison, 
Clay  and  Webster. 

Isaac  Shelby,  the  subject  of  this  memoir,  was  born  on  the  11th  day  of  De- 
cember, 1750,  near  to  the  North  Mountain,  a  few  miles  from  Hagerstown,  in 
Maryland,  where  his  father  and  grandfather  settled  after  their  arrival  in  America 
from  Wales.  In  that  early  settlement  of  the  country,  which  was  annoyed  dur- 
ing the  period  of  his  youth  by  Indian  wars,  he  obtained  only  the  elements  of  a 
plain  English  education;  but  like  his  father,  General  Evan  Shelby,  born  with  a 
strong  constitution,  capable  of  bearing  great  privation  and  fatigue,  he  was 
brought  up  to  the  use  of  arms  and  the  pursuit  of  game. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-one,  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Western  Virginia,  beyond 
the  Alleghany  mountains,  having  previously  acquired  a  knowledge  of  surveying 
and  of  tiie  duties  of  sheriffat  Fredericktown.  He  was  engaged,  in  his  new  res- 
idence, in  the  business  of  feeding  and  attending  to  herds  of  cattle  in  the  exten- 
sive range  which  distinguished  that  section  of  country.  He  was  a  lieutenant  in 
the  company  of  his  father,  the  late  General  Rvan  Shelby,  in  the  memorable  battle 
fought  10th  of  October,  1771,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kenhawa,  at  the  close  of  which 
his  father  was  the  commanding  officer.  Colonels  Lewis,  Fleming  and  Field  being 
killed  or  disabled.  The  result  of  this  battle  gave  peace  to  the  frontier,  at  the 
critical  period  of  the  colonies  venturing  into  the  eventful  contest  of  the  revo- 
lution, and  deterred   the  Indians  from  uniting  with  the  British  until  1776.     This 


524  SHELBY   COUNTY. 

was,  probably,  the  most  severely  contested  conflict  ever  maintained  with  the 
north-western  Indians  ;  the  action  continued  from  sunrise  to  sunset,  and  the  ground 
for  half  a  mile  alon^  the  bank  of  the  Ohio,  was  alternately  occupied  by  each  of 
the  parties  in  the  course  of  the  day.  So  sanguinary  was  the  contest,  that  blood 
was  found  on  each  of  the  trees  behind  which  the  parties  were  posted.  The 
Indians,  under  the  celebrated  chief  Cornstalk,  abandoned  the  ground  under  cover 
of  the  nifht.  Their  loss,  according  to  the  official  report,  exceeded  that  of  the 
Americans,  the  latter  amounting  to  sixty-three  killed  and  eighty  wounded.  This 
report  was  drawn  up  by  (Captain  Russell,  reputed  to  be  the  best  scholar  in  camp, 
and  the  father  of  the  late  Colonel  William  Russell,  of  Kentucky.  The  fortune 
of  the  day,  as  staled  in  Doddridge's  Notes  of  Border  War,  was  decided  by  a  bold 
movement,  to  the  rear  of  the  left  wing  of  the  Indians,  led  by  Captain  Evan 
Shelby,  in  which  the  subject  of  this  memoir  bore  a  conspicuous  part. 

The  garrison  at  Ivenhawa  was  commanded  by  Captain  Russell,  and  Lieutenant 
Shelby  continued  in  it  until  the  troops  were  disbanded,  in  July,  1775,  by  order 
of  Governor  Dunmore,  who  was  apprehensive  that  the  post  miijht  be  held  for  the 
benefit  of  the  rebel  authorities.  He  proceeded  immediately  to  Kentucky,  and  was 
employed  as  a  surveyor  under  Henderson  &  Co.;  who  styled  themselves  proprietors 
of  the  country,  and  who  had  established  a  regular  land  office  under  their  purchase 
from  the  (3herokees.  He  resided  in  the  then  wilderness  of  Kentucky,  for  nearly 
twelve  months,  and  being  without  bread  or  salt,  his  health  was  impaired,  and  he 
returned  home. 

In  July,  1776,  during  his  absence  from  home,  he  was  appointed  captain  of  a 
minute  company  by  the  committee  of  safety  of  Virginia.  In  the  year  1777,  he 
was  appointed,  by  Governor  Henry,  a  commissary  of  supplies  for  an  extensive 
body  of  militia,  posted  at  different  garrisons  to  guard  the  frontier  settlements, 
and  for  a  treaty  to  be  held  at  the  Long  Island  of  Holston  river,  with  the  Cher- 
okee tribe  of  Indians.  'I'hese  supplies  could  not  have  been  obtained  nearer  than 
Staunton,  Va.,  a  distance  of  three  hundred  miles  ;  but  by  the  most  indefatigable 
perseverance,  (one  of  the  most  conspicuous  traits  of  his  character,)  he  accom- 
plished it  to  the  satisfaction  of  his  country. 

In  1778,  he  was  engaged  in  the  commissary  department,  providing  supplies  for 
the  continental  army,  and  for  an  expedition,  by  the  way  of  Pittsburg,  against  the 
north-western  Indians.  In  the  early  part  of  1779,  he  was  appointed  by  Gover- 
nor Henry  to  furnish  supplies  f(jr  the  campaign  against  the  Chicamauga  Indians, 
wliicli  he  effected  upon  his  own  individual  credit.  In  the  spring  of  that  year,  he 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  Virijinia  legislature  from  Washington  county,  and  in 
the  fall  of  that  year  was  commissioned  a  major,  by  Governor  Jefferson,  in  the 
escort  of  guards  to  the  commissioners  for  extending  the  boundary  line  between 
that  State  and  the  State  of  North  Carolina.  By  the  extension  of  that  line,  his 
residence  was  found  to  be  within  the  limits  of  the  latter  State,  and  shortly  after- 
wards, he  was  appointed  by  Governor  Caswell  a  colonel  of  the  new  county  of 
Sullivan,  established  in  consequence  of  the  additional  territory  acquired  by  the 
running  of  that  line. 

In  the  summer  of  1780.  Colonel  Shelby  was  in  Kentucky,  locating  and  secur- 
ing those  lands,  which  he  had  five  years  previously  marked  out  and  improved 
for  himself,  wtien  the  intelligence  of  the  surrender  of  Charleston,  and  the  loss  of 
the  army,  reached  that  country.  He  returned  home  in  July  of  that  year,  deter- 
mined to  enter  the  service  of  his  country  and  remain  in  it  until  her  independence 
should  be  secured.  He  could  not  continue  to  be  a  cool  spectator  of  a  contest  in 
which  the  dearest  riijiits  and  interests  of  bis  country  were  involved.  On  his  arri- 
val in  Sullivan,  he  found  a  requisition  from  General  Charles  McDowell,  request- 
ing him  to  furnish  all  the  aid  in  his  power  to  check  the  enemy,  who  had  overrun 
the  two  southern  States,  and  were  on  the  borders  of  North  Carolina.  Colonel 
Shelby  assembled  the  militia  of  his  county,  called  upon  them  to  volunteer  their 
services  for  a  short  time  on  that  interesting  occasion,  and  marched,  in  a  few  days, 
with   three  hnndred   mounted  riflpmen.  across  the  Alleghany  mountains. 

In  a  short  time  after  his  arrival  at  McDowell's  camp,  near  the  Cherokee  ford 
of  Broad  river,  (^ol.  Shelby,  and  Lieutenarit-colon(>ls  Sevier  and  Clarke, — the  latter 
a  refugee  officer  from  Georgia. —  were  detached  with  six  hundred  men,  to  surprise 
a  post  of  the  enemy  in  front,  on  the  waters  of  Pacolet  river.  It  was  a  strong  fort, 
surrounded  by  abhatis,  built  in  the  Cherokee  war,  and  commanded  by  that  distin- 


ISAAC  SHELBY.  525 

guished  loyalist,  Capt.  Patrick  Moore;  who  surrendered  tbe  garrison,  with  one 
British  sergeant-major,  ninety-three  loyalists,  and  two  hundred  and  filty  stand  of 
arms.  Major  Ferguson,  of  the  British  army,  though  a  brigadier  general  in  the 
royal  militia,  and  the  most  distinguished  partisan  officer  in  the  British  army,  made 
nkany  ineffectual  efforts  to  surprise  Col.  Shelby.  His  advance,  about  six  or  seven 
hundred  strong,  came  up  with  the  An)erican  commander,  at  Cedar  Spring,  and 
before  Ferguson  approached  with  his  whole  force,  the  Americans  took  two  officers 
and  fifty  men  prisoners,  and  safely  effected  their  retreat.  It  was  in  the  severest 
part  of  tills  action,  that  Col.  Shelby's  attention  was  arrested  by  the  heroic  con- 
duct of  Col.  Clarke.  He  often  mentioned  the  circumstance  of  his  ceasing  in  tbe 
midst  of  tbe  battle,  to  look  with  astonishment  and  admiration  at  Clarke  lighting. 

Tbe  next  important  event  was  tbe  battle  fought  at  Musgrove's  mill,  on  tbe  south 
side  of  tbe  Enoree  river,  distant  forty  miles,  with  seven  hundred  men,  led  by  Cols. 
Shelby,  Clarke,  and  Williams,  of  South  Carolina.  This  affair  took  place  on  the 
19tb  of  August,  and  is  more  particularly  described  in  tbe  sketch  of  ('ol.  Shelby, 
inserted  in  the  first  volume  of  tbe  "  National  Portrait  CJallery,"  published  in  1834, 
under  the  direction  of  the  American  Academy  of  Fine  Arts.  It  has  been  introduced 
into  tbe  historical  romance  called  "  Horse-Shoe  Robinson,"  and  noticed,  also,  in 
McCall's  History  of  Georgia,  where  the  British  loss  is  stated  to  be  sixty-three 
killed,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  wounded  and  taken  ;  the  American  loss,  four 
killed  and  nine  wounded:  amongst  the  former,  Capt.  Innian;  and  amongst  the 
latter,  Col.  Clarke  and  Capt.  Clarke.  Col.  Innes,  the  British  commander  of  the 
'•  Queen's  Auierican  Kegiment,"  from  New  York,  was  wounded ;  and  all  the 
British  officers,  except  a  subaltern,  were  killed  or  wounded;  and  Capt.  Hawsey, 
a  noted  leader  among  the  tories,  was  killed. 

The  Americans  intended  to  he  that  evening  before  Ninety-Six — but  at  that  mo- 
ment an  express  from  Gen.  McDowell  came  up,  in  great  haste,  with  a  short  note 
from  Gov.  Caswell,  dated  on  tbe  battle-ground,  apprising  McDowell  of  the  de- 
feat of  the  American  grand  army  under  Gen.  Gates,  on  the  16th,  near  Camden. 
Fortunately,  Col.  Shelby  knew  Caswell's  handwriting,  and  by  distributing  the 
prisoners  among  the  companies,  so  as  to  make  one  to  every  three  men,  who  car- 
ried them,  alternately,  on  horseback,  the  detachment  moved  directly  towards  the 
mountains.  The  Americans  were  saved  by  a  long  and  rapid  march  that  day  and 
night,  and  until  tbe  evening  of  tbe  next  day,  without  halting  to  refresh.  Col, 
Shelby,  after  seeing  the  party  and  prisoners  out  of  danger,  retreated  to  the  west- 
ern waters,  and  left  tbe  prisoners  in  tbe  charge  of  Clarke  and  Williams,  to  con- 
vey them  to  a  place  of  safety  in  Virginia ;  for  at  that  moment  there  was  no  corps 
of  Americans  south  of  that  State.  The  brilliancy  of  this  affair  was  obscured,  as 
indeed  were  all  the  minor  events  of  tbe  previous  war,  by  tbe  deep  gloom  which 
overs|)read  the  public  mind  after  tbe  disastrous  defeat  of  Gen.  Gates. 

Ferguson  was  so  solicitous  to  recapture  the  prisoners,  and  to  check  these  dar- 
ing adventures  of  the  mountaineers,  that  he  made  a  strenuous  effort,  with  his  main 
body,  to  intercept  them  ;  but  failing  of  bis  object,  he  took  post  at  a  place  called 
Gilbert-town,  from  whence  he  sent  the  most  threatening  messages,  by  paroled  pris- 
oners, to  the  officers  west  of  the  mountains,  proclaiming  devastation  to  their  coun- 
try, if  they  did  not  cease  their  opposition  to  the  British  government. 

This  was  the  most  disastrous  and  critical  period  of  the  revolutionary  war.  to 
tbe  south.  No  one  could  see  whence  a  force  could  be  raised  to  check  tbe  enemy 
in  their  progress  to  subjugate  this  portion  of  the  continent. 

Cornwallis,  with  tbe  main  army,  was  posted  at  Charlotte-town,  in  North  Caro- 
lina, and  Ferguson,  with  three  thousand,  at  Gilbert-town  ;  while  many  of  the  best 
friends  of  the  American  government,  despairing  of  tbe  freedom  and  independence 
of  America,  took  protection  under  the  British  standard.  At  this  gloomy  moment, 
Col.  Shelby  proposed  to  Cols.  Sevier  and  Campbell  to  raise  a  force  from  tbeir 
several  cotinties,  march  hastily  through  tbe  mountains,  and  attack  and  sur|)rise 
Ferguson  in  tbe  ni<jht.  Accordingly,  they  collected  with  tbeir  followers,  about 
one  thousand  strong,  on  Doe  run,  in  the  spurs  of  tbe  Alleghany,  on  the  25th  of 
September,  1780,  and  tbe  next  day  commenced  their  march,  when  it  was  discov- 
ered that  three  of  Col.  Sevier's  men  bad  deserted  to  tbe  enemy.  This  discon- 
certed their  first  design,  and  induced  them  to  turn  to  the  left,  gain  bis  front,  and 
act  as  events  might  suggest.  They  traveled  through  mountains  almost  inacces- 
sible to  horsemen.     As  soon  as  they  entered  tbe  level  country,  they  met  with  Col. 


526  SHELBY  COUNTY. 

Cleveland  with  three  hundred  men,  and  with  Cols.  Williams  and  Lacy,  and  other 
refugee  officers,  who  had  heard  of  Cleveland's  advance,  by  which  three  hundred 
more  were  added  to  the  force  of  llie  mountaineers.  They  now  considered  them- 
selves to  be  sufficiently  strong  to  encounter  Ferguson ;  but  being  rather  a  con- 
fused mass,  without  any  head,  it  was  proposed  by  Col.  Shelby,  in  a  council  of 
olhcers,  and  agreed  to,  that  Col.  Campbell,  of  the  Virginia  regiment, — an  officer 
of  enterprise,  patriotism,  and  good  sense, — should  be  appointed  to  the  command. 
And  having  determined  to  pursue  Ferguson  with  all  practicable  dispatch,  two  nights 
before  the  action  they  selected  the  best  horses  and  rifles,  and  at  the  dawn  of  day 
commenced  their  march  with  nine  hundred  and  ten  expert  marksmen.  As  Fer- 
guson was  tlieir  object,  they  would  not  be  diverted  from  the  main  point  by  any 
collection  of  tories  in  the  vicinity  of  their  route.  They  pursued  him  for  the  last 
thirty-six  hours  without  alighting  from  their  horses  to  refresh  but  once,  at  the 
Cowpens,  for  an  hour,  although  tlie  day  of  the  action  was  so  extremely  wet,  that 
the  men  could  only  keep  their  guns  dry  by  wrapping  their  bags,  blankets,  and 
hunting  shirts  around  the  locks,  which  exposed  their  bodies  to  a  heavy  and  inces- 
sant rain  during  the  pursuit. 

By  the  order  of  inarch  and  of  battle,  Col.  Cam])bell's  regiment  formed  the 
right,  and  (>ol.  Shelby's  regiment  the  left  column,  in  the  centre  :  the  right  wing 
was  composed  of  Sevier's  regiment,  and  Maj.  Winston's  and  McDowell's  battal- 
ions, commanded  by  Sevier  himself;  the  left  wing  was  composed  of  Col.  Cleve- 
land's regiment,  the  followers  of  Cols.  Williams,  Lacy,  Hawthorn,  and  FHU, 
headed  by  (^ol.  Cleveland  in  person.  In  this  order  the  mountaineers  pursued,  un- 
til they  found  Ferguson,  securely  encamped  on  King's  Mountain,  which  was  about 
half  a  mile  long,  and  from  which,  he  declared  the  evening  before,  that  "  God  Al- 
mighty could  not  drive  him."  On  approaching  the  mountain,  the  two  centre  col- 
umns deployed  to  the  right  and  left,  formed  a  front,  and  attacked  the  enemy,  while 
the  right  and  left  wings  were  marching  to  surround  him.  In  a  few  minutes  the 
action  became  general  and  severe — continuing  furiously  for  three-fourths  of  an 
hour;  when  the  enemj'.  being  driven  from  the  east  to  the  west  end  of  the  moun- 
tain, surrendered  at  discretion.  Ferguson  was  killed,  with  three  hundred  and  se- 
venty-five of  his  othcers  and  men,  and  seven  hundred  and  thirty  captured.  The 
Americans  had  sixty  killed  and  wounded  ;  of  the  former.  Col.  Williams. 

This  glorious  achievement  occurred  at  the  most  gloomy  period  of  the  revolu- 
tion, and  was  the  lirst  link  in  the  great  chain  of  events  to  the  south,  which  estab- 
lished the  independence  of  the  United  States.  History  has,  heretofore,  though 
improperly,  ascribed  this  merit  to  the  battle  of  the  Cowpens,  in  January,  1781 ; 
but  it  belongs,  justly,  to  the  victory  on  King's  Mountain,  which  turned  the  tide 
of  war  to  the  south,  as  the  victory  of  Trenton,  under  Washington,  and  of  Ben- 
nington, under  Stark,  did  to  the  north.  It  was  achieved  by  raw,  undisciplined 
rifleuien,  without  any  authority  from  the  government  under  which  they  lived, — 
without  pay,  rations,  ammunition,  or  even  the  expectance  of  reward,  other  than 
that  which  results  from  the  noble  ambition  of  advancing  the  liberty  and  welfare 
of  their  beloved  country.  It  completely  disjiirited  the  tories,  and  so  alarmed 
Cornwallis,  who  then  lay  only  thirty  miles  north  of  King's  Mountain  with  the 
main  British  army,  that,  on  receiving  information  of  Ferguson's  total  defeat  and 
overthrow  by  the  riflemen  from  the  west,  under  Cols.  Campbell,  Shelby,  Cleve- 
land and  Sevier,  anil  that  they  were  bearing  down  upon  him,  he  ordered  an  im- 
mediate retreat — marched  all  night,  in  the  utmost  confusion — and  retrograded  as 
far  back  as  VVinnsborough,  sixty  or  eighty  miles,  whence  he  did  not  attempt  to 
advance  until  reinforced,  three  months  after,  by  Gen.  Leslie,  with  two  thousand 
men  from  the  Chesapeake.  In  the  meantime,  the  militia  of  North  Carolina  as- 
sembled in  considerable  force  at  New  Providence,  on  the  border  of  South  Caro- 
lina, under  Gen.  Davidson;  and  Gen.  Smallwood,  with  Morgan's  light  corps,  and 
the  Maryland  line,  advanced  to  the  same  point.  Gen.  Gates,  with  the  shattered 
remains  of  his  army,  collected  at  Hillsborough,  also  came  up,  as  well  as  the  new 
levies  from  Virginia,  of  one  thousand  men,  under  Gen.  Stevens.  This  force  en- 
abled Gen.  Greene,  who  assumed  the  command  early  in  December,  to  hold  Corn- 
wallis in  check. 

The  legislature  of  North  Carolina  passed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Colonel  Shelby 
and  several  other  officers,  and  directed  each  to  be  presented  with  an  elegant  sword, 
for  their  patriotic  conduct  in  the  attack  and  defeat  of  the  enemy  on  King's  moun- 


ISAAC    SHELBY.  527 

tain,  on  the  memorable  Tth  of  October,  1780.  Tliis  resolution  was  carried  into 
effect  as  to  Colonel  JShelby,  in  the  summer  of  1813,  just  at  the  moment  when, 
in  the  language  of  Secretary  Monroe,  "  disclaiming  all  metaphysical  distinctions 
tending  to  enteeble  the  government,"  he  was  about  to  lead  his  troops  far  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  State  of  which  he  was  governor.  The  presentation  at  that  par- 
ticular lime,  afforded  a  presage  of  the  new  glory  he  was  to  acquire  for  himself 
and  country  in  that  eventful  campaign. 

If  any  were  entitled  to  special  commendation  in  this  band  of  heroic  spirits  on 
King's  mountain,  the  claim  of  Colonel  Shelby  would  be  well  founded.  He  ori- 
ginated the  expedition,  and  his  valor  and  unshaken  resolution,  contributed  to  rally 
the  right  of  the  front  line,  when  driven  down  the  mountain  by  a  tremendous 
charge  from  the  enemj',  at  the  onset  of  the  battle.  Nor  have  the  histories  of  the 
war  at  the  south  dune  justice  to  the  sagacity  and  judgment  of  Colonel  Shelby 
upon  another  interesting  occasion,  just  following  the  atfair  on  King's  mountain. 
As  soon  as  he  had  placed  the  prisoners  beyond  the  reach  of  the  enemy,  he 
repaired  to  the  head  quarters  of  General  Gates,  and  suggested  to  him  the  plan 
of  detaching  General  Morgan  towards  the  mountains.  The  details  of  this  arrange- 
ment were  submitted  by  him,  and  approved  by  Gates,  and  Greene  had  the  good 
sense  to  adopt  them,  after  he  assumed  the  command.  The  result  of  his  advice 
was  exhibited  in  the  splendid  affair  at  the  Cowpens,  which  added  fresh  laurels 
to  the  veteran  brows  of  Morgcni,  Howard  and  TVas/tingfan. 

In  the  campaign  of  the  fall  of  1781,  Colonel  Shelby  served  under  General 
Marion,  a  distinguished  partizan  officer,  of  the  boldest  enterprise.  He  was  called 
down  by  General  Greene  to  that  lower  country,  with  five  hundred  mounted  rifle- 
men from  the  western  waters,  in  September,  1731,  to  aid  the  general  in  intercept- 
ing Cornwallis,  at  that  time  blockaded  by  the  French  fleet  in  the  Chesapeake,  and 
who,  it  was  suspected,  would  endeavor  to  make  good  his  retreat  through  North 
Carolina  to  Charleston;  but,  upon  his  lordship's  surrender  in  Virginia,  Colonel 
Shelby  was  attached  to  General  Marion's  command  below,  on  the  Santee.  and 
was  second  in  command  of  a  strong  detachment  of  dragoons,  under  Colonel 
Mayhem,  ordered  to  carry  a  British  post  at  Fairlawn,  near  Monk's  Corner,  eight 
or  ten  miles  below  the  enemy's  main  army,  under  General  Stuart.  Information 
had  been  received  by  General  Marion  that  five  hundred  Hessians  at  that  post 
were  in  a  state  of  mutiny,  and  would  surrender  to  any  considerable  force  that 
might  appear  before  it.  But  the  officer  commanding  the  post  having  some  appre- 
hensions of  their  fidelity,  had  marched  them  off"  to  Charleston,  the  day  before 
Colonel  Mayhem  appeared  before  it.  The  post,  however,  was  surrendered,  with 
one  hundred  and  fifty  British  prisoners.  The  British  general  at  Ferguson's 
Swamp,  nine  miles  in  the  rear,  made  great,  though  unavailing  efforts  to  inter- 
cept Mayhem's  party  on  their  return  with  the  prisoners  to  General  Marion's 
encampment.  Immediately  after  this  excursion,  the  British  commander  retreated 
with  his  whole  force  to  Charleston. 

As  the  period  for  which  the  mounted  volunteers  had  engaged  to  serve  was 
about  to  expire,  and  no  further  active  operations  being  contemplated,  after  the 
retreat  of  the  enemy  towards  Charleston,  Colonel  Shelby  obtained  leave  of 
absence  from  General  Marion,  to  attend  the  assembly  of  Nc^rth  Carolina,  of 
which  he  was  a  member,  which  would  sit  two  hundred  miles  distant,  about  the 
first  of  December.  Marion  addressed  a  letter  on  the  subject  to  General  Greene, 
which  Colonel  Shelby  was  permitted  to  see,  speaking  in  high  terms  of  the  con- 
duct of  the  mountaineers,  and  assigning  particular  credit  to  Colonel  Shelby  for  his 
conduct  in  the  capture  of  the  British  post,  as  it  surrendered  to  him  after  an  inef- 
fectual attempt  by  an  officer  of  the  dragoons. 

In  1782,  Colonel  Shelby  was  elected  a  member  of  the  North  Carolina  assem- 
bly, and  was  appointed  one  of  the  commissioners  to  settle  the  pre-emption  claims 
upon  the  Cumberland  river,  and  to  lay  off  the  lands  allotted  to  the  officers  and 
soldiers  of  the  North  Carolina  line,  south  of  where  Nashville  now  stands.  He 
performed  this  service  in  the  winter  of  178vJ-3,  and  returned  to  Boonsborough, 
Kentucky,  in  April  following,  where  he  married  Susanna,  second  dau<rhter  of 
Captain  Nathaniel  Hart,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Kentucky,  and  one  of  the  pro- 
prietors styled  Henderson  &  Co.,  by  their  purchase  of  the  country  from  the  Cher- 
okees.  He  established  himself  on  the  first  settlement  and  pre-emption  granted 
in  Kentucky,  for  the  purpose  of  pursuing  his  favorite  occupation,  the  cultivation 


528  SIIE1.I3Y   COUNTY. 

of  the  soil ;  and  it  is  a  remarkable  fact,  pregnant  with  many  curious  reflections, 
that  at  the  period  of  his  death,  forty-three  years  after,  he  was  the  only  indivi- 
dual in  the  Stale  residing  upon  his  own  settlement  and  pre-emption. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  early  conventions  held  at  Danville  for  the  purpose 
of  obtaining  a  separation  from  the  State  of  Virginia  ;  and  was  a  member  of  that 
convention  which  formed  the  first  constitution  of  Kentucky,  in  April,  1792.  In 
May  following,  he  was  elected  the  first  chief  magistrate,  and  discharged  its  ardu- 
ous duties  with  signal  advantage  to  the  State.  The  history  of  his  administration 
of  an  infant  republic  in  the  remote  wilderness,  would  fill  a  volume  with  deeply 
interesting  incidents,  exhibiting  him  advantageously  in  the  character  of  a  soldier, 
of  a  lawgiver,  and  a  diplomatist;  but  the  limits  prescribed  to  this  sketch  will  not 
permit  a  detail  of  them. 

After  completing  the  organization  of  the  government  under  the  provisions  of 
the  constitution,  by  filling  the  various  offices  created  by  it,  the  earnest  attention 
of  the  governor  was  directed  to  the  defence  of  the  State  against  the  Indian  incur- 
sions, and  the  border  war  to  which  the  people  were  exposed  by  their  remote  and 
unprotected  position  in  the  wilderness.  Gen.  Washington's  paternal  regard  to 
the  same  high  object  was  manifested  in  the  cautious  and  extensive  arrangements 
which  were  made  under  the  direction  of  Gen.  Wayne  for  a  strong  expedition 
against  the  north-western  Indians,  who  were  stimulated  and  aided  by  the  British 
and  provincial  forces  occupying  posts  within  our  boundary.  'I'lie  confidence  of 
Washington,  as  well  as  of  the  people  of  Kentucky,  was  reposed  in  the  energy 
and  patriotism  of  Gov.  Shelby.  This  was  evinced  in  his  almost  unanimous  ele- 
vation to  the  chief  magistracy,  as  well  as  in  the  answer  of  the  first  legislature  to 
his  message,  and  in  a  letter  from  Gen.  Knox,  secretary  of  war,  of  July  12,  1792. 

In  the  subsequent  letter  from  the  war  department,  the  defensive  operations  for 
the  protection  of  Kentucky  were  committed  exclusively  to  his  judgment  and  dis- 
cretion, and  whenever  there  was  a  prospect  of  acting  offensively  against  the  In- 
dians of  the  north-west,  the  president  made  an  appeal  to  his  patriotism  and  that 
of  the  State,  in  furnishing  mounted  volunteers  in  aid  of  the  regular  force.  His 
energy  and  the  gallantry  of  Kentucky  was  signally  displayed  in  the  valuable  suc- 
cour rendered  to  Gen.  Wayne  on  the  memorable  20th  of  August,  1794.  His  en- 
lightened forecast,  and  the  valor  of  Kentucky,  presented  on  this  occasion,  as  on 
the  equally  glorious  5lh  of  October,  1813,  the  means  of  victory  both  in  men  and 
transportation,  at  a  critical  moment  to  the  scene  of  action — to  victories  the  most 
decisive  in  their  results  to  any  heretofore  known  in  Indian  warfare. 

Whilst  the  people  of  Kentucky  were  interrupted  in  their  business  and  prosper- 
ity by  the  attention  necessary  to  the  progress  of  the  Indian  war,  they  were  an- 
noyed by  continued  apprehensions  of  losing  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  on 
which  their  commercial  existence  depended.  In  the  midst  of  these  difficulties,  a 
new  and  unexpected  occasion  presented  itself  for  the  display  of  Gov.  Shelby's 
{lij)lomatic  sagacity.  The  complaints  and  remonstrances  of  the  Spanish  minister 
induced  the  general  government  to  open  a  correspondence  with  Gov.  Shelby,  for 
the  |)urpose  of  suppressing  an  expedition,  which  was  represented  to  be  in  contem- 
plation, by  La  Chaise  and  other  French  agents,  against  the  possessions  of  Spain 
on  the  Mississippi.  Gov.  Shelby  had  no  apprehensions  that  they  would  succeed 
in  organizing  the  necessary  force,  and  under  this  impression  his  reply  to  the  de- 
partment of  state,  October  5th,  1793,  was  forwarded,  without  considering  that  he 
had  not  authority  under  existing  laws  to  interfere  in  preventing  it.  But  the  grant- 
ing of  commissions  to  Gen.  Clark  and  other  influential  individuals,  and  the  actual 
attempt  to  carry  the  plans  of  French  emissaries  into  effect,  induced  the  governor 
to  examine  the  subject  more  thoroughly,  and  conceiving  that  he  had  no  legal  au- 
thority to  interfere,  he  addressed  a  letter,  January  13th,  1794,  to  the  secretary  of 
state,  expressing  these  doubts,  and  assuming  an  attitude,  which,  though  profess- 
ing the  most  devoted  regard  to  the  Union,  had  the  effect  of  drawing  from  the  gen- 
eral government  a  full  development  of  the  measures  which  had  been  pursued  for 
securing  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi.  These  explanations  by  the  depart- 
ment of  state,  and  by  the  special  commissioner,  the  eloquent  Col.  .Tames  Innes, 
attorney  general  of  Virginia,  who  was  deputed  by  Gen.  Washington  to  proceed 
to  Kentucky  to  communicate  with  the  governor  and  legislature,  removed  all  irroimd 
of  uneasiness,  and  created  a  tranquillity  in  the  public  mind  which  had  not  existed 
since  the  first  settlement  of  the  State. 


ISAAC  SHELBY.  529 

The  whole  subject  was  communicated  by  Gov.  Shelby  to  the  legislature  on  the 
15th  of  November,  1794,  and  the  part  he  took  in  it  was  approved  by  that  body. 
The  act  of  Congress  on  the  subject,  passed  after  the  receipt  of  Gov,  Shelby's 
letter,  shows  conclusively  that  the  legislature  of  the  United  States  did  not  con- 
ceive that  previously  he  had  authority  to  interfere  in  the  mode  recommended  by 
the  department  of  state.  This  measure  on  the  part  of  Gov.  Shelby,  though  it 
might  seem  to  conflict  with  the  opinions  and  policy  of  Gen.  Washington,  did  not 
produce  in  the  mind  of  the  father  of  his  country  any  diminution  of  the  respect 
and  confidence  he  had  theretofore  reposed  in  him;  for  in  May  following,  Gen. 
Knox,  secretary  of  war,  in  a  letter  detailing  the  plans  of  the  general  government, 
in  relation  to  Wayne's  proposed  campaign,  takes  occasion  to  say,  that  "the  pre- 
sident, confiding  in  the  patriotism  and  good  disposition  of  your  excellency,  re- 
quests that  you  will  afford  all  the  facilities,  countenance  and  aid  in  your  power, 
to  the  proposed  expedition,  from  which,  if  successful,  the  State  of  Kentucky  will 
reap  the  most  abundant  advantages."  In  the  next  paragraph,  he  is  appointed 
president  of  the  board  for  selecting  the  field  and  company  officers,  and  concludes 
with  the  assurance  that  "  Gen.  Wayne  has  been  written  to,  not  to  interfere  in  the 
defensive  protection  of  Kentucky,  which  is  hereby,  in  the  name  of  the  president 
of  the  United  States,  confided  to  your  excellency,  under  the  following  general 
paragraph,"  etc. 

At  the  close  of  his  gubernatorial  term,  he  returned  to  his  farm  in  Lincoln,  with 
renewed  relish  for  the  cares  and  enjoyments  which  its  management  necessarily 
created.  He  was  as  distinguished  for  the  method  and  judgment  and  industry, 
which  he  displayed  in  agricultural  pursuits,  as  he  had  exemplified  in  the  more 
conspicuous  duties  of  the  general  and  the  statesman.  He  was  the  model  of  an 
elevated  citizen,  whether  at  the  plow,  in  the  field,  or  in  the  cabinet. 

He  was  repeatedly  chosen  an  elector  of  president,  and  voted  for  Mr.  Jefferson 
and  Mr.  Madison.  He  could  not  yield  to  the  repeated  solicitations  of  influential 
individuals  in  diflferent  parts  of  the  State,  requesting  him  to  consent  to  be  a  can- 
didate for  the  chief  magistracy,  until  the  exigencies  of  our  national  affairs  had 
brought  about  a  crisis  which  demanded  the  services  of  every  patriot.  In  this 
contingency,  he  was  elected,  upon  terms  very  gratifying  to  his  feelings,  a  second 
time  to  the  chief  magistracy,  at  the  commencement  of  the  war,  in  1812,  with 
Great  Britain. 

Of  his  career  at  that  eventful  period,  it  would  be  impracticable,  in  the  limits 
of  this  sketch,  to  present  even  an  outline.  His  energy,  associated  with  a  recol- 
lection of  his  revolutionary  fame,  aroused  the  patriotism  of  the  State.  In  every 
direction  he  developed  her  resources,  and  aided  in  sending  men  and  supplies  to 
the  support  of  the  north-western  army  under  Gen.  Harrison.  The  legislature  of 
Kentucky,  in  the  winter  of  1812-13,  contemplating  the  necessity  of  some  vigor- 
ous effort,  in  the  course  of  that  year,  to  regain  the  ground  lost  by  the  disasters  at 
Detroit  and  at  the  river  Raisin,  passed  a  resolution  authorising  and  requesting  the 
governor  to  assume  the  personal  direction  of  the  troops  of  the  State,  whenever, 
in  his  judgment,  such  a  step  would  be  necessary.  Under  this  authority,  and  at 
the  solicitation  of  Gen.  Harrison,  he  invited  his  countrymen  to  meet  him  at  New- 
port, and  to  accompany  him  to  the  scene  of  active,  and,  as  he  predicted,  of  deci- 
sive operations.  Upon  his  own  responsibility  he  authorized  the  troops  to  meet 
him  with  their  horses.  Four  thousand  men  rallied  to  his  standard  in  less  than 
thirty  days;  and  this  volunteer  force  reached  the  shore  of  Lake  Erie  just  in  time 
to  enable  the  commander-in-chief  to  profit  by  the  splendid  victory,  achieved  by 
the  genius  and  heroism  of  Perry  and  his  associates.  It  was  a  most  interesting 
incident,  which  augured  favorably  of  the  issue  of  the  campaign,  that  Gov.  Shelby 
should  arrive  at  the  camp  of  Gen.  Harrison  precisely  at  the  moment  when  Com- 
modore Perry  was  disembarking  his  prisoners.  The  feelings  of  congratulation 
which  were  exchanged  by  the  three  heroes,  at  the  tent  of  the  general  on  the 
shore  of  Lake  Erie,  may  be  more  readily  conceived  than  described.  The  writer 
of  this  article  had  been  previously  dispatched  by  Gen.  Harrison  to  Commodore 
Perry,  to  ascertain  the  result  of  the  naval  battle,  and,  returning  with  Perry,  was 
present  at  this  interview. 

In  the  organization  which  Governor  Shelby  made  of  his  forces,  he  availed 
himself  of  the  character  and  respectability  of  the  materials  at  his  command. 
Generals  Henry  and  Desha  were  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  two  divisions, 
34 


530  SHELBY  COUNTY. 

and  General  Calmes,  Caldwell,  King,  Chiles  and  Calloway  to  the  brigades.  His 
confidential  staff  was  composed,  among  other  respectable  citizens,  of  the  names 
of  Adair,  Crittenden  and  Barry,  so  well  known  in  the  history  of  the  State  and 
of  the  nation.  As  governor  of  Kentucky,  his  authority  ceased  as  soon  as  he 
passed  the  limits  of  the  State;  but  the  confidence  of  General  Harrison  and  of  all 
the  troops,  in  his  judgment  and  patriotism  was  so  exalted,  that  he  was  regarded 
as  the  Mentor  of  the  campaign,  and  recognized  as  the  senior  major-general  of  the 
Kentucky  troops.  In  the  general  order  of  march  and  of  battle,  the  post  assigned 
to  him  was  the  most  important,  and  the  subsequent  battle  evinced  that  the 
arrangement  was  as  creditable  to  the  sagacity  of  General  Harrison  as  it  was 
complimentary  to  the  valor  of  Governor  Shelby. 

In  all  the  movements  of  the  campaign,  whether  in  council  or  execution,  mon- 
uments of  his  valor  and  of  his  energetic  character  were  erected  by  the  gratitude 
of  the  commander-in-chief,  of  all  his  troops,  and  of  the  president  of  the  nation, 
who  spoke  officially  of  his  services  with  the  veneration  which  belongs  only  to 
public  benefactors.  The  legislature  of  Kentucky  and  the  Congress  of  the  Uni- 
ted States  expressed  their  sense  of  his  gallant  conduct  in  resolutions  which  will 
transmit  his  name  to  posterity,  'as  a  patriot  without  reproach  and  a  soldier  with- 
out ambition.' 

The  vote  of  Congress  assigning  to  him  and  to  General  Harrison  each  a  gold 
medal,  commemorative  of  the  decisive  victory  on  the  Thames,  was  delayed  one 
session  in  consequence  of  some  prejudice  prevailing  in  the  public  mind  in  rela- 
tion to  General  Harrison.  As  soon  as  Governor  Shelby  was  advised  of  this  fact, 
he  solicited  his  friends  in  Congress,  through  Mr.  Clay,  to  permit  no  expression  of 
thanks  to  him,  unless  associated  uilh  the  name  of  General  Harrison.  This  magnan- 
imous conduct  and  the  unqualified  commendation  which  he  gave  of  the  career  of 
General  Harrison  on  that  campaign,  connected  with  a  favorable  report  of  a  com- 
mittee at  the  next  session  of  Congress,  instituted  at  the  request  of  the  general, 
of  which  Colonel  R.  M.  Johnson  was  chairman,  led  to  the  immediate  adoption 
of  the  original  resolution. 

Governor  Shelby  was  unremitting  in  the  aid  which  he  extended  to  the  opera- 
tions of  the  general  government  during  the  war.  He  furnished  troops  to  defend 
the  country  around  Detroit,  and  dispatched  an  important  reinforcement  to  Gen- 
eral Jackson  for  the  defence  of  New  Orleans.  His  sagacity  led  him  to  send 
General  Adair  as  adjutant-general,  with  the  rank  of  brigadier-general,  to  meet 
the  precise  contingency,  which  actually  occurred,  of  General  Thomas  being  sick 
or  disabled.  The  result  of  this  measure  was  exhibited  in  the  critical  succor 
afforded  by  General  Adair  on  the  memorable  8th  of  January. 

In  the  civil  administration  of  the  State,  Governor  Shelby's  policy  continued  to 
establish  and  confirm  the  sound  principles  of  his  predecessors.  Integrity,  fidel- 
ity to  the  constitution,  and  capacity,  were  the  qualifications  which  he  required  in 
public  officers :  and  his  recommendations  to  the  legislature  enforced  a  strict 
regard  to  public  economy  and  to  the  claims  of  public  faith.  In  the  fall  of  1816, 
his  term  expired,  and  he  retired  again  to  the  sweets  of  domestic  life,  in  the  prose- 
cution of  his  favorite  pursuit. 

In  March,  1817,  he  was  selected  by  President  Monroe  to  fill  the  department  of 
war  ;  but  his  advanced  age,  the  details  of  the  office,  and  his  desire,  in  a  period 
of  peace,  to  remain  in  private  life,  induced  him  to  decline  an  acceptance  of  it. 
In  1818,  he  was  commissioned  by  the  president  to  act  in  conjunction  with  Gen- 
eral Jackson  in  holding  a  treaty  with  the  Chickasaw  tribe  of  Indians,  for  the  pur- 
chase of  their  lands  west  of  the  Tennessee  river  within  the  limits  of  Kentucky 
and  Tennessee,  and  they  obtained  a  cession  of  the  territory  to  the  United  States, 
which  unites  tiie  western  population,  and  adds  greatly  to  the  defence  of  the  coun- 
try, in  the  event  of  future  wars  with  the  savages,  or  with  any  F'uropean  power. 
This  was  his  last  public  act. 

In  February,  18-20,  he  was  attacked  with  a  paralytic  affection,  which  disabled 
his  right  arm,  and  which  was  the  occasion  of  his  walking  lame  on  the  right  leg. 
His  mind  continued  unimpaired  until  his  death,  by  apoplexy,  on  the  18th  July, 
1826,  in  the  seventy-sixth  year  of  his  age.  It  was  a  consolation  to  his  afflicted 
fiimily  to  cherish  tlie  hope  that  he  was  prepared  for  tliis  event.  In  the  vigor  of 
life  he  professed  it  to  be  his  duty  to  dedicate  himself  to  God,  and  to  seek  an 
interest  in  the  merits  of  the  Redeemer.     He  had  bt-en  for  many  years  a  member 


SIMPSON  COUNTY.  531 

of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  in  his  latter  days,  he  was  the  chief  instrument 
in  erecting  a  house  of  worship  upon  his  own  land. 

The  vigor  of  his  constitution  fitted  him  to  endure  active  and  severe  bodily 
exercise,  and  the  energetic  symmetry  of  his  person,  united  with  a  peculiar  suav- 
ity of  manner,  rendered  his  deportment  impressively  dignified  ;  his  strong  natu- 
ral sense  was  aided  by  close  observation  on  men  and  tilings;  and  the  valuable 
qualities  of  method  and  perseverance,  imparted  success  to  all  his  efforts. 


SIMPSON    COUNTY. 

Simpson  county  was  formed  in  1819,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Capt.  John  Simpson.  It  is  situated  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
State,  and  is  drained  by  Big  Barren  river  and  its  tributaries : 
bounded  on  the  north  by  Warren ;  east  by  Allen ;  south  by  the 
State  of  Tennessee  ;  and  west  by  Logan.  The  surface  is  gene- 
rally level,  or  very  slightly  undulating ;  the  soil,  based  upon  lime- 
stone, with  red  clay  foundation,  is  rich  and  very  productive.  The 
staple  products  are  Indian  corn,  wheat,  and  tobacco. 

Valuation  of  the  taxable  property  of  Simpson  in  1846,  $1,368,- 
842;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  115,948;  average 
value  of  lands  per  acre,  $4.49 ;  number  of  white  males  over 
tM^enty-one  years  of  age,  955 ;  number  of  children  between  five 
and  sixteen  years  old,  1,197.     Population  in  1840,  6,537. 

Franklin,  the  seat  of  justice  and  only  town  of  Simpson,  is  sit- 
uated near  the  centre  of  the  county,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  from  Frankfort.  It  contains  the  court-house  and  other 
county  buildings,  two  churches,  (Union  and  Christian,)  five  law- 
yers, eight  physicians,  two  schools,  two  taverns,  ten  stores  and 
groceries,  and  eighteen  mechanical  trades — population,  300.  Es- 
tablished in  1820,  and  named  after  Dr.  Franklin. 

The  Hon.  .John  Simpson  (for  whom  this  county  was  named)  came  to  Lincoln 
county  at  an  early  day,  having  migrated  with  his  father  from  Virginia.  The 
date  and  place  of  his  birth  is  not  recollected — but  he  arrived  in  Kentucky  at  a 
period  when  she  was  subject  to  the  predatory  incursions  of  the  savage  foe.  He, 
when  quite  a  lad,  accompanied  the  intrepid  Wayne  on  several  expeditions,  and 
contributed  his  part  in  the  eventful  scenes  of  the  border  war  which  afflicted  the 
first  republic  in  the  wilderness. 

The  decisive  victory  of  Wayne  having  established  a  general  peace,  young 
Simpson  availed  himself  of  the  kind  counsel  of  the  late  lamented  and  illustrious 
jurist,  Col.  John  Allen,  to  remove  to  Shelby  county,  and  to  enter  upon  the  study 
of  the  law, — a  pursuit  which,  after  arms,  exercised  the  strongest  influence  upon 
the  ambitious  youth  of  the  country.  Young  Simpson  soon  established  himself 
in  his  profession,  as  well  by  the  accuracy  and  soundness  of  his  judgment,  as  by 
the  amenity  of  his  manners.  He  rose,  at  an  early  day,  to  distinction,  profession- 
ally and  politically,  having  been  repeatedly  elected  to  the  legislature.  In  1811-12, 
he  was  elected  speaker  of  the  house  of  representatives;  and  in  August,  1812,  was 
chosen  to  a  seat  in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States. 

In  the  meantime,  however,  the  aggressions  of  Great  Britain  upon  the  rights 
and  interests  of  the  United  States,  led  to  a  declaration  of  war,  and  Kentucky  was 
called  upon  to  furnish  5,500  men,  her  quota  of  the  100,000  authorised  to  be  re- 
ceived into  service  by  Congress.  Mr.  Simpson  raised  a  company  of  volunteer 
riflemen,  and  was  attached  to  the  regiment  commanded  by  his  old  friend,  Col. 


532  SPENCER  COUNTY. 

Allen.     This  regiment  formed  part  of  the  brigade  of  Gen.  Payne,  and  marched 
with  the  first  troops  from  Kentucky,  to  reinforce  Gen.  Hull  at  Detroit. 

The  events  of  the  campaign  are  given  in  McAfee's  history  of  the  war  in  the 
western  country.  The  regiment  of  Allen  performed  its  part  in  the  timely  relief 
afforded  by  Gen.  Harrison  to  the  important  post  of  fort  Wayne ;  and  the  company 
of  Capt.  Simpson  participated  in  the  gallant  though  disastrous  events  at  the  river 
Raisin,  brought  on  by  the  unauthorised  movement  under  Gen.  Winchester.  Allen 
and  Simpson  sealed  their  devotion  to  their  country  by  their  blood,  on  that  memo- 
rable occasion;  and  the  patriots  who  were  united  in  life  by  so  many  ties,  were 
not  divided  in  their  deaths.  Simpson  was  distinguished  by  his  uncommon  height, 
as  well  as  that  of  his  first  sergeant,  the  present  venerable  Col.  S.  Harbison,  of 
Siielbyville.  His  bones  yet  rest  where  they  fell,  with  no  monument  to  mark  the 
spot;  but  the  State  which  he  served  and  honored  in  his  life  and  in  his  death,  has 
perpetuated  his  memory  in  the  name  of  one  of  her  counties.  He  left  no  family, 
but  the  rich  legacy  of  his  fame  descends  to  his  country. 


SPENCER  COUNTY. 

Spenoer  county  was  formed  in  1824,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Captain  Spear  Spencer.  It  is  situated  in  the  middle  portion  of 
the  State,  and  watered  by  Salt  river,  which  flows  through  the 
county  from  east  to  west :  bounded  on  the  north  by  Jefferson 
and  Shelby ;  east  by  Anderson  ;  south  by  Nelson  ;  and  west  by 
Bullitt.  The  tributaries  of  Salt  river  are,  Brashear's,  Big  Beech, 
Ash's,  Simpson's,  Plumb  and  Elk  creeks.  Along  the  river  and 
creeks,  there  are  numerous  fertile  valleys  ;  but  the  surface  of  the 
county  is  generally  undulating  or  hilly,  vnth  a  rich  soil,  based  on 
limestone.  The  principal  products  are — corn,  wheat,  rye,  oats, 
hemp,  tobacco  and  grass.  The  articles  of  export  are,  horses, 
mules,  cattle,  hogs,  hemp,  whisky  and  tobacco. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  in  Spencer  in  1846,  $2,115,577 ; 
number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  111,313  ;  average  value 
of  land  per  acre,  $10.73  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty- 
one  years  old,  979  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen 
years  of  age,  1,103.     Population  in  1840,  6,585. 

Taylorsville,  the  seat  of  justice  of  Spencer  county,  is  situated 
on  Salt  river,  thirty-one  miles  east  from  Louisville,  and  about 
thirty-two  miles  from  Frankfort :  contains  a  brick  court-house 
and  other  county  buildings  ;  Baptist,  Presbyterian,  Methodist  and 
Roman  Catholic  churches — the  two  latter  large  and  handsomely 
finished  edifices  ;  a  very  neat  and  substantial  Seminary  building, 
w^ith  eighty  pupils  connected  with  the  seminary,  in  which  the 
Latin  and  Greek  languages  are  taught  in  connection  with  the 
higher  branches  of  English ;  a  female  school  with  twenty-four 
scholars  ;  four  lawyers,  two  physicians,  seven  merchants,  two 
taverns,  and  thirty  mechanics'  shops  :  population  500.  Incorpo- 
rated in  1829 — named  after  Richard  Taylor,  the  proprietor  of  the 
land.  Mount  Eden  is  a  small  village  about  twelve  miles  from 
Taylorsville — containing  a  post  office,  two  physicians,  three 
stores,  two  taverns  and  five  mechanical  trades.     Population  150. 


KINCHELOE'S  STATION.  533 

Taylorsville  is  located  in  a  beautiful  valley,  comprising  about  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  land,  lying  immediately  in  the  forks  of  JSalt  river  and  Brashear's 
creek.  The  creek  runs  parallel  with  the  river  for  several  hundred  yards,  and  then 
making  an  abrupt  turn,  flows  into  it  at  right  angles  :  this,  with  the  elevation  in 
the  rear,  leaves  the  bottom  or  valley  in  an  oblong  square,  the  longest  sides  extend- 
ing up  and  down  the  river  and  creek.  In  this  bottom,  about  equi-distant  from 
the  river  and  creek,  and  nearer  the  upper  than  the  lower  end,  is  a  hill  or 
mound,  rising  to  an  elevation  of  from  seventy  to  eighty  feet  above  the  general 
level,  and  containing  an  area  of  six  acres.  The  shape  of  this  mound  is  oval, 
resembling  an  egg,  ranging  from  north  to  south  ;  the  south  end  of  easy  ascent, 
while  the  north  is  steep  and  more  abrupt.  Within  the  recollection  of  aged  per- 
sons still  living,  the  timber  upon  this  mound  was  observed  to  be  of  the  same 
size  and  character  of  that  upon  the  bottom  land,  and  the  whole  was  remarkably 
heavy.  The  mound  has  the  appearance  of  being  a  natural,  rather  than  an  artifi- 
cial embankment.     A  Catholic  church  has  been  recently  built  on  one  side  of  it. 

In  August,  1782,  shortly  after  the  battle  of  the  Blue  Licks,  some  western  bands 
of  Indians,  believed  to  have  been  engaged  in  that  conflict,  infested  the  settle- 
ments along  Salt  river.  Intelligence  was  promptly  communicated  to  Colonel 
Floyd,  who  instantly  ordered  out  a  party  of  militia  to  scour  the  country  where  the 
savages  were  suspected  to  be  lurking.  Some  of  the  party  were  from  Kincheloe's 
station  on  Simpson's  creek,  which  consisted  of  six  or  seven  families.  On  the 
first  of  September  the  militia,  unable  to  discover  any  Indians,  dispersed  and 
returned  to  their  homes.  There  had  been  no  alarm  at  Kincheloe's  station  during 
the  absence  of  the  men,  and  upon  reaching  home  late  in  the  evening,  greatly 
fatigued  and  without  apprehension  of  danger,  they  retired  to  rest.  At  the  dead 
hour  of  the  night,  when  the  inmates  of  the  station  were  wrapt  in  the  most  profound 
sleep,  the  Indians  made  a  simultaneous  attack  upon  the  cabins  of  the  station, 
and,  breaking  open  the  doors,  commenced  an  indiscriminate  massacre  of  men, 
women  and  children.  The  unconscious  sleepers  were  awakened  but  to  be  cut 
down,  or  to  behold  their  friends  fall  by  their  side.  A  few  only,  availing  them- 
selves of  the  darkness  of  the  night,  escaped  the  tomahawk  or  captivity.  Among 
those  who  effected  their  escape,  was  Mrs.  Davis,  whose  husband  was  killed,  and 
another  woman  whose  name  is  not  given.  They  fled  to  the  woods,  where  they 
were  fortunately  joined  by  a  lad,  by  the  name  of  Ash,  who  conducted  them  to 
Cox's  station. 

William  Harrison,  after  placing  his  wife  and  a  young  woman  of  the  family, 
under  the  floor  of  the  cabin,  made  his  escape  under  cover  of  the  darkness.  He 
remained  secreted  in  the  neighborhood  until  he  was  satisfied  the  Indians  had 
retired,  when  he  returned  to  the  cabin  and  liberated  his  wife  and  her  companion 
from  their  painful  situation. 

Thomas  Randolph  occupied  one  of  the  small  cabins,  with  his  wife  and  two 
children,  one  an  infant.  The  Indians  succeeded  in  breaking  into  his  house,  and 
although  they  outnumbered  him  four  or  five  to  one,  he  stood  by  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren with  heroic  firmness.  He  had  succeeded  in  killing  several  Indians,  when 
his  wife,  and  the  infant  in  her  arms,  were  both  murdered  by  his  side.  He 
instantly  placed  his  remaining  child  in  the  loft,  then  mounting  himself,  made  his 
escape  through  the  roof.  As  he  alighted  on  the  ground  from  the  roof  of  the 
cabin,  he  was  assailed  by  two  of  the  savages  whom  he  had  just  forced  out  of 
the  house.  With  his  knife  he  inflicted  a  severe  wound  upon  one,  and  gave  the 
other  a  stunning  blow  with  the  empty  gun,  when  they  both  retreated.  Freed 
from  his  foes,  he  snatched  up  his  child,  plunged  into  the  surrounding  forest,  and 
was  soon  beyond  the  reach  of  danger. 

Several  women  and  children  were  cruelly  put  to  death  after  they  were  made 
prisoners,  on  the  route  to  the  Indian  towns.  On  the  second  day  of  her  captivity, 
Mrs.  Bland,  one  of  the  prisoners,  made  her  escape  in  the  bushes.  Totally  unac- 
quainted with  the  surrounding  country,  and  destitute  of  a  guide,  for  eighteen 
successive  days  she  rambled  through  the  woods,  without  seeing  a  human  face, 
without  clothes,  and  subsisting  upon  sour  grapes  and  green  walnuts,  until  she 
became  a  walking  skeleton.  On  the  eighteenth  day  she  was  accidentally  discov- 
ered and  taken  to  Lynn's  station,  where,  from  kind  attention  and  careful  nursing, 
her  health  and  strength  were  soon  restored. 


534  TODD    COUNTY. 

The  situation  of  Mrs.  Polk,  another  prisoner,  with  four  children,  was  almost 
as  pitiable  as  that  of  Mrs.  Bland.  She  was  far  advanced  in  a  state  of  pregnancy, 
and  compelled  to  walk  until  she  became  almost  incapable  of  motion.  She  was 
then  threatened  with  death,  and  the  tomahawk  brandished  over  her  head  by  one 
Indian,  when  another,  who  saw  it,  begged  her  life — took  her  under  his  care — 
mounted  her  on  a  horse  with  two  of  the  children,  and  conducted  her  safely  to 
Detroit.  Here  she  was  purchased  by  a  British  trader,  well  treated,  and  enabled 
to  write  to  her  husband,  who,  though  a  resident  of  the  station,  was  absent  at  the 
time  of  her  capture.  On  the  receipt  of  her  letter,  the  husband  immediately 
repaired  to  Detroit,  obtained  his  wife  and  five  children,  and  returned  with  them 
safely  to  Kentucky.  After  the  peace  of  the  succeeding  year,  the  remainder  of 
the  prisoners  were  also  liberated  and  returned  home. 

This  county  was  named  in  honor  of  Captain  Spear  Spencer,  a  young  man  of 
ardent  patriotism  and  undaunted  courage,  who  fell  at  the  head  of  his  company  in 
the  battle  of  Tippecanoe.  He  commanded  a  fine  rifle  company  in  that  severe 
engagement,  and  occupied  a  most  exposed  position.  In  the  midst  of  the  action, 
he  was  wounded  on  the  head,  but  continued  at  his  post,  and  exhorted  his  men  to 
fight  on.  Shortly  after,  he  received  a  second  ball,  which  passed  through  both 
thighs,  and  he  fell — but  still  resolute  and  unyielding,  he  refused  to  be  carried 
from  the  field,  and  urged  his  men  to  stand  to  their  duty.  By  the  assistance  of 
one  of  his  men  he  was  raised  to  a  sitting  posture,  when  he  received  a  third  ball 
through  his  body,  which  instantly  killed  him.  Both  of  his  lieutenants,  Messrs. 
McMahan  and  Berry,  were  also  killed.  Captain  Spencer  was  a  warm  friend  and 
bosom  companion  of  the  gifted  and  gallant  Daviess,  who  perished  with  him  in 
that  battle. 


TODD   COUNTY. 

Todd  county  was  formed  in  1819,  and  named  in  honor  of  Col. 
John  Todd.  It  is  situated  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State,  on 
the  Tennessee  line :  bounded  on  the  north  by  Muhlenburg ;  east 
by  Logan ;  south  by  the  Tennessee  line  ;  and  west  by  Christian. 
The  county  is  watered  by  Elk,  west  and  east  forks  of  Pond  river, 
"Whippoorwill,  and  Big,  Little,  and  West  Clifty  creeks.  But  for 
a  small  portion  in  the  north-western  end  of  the  county,  the  terri- 
tory would  form  an  oblong  square,  comprising  about  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  square  miles.  The  southern,  and  a  portion  of  the 
northern  part  of  the  county,  is  level  or  gently  undulating — the 
soil  based  upon  limestone,  and  very  productive, — the  remainder 
rolling  and  hilly,  the  soil  of  an  inferior  quality,  but  producing  fine 
grass.  Stone  coal  abounds  ;  and  the  tall  clifis  on  Big  Clifty  creek, 
rising  in  some  places  to  the  height  of  three  hundred  feet,  afford 
some  as  grand  and  magnificent  scenery  as  any  in  the  State.  The 
greatest  natural  curiosity  in  the  county  is  the  "  Pilot  Rock,^'  situa- 
ted on  the  dividing  line  between  Christian  and  Todd.*  The  prin- 
cipal products  of  the  county  are  corn,  wheat,  oats  and  tobacco ; 
exports — horses,  mules,  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  of  Todd  in  1846,  $3,034,658, 
number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  192,694;  average  value 
of  land  per  acre,  $5.79  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 

*  See  Christian  county. 


JOHN  TODD.  535 

years  of  age,  1,388  ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  sixteen 
years  old,  1763.     Population  in  1840,  9,991. 

The  towns  of  the  county  consist  of  Elkton,  Haydensville,  Tren- 
ton, Allensville,  and  Fairview.  Elkton,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  a 
beautiful  town,  situated  near  the  centre  of  the  county,  on  the 
bank  of  Elk  creek,  and  about  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles  from 
Frankfort :  contains  the  usual  public  buildings,  three  churches, 
(Baptist,  Methodist,  and  Cumberland  Presbyterian,)  one  male  and 
one  female  academy,  ten  lawyers,  six  physicians,  two  taverns,  six 
stores,  one  grocery,  and  twenty-five  mechanics'  shops.  Popula- 
tion, 750.  Established  in  1820.  Haydensville  is  a  small  village, 
containing  a  tavern,  post-office,  school,  store,  four  mechanics' 
shops,  with  a  population  of  sixty  souls.  Trenton  contains  one 
free  church,  post-office,  school,  tavern,  five  physicians,  (including 
vicinity),  four  stores,  and  ten  mechanics'  shops.  Population, 
200.  Allensville  contains  one  Baptist  and  one  Christian  church, 
school,  post-office,  tavern,  two  physicians,  two  stores,  and  three  or 
four  mechanics'  shops.  Population,  60.  Fairview  is  a  small  vil- 
lage, containing  but  a  few  families. 

Col.  John  Todd,  for  whom  this  county  was  named,  was  the  eldest  of  three  bro- 
thers, and  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  educated  in  Virginia,  at  his  uncle's 
— the  Rev.  John  Todd, — and,  at  maturity,  entered  upon  the  study  of  the  law,  and 
finally  obtained  a  license  to  practice.  He  left  his  uncle's  residence,  and  settled 
in  the  town  of  Fincastle,  in  Virginia,  where  he  practiced  law  for  several  years; 
but  Daniel  Boone  and  others  having  discovered  Kentucky,  Col.  Todd,  lured  with 
the  descriptions  given  him  of  the  fertility  of  the  country,  about  the  year  1775, 
came  first  to  Kentucky,  where  he  found  Col.  Henderson  and  others  at  Boonsbo- 
rough.  He  joined  Henderson's  party,  obtained  a  pre-emption  right,  and  located 
sundry  tracts  of  land  in  the  now  county  of  Madison,  in  Col.  Henderson's  land 
office.  He  afterwards  returned  to  Virginia;  and,  in  the  year  1786,  again  set  out 
from  Virginia  with  his  friend,  John  May,  and  one  or  two  others,  for  Kentucky. 
They  proceeded  some  distance  together  on  the  journey,  when,  for  some  cause, 
Mr.  May  left  his  servant  with  Col.  Todd,  to  proceed  on  to  Kentucky,  and  return- 
ed to  Richmond,  Virginia.  Col.  Todd  proceeded  on  to  the  place  where  Lexing- 
ton now  stands,  and,  in  its  immediate  vicinity,  improved  two  places, — the  one  in 
his  own  name,  and  the  other  in  that  of  his  friend,  John  May, — for  both  of  which 
he  obtained  certificates  for  settlement  and  pre-emption,  of  fourteen  hundred  acres. 
These  pre-emptions  adjoin,  and  lie  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  now  city  of 
Lexington.  It  appears  from  depositions,  taken  since  his  death,  that  he  accompa- 
nied Col.  Clark,  since  Gen.  Clark,  in  his  expedition  against  Kaskaskia  and  Vin- 
cennes,  and  was  at  the  capture  of  those  places.  After  the  surrender  of  those 
places,  it  is  supposed  that  he  returned  to  Kentucky;  of  this  there  is  no  record  or 
living  evidence ;  but  it  appears  from  a  letter  written  by  Gen.  Clark,  that  Col. 
Todd  was  appointed  to  succeed  him  in  the  command  at  Kaskaskia.  LTnder  nn 
act  of  the  Virginia  legislature,  passed  in  1777,  by  which  that  part  of  Virginia 
conquered  by  Clark,  and  all  other  of  her  territory  north-west  of  the  Ohio  river, 
was  erected  into  the  county  of  Illinois,  of  which  John  Todd  was  appointed  colo- 
nel commandant  and  county  lieutenant,  with  all  the  civil  powers  of  governor. 
He  was  further  authorised,  by  enlistment  or  volunteers,  to  raise  a  regiment  for 
the  defence  of  the  frontier.  His  commission  and  many  papers,  all  show  that  he 
immediately  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  office,  and  was  seldom  absent  from 
his  government,  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  The  regiment  was  only  raised  for 
one  year,  but  was  continued  in  service  until  about  1779,  when  the  State  of  Vir- 
ginia raised  four  additional  regiments — two  for  the  eastern,  and  two  for  the  west- 
ern part  of  Virginia.  It  is  supposed  that  Col.  Joseph  Crockett  was  promoted  to 
the  command  of  one  of  these  regiments,  and  Col.  Todd  was  appointed  to  the 
other.     No  commission  has  been  found,  appointing  him  a  colonel  in  the  regular 


536  TRIGG   COUNTY. 

service ;  hut  depositions  on  file  in  Richmond,  and  old  papers,  show  that  he  was 
acting  us  a  regular  colonel,  from  about  the  time  the  regiments  were  expected  to 
be  raised. 

In  the  spring  of  1780,  Col.  Todd  was  sent  a  delegate  to  the  legislature  of  Vir- 
ginia, from  the  county  of  Kentucky.  While  attending  on  the  legislature,  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Hawkins,  and  returned  again  to  Kentucky,  and  settled  his  wife  in  the 
fort  at  Lexington ;  but  again  visited  the  county  of  Illinois,  and  was  engaged  con- 
tinually in  the  administration  of  its  government,  and  in  other  military  affairs,  so 
that  he  was  seldom  with  his  family,  until  the  summer  of  1782,  when,  in  the  month 
of  August,  the  Indians  besieged  Bryant's  station  in  great  force. 

Col,  Todd  fell  at  the  battle  of  the  Blue  Licks,  in  the  midst  of  his  usefulness, 
and  in  the  prime  of  life,  leaving  a  wife,  an  only  child,  (and  that  a  daughter,) 
about  twelve  months  old.  That  daughter  was  born  in  Lexington,  and  is  supposed 
to  be  now  the  eldest  female  ever  born  in  that  place.  She  is  the  wife  of  R.  Wick- 
liffe,  Esq.,  who  has  still  in  his  family  the  colonel's  body  servant — George;  who, 
at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-odd  years,  retains  his  health,  hearing,  and  intelli- 
gence, perfectly.  George  has  passed  through  many  trying  scenes,  with  his  mas- 
ter and  others,  and  often  speaks  with  great  accuracy.  He  assisted,  he  says,  to 
build  the  forts  at  Harrodsburg,  Wilson's  station,  and  Lexington,  and  several  times 
narrowly  escaped  with  his  life,  when  the  parties  he  was  with  were  attacked  by 
the  savages. 

Col.  Todd  was  a  man  of  fine  personal  appearance  and  talents,  and  an  accom- 
plished gentleman  ;  was  universally  beloved,  and  died  without  a  stain  upon  his 
character,  and  it  is  believed  without  even  one  enemy  upon  earth.  From  the  year 
1778,  he  might  be  considered  as  residing  in  Illinois,  (himself,)  until  he  married, 
in  the  year  1780.  When  he  married,  settling  his  family  in  Lexington,  he  was, 
up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  enabled  to  stay  but  little  with  them.  It  is  believed, 
that  besides  aiding  in  the  councils  held  by  Clark,  and  accompanying  him  in  one 
or  more  of  his  expeditions,  he  passed  the  dangerous  regions  from  Lexington  to 
Kaskaskia  twice  (and  often  four  times)  in  every  year. 

An  anecdote,  illustrative  of  the  benevolence  of  his  heart,  was  told  by  his  widow, 
after  his  death,  to  his  child :  That,  during  the  winter  succeeding  their  marriage, 
the  provisions  of  the  fort  at  Lexington  became  exhausted  to  such  an  extent,  that, 
on  her  husband's  return  home  with  George  one  night,  almost  famished  with  hun- 
ger, she  had  been  able  to  save  for  him  a  small  piece  of  bread,  about  two  inches 
square,  and  about  a  gill  of  milk,  which  she  presented  to  him  ;  on  which  he  asked, 
if  there  was  nothing  for  George]  She  answered,  not  a  mouthful.  He  called 
George,  and  handed  him  the  bread  and  the  milk,  without  taking  any  of  it  himself. 

George  was  tendered  his  liberty  by  the  daughter,  on  her  arriving  at  age,  and  of- 
ten since,  but  he  has  wisely  preferred  to  remain  with  the  child  of  his  benefactor, 
in  the  state  in  which  he  left  him. 


TRIGG    COUNTY. 

Trigg  county  was  formed  in  1820,  and  named  in  honor  of  Col- 
onel Stephen  Trigg.  It  is  situated  in  the  south-west  part  of  the 
State,  triangular  in  form,  and  drained  by  the  Cumberland  and 
Tennessee  rivers  :  bounded  on  the  north-west  and  north  by  Cald- 
well;  east  by  Christian;  south  by  the  State  of  Tennessee;  and 
west  by  Caldwell,  the  Tennessee  river  forming  the  division  line. 
The  Cumberland  river  flows  through  the  south-west  part  of  the 
county,  in  a  direction  north  thirty  degrees  west,  eight  and  a  half 
miles  distant  from  the  Tennessee,  and  about  the  same  general 
direction.  Between  the  rivers,  and  on  the  east  side  of  the  Cum- 
berland, for  about  seven  miles,  the  surface  of  the  country  is  gen- 


/ 


tf 


STEPHEN   TRIGG.  537 

erally  broken,  hut  not  mountainous.  Receding  from  the  river  and 
creek  hottoms,  the  country  becomes  hilly  or  undulating.  The  eas- 
tern half  of  the  county  is  called  barrens,  which  is  generally  level 
or  undulating.  The  soil  is  based  on  limestone,  with  red  clay 
foundation.  Little  river  is  the  principal  tributary  of  the  Cum- 
berland, which  flows  through  the  county — entering  on  the  eastern 
border,  and  taking  a  north-west  direction,  disembogues  its  waters 
in  the  Cumberland  at  the  north-western  extremity  of  the  county. 
The  bottom  lands  on  the  rivers  and  creeks  are  generally  fine  for 
farming,  and  the  hills  abound  with  iron  ore,  and  timber  of  the 
best  quality  for  charcoal — while  there  are  fine  seams  of  stone 
coal  near  the  north-east  corner  of  the  county.  Lead  has  been 
discovered.  Tobacco,  corn,  wheat  and  oats  are  the  staple  pro- 
ducts— exports,  hogs,  cattle,  mules  and  horses. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  in  Trigg  county  in  1846,  $1,750,- 
538  ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  199,048 ;  average 
value  of  lands  per  acre,  $3.59  ;  number  of  white  males  over 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  1,346  ;  number  of  children  between  five 
and  sixteen  years  old,  1,777.     Population  in  1840, 12,353, 

There  are  five  towns  in  Trigg  county,  viz  :  Cadiz,  Canton, 
Ferry  Corner,  Rockcastle  and  Wallonia. 

Cadiz,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  situated  on  Little  river,  about  two 
hundred  and  thirty  miles  south-west  of  Frankfort — and  contains 
a  court  house  and  other  county  buildings,  three  churches,  (Meth- 
odist, Baptist  and  Christian,)  two  academies,  five  lawyers,  four 
physicians,  nine  stores,  three  groceries,  two  taverns,  twelve  me- 
chanical trades,  and  500  inhabitants.  Canton  is  a  small  village, 
containing  a  Republican  church,  one  school,  two  physicians,  four 
stores,  one  grocery,  two  taverns,  five  or  six  mechanics'  shops,  and 
200  inhabitants.  Ferry  Corner  has  one  physician,  one  store, 
with  several  mechanics,  and  50  inhabitants.  Rockcastle  contains 
a  tavern,  grocery,  post-ofiice  and  several  mechanics — population 
50.  Derived  its  name  from  a  large  cave  in  the  vicinity,  some- 
what resembling  a  castle.  Wallonia  has  a  physician,  store,  gro- 
cery, post-office,  several  mechanics,  with  a  population  of  75. 
Named  after  Mr.  Wall,  who  owned  the  lands  on  which  it  is  built. 

Colonel  Stephen  Trigg,  for  whom  this  county  received  its  name,  was  a  native 
of  Virginia.  He  came  to  Kentucky  in  the  fall  of  1779,  as  a  member  of  the  court 
of  land  commissioners;  and  in  the  spring  of  1780,  after  the  dissolution  of  that 
body,  he  determined  to  make  the  new  country  his  permanent  home.  He  accord- 
ingly, in  the  same  year,  settled  a  station  at  the  mouth  of  Dick's  river,  and  soon 
became  noted  for  his  activity  against  the  Indians.  He  fell,  two  years  afterwards, 
in  the  fatal  and  bloody  battle  of  the  Blue  Licks,  while  bravely  leading  his  men 
to  the  charge.  Though  he  had  been  but  a  few  years  in  the  country,  his  amiable 
qualities  had  endeared  him  to  the  hearts  of  the  people  of  Kentucky,  and  his 
memory  is  still  cherished  with  fond  veneration  as  one  of  the  noblest  of  the  early 
pioneers.  He  fell  in  the  prime  and  flower  of  his  years,  and  in  the  midst  of  his 
usefulness,  mourned  and  regretted  by  the  whole  community.  If  he  had  lived,  he 
would  have  taken  rank  among  the  most  distinguished  men  of  his  time. 


538  TRIMBLE   COUNTY 


TRIMBLE    COUNTY. 

Trimble  county  was  formed  in  1836,  and  named  after  the  Hon- 
orable Robert  Trimble.  It  is  situated  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
state,  immediately  on  the  Ohio  river  :  bounded  on  the  west  and 
north  by  the  Ohio  river;  north-east  by  Carroll;  and  south  by 
Oldham  and  Henry.  The  territory  of  Trimble  is  small,  compris- 
ing about  one  hundred  and  forty  square  miles.  The  vallies  on 
the  Ohio  are  unsurpassed  in  fertility ;  and  the  up-lands,  though 
hilly  and  broken,  are  quite  productive.  Tobacco  and  corn  are 
cultivated  in  large  quantities,  and  wheat  and  oats  succeed  well. 

Valuation  of  the  taxable  property  of  Trimble  in  1846,  $1,078,- 
675  ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  85,384  ;  average  value 
of  lands  per  acre,  $8.01  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  944 ;  number  of  children  between  the  ages  of 
five  and  sixteen  years,  1,255.     Population  in  1840,  4,480. 

The  towns  of  Trimble  county  are  Bedford,  Milton  and  Palmyra. 
Bedford,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  situated  near  the  centre  of  the 
county,  about  fifty  miles  from  Frankfort :  contains  a  court  house 
and  the  usual  public  buildings  ;  three  churches,  viz:  Methodist, 
Baptist  and  Christian ;  two  schools,  three  lawyers,  four  physicians, 
six  stores  and  groceries,  three  taverns  and  eight  mechanics'  shops  : 
population  300.  Milton  is  a  small  village,  situated  on  the  Ohio 
river,  and  containing  two  stores  and  groceries,  post-office,  &c. 
Palmyra  is  also  a  small  village,  with  one  store,  post-office,  &:c. 

The  Hon.  Robert  Trimble,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its  name, 
was  born  in  Berkeley  county,  Virginia,  and  when  three  years  old,  his  Hither  emi- 
grated to  Kentucky.  His  parents  were  not  affluent,  but  occupied  a  respectable 
position  in  the  agricultural  population  of  the  country.  He  received  but  the  im- 
perfect rudiments  of  an  education, — such  only  as  could  be  had  in  a  new  settle- 
ment, so  distant  from  the  seats  of  learning  in  the  older  States.  He,  however,  im- 
proved himself,  by  teaching  for  a  few  years,  and  reading  carefully  the  scanty  li- 
braries afforded  by  his  neighborhood.  After  so  imperfect  a  probation,  he  com- 
menced the  study  of  the  law,  under  George  Nicholas.  That  eminent  man  dying 
before  he  had  completed  his  studies,  he  continued  them  under  James  Brown  ;  and, 
in  1803,  was  licensed  by  the  court  of  appeals  to  practice  his  profession.  He  com- 
menced his  career  in  Paris,  and  in  the  same  year  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
legislature  from  the  county  of  Bourbon.  But  the  stormy  life  of  a  politician  not 
being  congenial  to  his  dis|)osilion  or  taste,  he  ever  afterwards  refused  to  he  a  can- 
didate for  political  office — even  to  be  nominated,  on  two  occasions,  for  the  United 
States'  senate,  when  his  assent  only  was  necessary  to  secure  his  election.  He 
devoted  himself  exclusively  to  his  profession,  and  rapidly  rose  to  the  first  class 
of  jurists.  In  1808.  he  was  commissioned  second  judge  of  the  court  nf  appeals. 
He  retained  this  place  but  a  short  time,  but  long  enough  to  greatly  distinguish 
himself  in  it  by  his  rectitude,  learning  and  ability.  He  was  appointed  chief  jus- 
tice of  Kentucky  in  1810,  but,  in  consefjuence  of  his  limited  circumstances,  de- 
clined the  first  judicial  station  in  the  commonwealth.  After  retiring  from  the 
bench,  he  resumed,  with  great  assiduity,  the  practice  of  his  profession  ;  and,  in 
1813,  was  appointed  a  district  attorney  for  the  State.  He  continued  at  the  bar, 
with  eminent  and  profitable  success,  until  1816,  when  he  was  appointed  by  Presi- 
dent Madison  judge  of  the  Kentucky  district.  He  filled  this  office  until  1826, 
when  he  was  promoted  by  John  Quincy  Adams  to  the  supreme  court  of  the  Uni- 
ted States.  He  died  the  25th  day  of  August,  1828,  in  the  fifty-second  year  of  his 
age,  and  in  the  full  vigor  of  his  powers. 


UNION   COUNTY.  539 

It  is  not  often  that  the  august  tribunal  to  which  he  belonged,  has  sustained  a 
^eater  loss.  His  mind  was  characterized  by  deliberation,  clearness,  expansion 
and  force.  As  a  forensic  debater,  he  combined  flowing  eloquence  and  powerful 
argumentation.  He  studied  law  upon  principle,  and  comprehended  it  as  a  science. 
Such  was  his  ripe  though  early  proficiency,  that,  in  the  year  1818,  the  sole  pro- 
fessorship of  law  for  Transylvania  University  was  tendered  to  him  by  the  board 
of  trustees,  and  his  acceptance  earnestly  urged  upon  him  by  Mr.  Clay.  A  neces- 
sary change  of  residence  induced  him  to  decline  a  place  so  honorable  and  respon- 
sible. 

As  a  judge  of  the  highest  State  court,  he  had  no  superior  in  diligence,  learn- 
ing, ability  and  uprightness ;  and  on  being  transferred  to  the  supreme  tribunal  of 
the  nation,  both  Chief  Justice  Alarshall  and  Judge  Story  pronounced  him  to  be 
not  only  a  lawyer  of  the  first  order,  but  also  one  of  the  most  improvable  men  they 
had  ever  known.  Had  Providence  spared  his  life  to  ordinary  old  age,  he  would 
have  fully  vindicated  his  title  to  rank  with  those  great  jurists.  But  his  private 
virtues,  and  his  simple,  noble  nature,  shed  a  lustre  upon  his  name  above  all  that 
which  was  derived  from  great  intellect,  ripe  attainments,  and  high  station.  It 
was  these  which  made  all  who  knew  him  friends  through  his  life,  and  mourners 
upon  his  death. 


UNION    COUNTY. 

Union  county  was  organized  in  1811,  and  so  called  in  conse- 
quence of  being  formed  from  other  counties,  all  agreeing,  with 
perfect  unanimity,  upon  the  boundary  lines  of  the  new  county. 
It  is  situated  on  the  Ohio  river,  which  forms  its  western,  and  a 
part  of  its  northern  boundary  ;  Henderson  forming  the  north-east- 
ern, Hopkins  the  south-eastern,  and  Christian  the  south-western 
boundary.  Besides  the  Ohio,  this  county  is  drained  by  Trade- 
water  and  Highland  creeks,  and  their  tributaries — the  first  form- 
ing the  south-western,  and  the  latter  the  north-eastern  border. 
The  face  of  the  country,  like  most  of  the  river  counties,  is  diver- 
sified :  level,  undulating,  and  hilly.  The  soil  is  good.  Corn  is 
the  staple  product  of  the  county — but  oats,  rye,  wheat,  tobacco, 
hemp,  hay  and  clover,  are  cultivated,  and  sweet  potatoes  grow 
finely.     Horses,  mules,  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs,  are  exported. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  in  Union  in  1846,  $1,467,091  ; 
number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  205,442  ;  average  value 
of  lands  per  acre,  $3.53  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  1,189;  number  of  children  between  five  and 
sixteen  years  old,  1,339.     Population  in  1840,  6,673. 

The  towns  of  Union  county  consist  of  Morganfield,  Caseyville, 
Raleigh  and  Uniontown.  Morganfield  is  the  seat  of  justice,  sit- 
uated near  the  centre  of  the  county,  and  about  two  hundred  and 
five  miles  from  Frankfort :  contains  two  churches,  (Methodist  and 
Presbyterian,)  two  academies,  one  common  school,  seven  lawyers, 
seven  physicians,  six  stores,  one  grocery,  two  taverns,  and  sixteen 
mechanics'  shops.  Population  about  400.  Incorporated  in  1812, 
and  named  after  Gen.  Morgan,  of  the  revolutionary  army.  Ca- 
sci/vUle  is  a  small  town,  situated  on  the  Ohio  river,  fifteen  miles 
fi'om  Morganfield,  containing  one  lawyer,  two  physicians,  three 


540  WARREN  COUNTY. 

stores,  one  grocery,  one  tavern,  one  school,  and  six  mechanics' 
shops.  This  town  has  an  abundant  supply  of  stone  coal  in  its 
immediate  vicinity.  Raleigh  is  a  very  small  village,  also  situated 
on  the  Ohio  river,  nine  miles  M^est  of  Morganfield ;  has  one  store 
and  tavern.  Uniontown  lies  on  the  Ohio  river,  seven  miles  north- 
west of  Morganfield,  and  contains  three  physicians,  four  stores, 
one  grocery,  one  tavern,  and  six  mechanics'  shops.  Derived  its 
name  from  the  union  of  two  small  villages. 

The  county  of  Union  abounds  in  mineral  springs.  One  of  these, — a  fine  white 
sulphur  spring, — five  miles  from  Morganfield,  has  been  handsomely  improved, 
and  has  become  quite  a  popular  and  fashionable  watering  place.  The  other 
springs  which  possess  any  notoriety,  contain  chalybeate  water  of  fine  quality. 

About  eight  miles  from  Morganfield,  there  is  a  large,  flat  rock,  with  a  number 
of  deeply  indented  and  perfectly  distinct  impressions  of  the  naked  foot  of  human 
beings,  of  all  sizes,  together  with  very  plain  footprints  of  the  dog.  About  three 
miles  from  Casey ville,  there  is  a  rock,  called  the  '■'•.invilRock"  which  closely 
resembles  a  blacksmith's  anvil.  It  is  about  fifty  feet  high,  twenty  feet  in  width, 
and  two  feet  thick,  with  a  projection  or  spur  like  the  horn  of  an  anvil.  This  rock 
stands  upon  level  bottom  land,  entirely  isolated ;  and  by  what  process  it  was 
placed  there,  in  an  erect  position,  must  forever  remain  a  mystery.  There  is  also 
a  hill,  in  the  centre  of  an  extended  river  bottom  or  plain,  which  is  about  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile  long,  half  a  mile  wide,  and  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  feet  in 
height.  There  is,  likewise,  a  cave  in  the  county,  which  is  believed  to  be  of  great 
extent,  but  heretofore  very  partially  explored.  In  this  cave  a  number  of  human 
bones  have  been  found.  A  few  miles  from  Uniontown,  on  Highland  creek,  there 
is  a  tar  or  American  oil  spring,  from  which  tar  or  oil  constantly  flows,  in  consider- 
able quantities. 


WARREN    COUNTY. 

Wauren  county  was  formed  in  1796,  and  named  in  memory  of 
General  Joseph  Warren,  who  fell  at  Bunker  Hill.  It  embraces 
about  five  hundred  and  sixty  square  miles  ;  and  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  Butler  and  Edmonson;  east  by  Barren  ;  south  by  Allen 
and  Simpson ;  and  west  by  Logan  and  Butler.  Big  Barren  river, 
which  heads  near  the  Cumberland,  runs  through  this  county.  Its 
tributaries,  in  the  county,  are.  Bay's  fork,  Drake's  and  Jennings' 
creeks,  and  Gasper  river.  Several  mineral  springs  in  the  county 
— one,  three  miles  from  Bowling-Green,  (Mr.  Jackson's,)  in  char- 
acter of  its  water,  much  like  the  Blue  Lick.  Face  of  the  country 
gently  undulating.  Soil  fertile  and  productive,  based  mostly  on 
red  clay  and  limestone  foundation.  Principal  articles  of  export, 
tobacco,  wheat,  corn  and  pork. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  in  Warren  in  1846,  $3,918,312  ; 
number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  292,588  ;  average  value 
of  land  per  acre,  $5.39  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  2,083 ;  number  of  children  between  five  and  six- 
teen years  old,  2,831.     Population  in  1840,  15,446. 

Bowling-Green,  the  county  seat  of  Warren,  is  a  neat  and  thriving 
town,  situated  at  the  head  of  slack  water  navigation  on  Big  Bar- 


NAMES  AND   DATES  ON  TREES.  541 

ren  river,  one  hundred  and  forty -five  miles  from  Frankfort,  and  six 
hundred  and  eighty-five  miles  from  Washington  city.  Several 
steamboats  make  their  weekly  arrivals  here  from  Louisville  and 
elsewhere;  the  turnpike  from  Louisville  to  Nashville  passes  through 
it ;  and  the  Bowling-Green  portage  rail  road  from  the  river,  ter- 
minates here.  Besides  the  ordinary  county  buildings,  there  are 
four  church  edifices,  Presbyterian,  Baptist,  Methodist,  and  Episco- 
palian. The  court-house,  on  the  public  square,  is  handsomely 
enclosed  with  a  neat  stone  wall,  ornamented  by  iron  railing.  It 
contains  also,  a  branch  of  the  Bank  of  Kentucky,  two  newspa- 
pers, (the  Bowling-Green  Pi-ess  and  the  Bowling-Green  Argus,) 
fifteen  lawyers,  eight  physicians,  five  schools,  twenty-four  stores, 
two  wholesale  groceries  and  commission  warehouses,  one  drug 
store,  one  foundry,  one  candle  factory,  one  wool  factory,  two 
steam  saw  mills,  three  taverns,  and  thirty  or  forty  mechanics' 
shops.     Population  1700.     Established  by  the  legislature  in  1808. 

Ancient  Marks  on  Trees. — On  the  north  side  of  Barren  river,  about  three 
miles  from  Bowling-Green,  and  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  above  Vanmeter's  ferry, 
there  are  some  beech  trees  which  indicate  the  camping  ground  of  a  party,  per- 
haps the  "  Long  Hunters,"  as  they  were  called,  in  June,  1775.  The  most  con- 
spicuous tree  has  engraven  on  its  bark,  on  the  north  side,  the  names  of  thirteen 
persons.  The  letters  were  handsomely  cut  with  some  instrument  adapted  to  the 
purpose.  The  highest  name  is  about  nine  feet  from  the  ground,  the  lowest  four 
feet.  They  stand  in  the  following  order,  beginning  with  the  uppermost  and 
descending  to  the  lowest,  to  wit:  .T.  Newell  or  Neaville,*  E.  Bulger.  I.  Hite,  V. 
Harman,  J.  Jackman,  W.  Buchannon,  A.  Bowman,  J.  Drake,  N.  Nail,  H. 
Skaggs,  J.  Bowman,  Tho.  Slaughter,  J.  Todd.  The  date  is  thus  given:  "  1775, 
June  Th  13."  The  apparent  age  of  the  marks  corresponds  with  the  date.  About 
five  steps  south  of  the  above  named  tree,  and  near  the  verge  of  the  river  bank, 
stands  a  beech,  marked  on  the  north  side  with  the  name  of  "Wm.  Buchanan," 
and  dated  "June  14th,  1775."  On  the  south  side  of  the  same  tree,  there  is  the 
name  of  "  J.  Todd,"  dated  "  June  17,  1775."  About  twenty  steps  north  of  the  first 
tree,  there  stands  a  third  beech,  with  the  names  of  I.  Drake,  and  Isaac  Hite 
engraved,  and  each  with  the  date  "  15  June,  1775."  Above  the  names  the  date 
"  June  23,  1775."  The  names  and  dates  on  this  tree  seem  to  be  as  old  as  any, 
but  made  with  a  different  instrument  from  that  which  cut  the  names  on  the  first 
tree,  and  they  are  not  so  well  executed.  These  dates  from  the  13th  to  the  23d, 
prove  that  the  party  encamped  at  that  place  ten  days.  About  fifty  yards  up  the 
river  from  the  first  named  tree,  there  stands  a  beech  with  a  name  now  illegible, 
cut  in  the  bark  over  the  date  1779.  On  the  same  tree,  the  name  of  H.  Lynch  is 
carved  over  the  date  1796. 

Where  are  now  those  pioneers  ?  They  have  ceased  to  follow  the  deer,  the  elk, 
the  bear,  the  buffalo  and  beaver,  which  were  then  abundant  in  this  region;  and 
their  children  are  hunters  no  more.  The  animals  which  their  fathers  pursued, 
have  become  extinct.  The  wilderness  they  traversed,  now  blooms  with  the  arts 
and  refinements  of  civilized  life. 

Caves  are  very  numerous  in  this  county.  Some  of  them  would  be  regarded  as 
considerable  curiosities,  if  there  were  no  mammoth  cave.  About  six  miles  north- 
east of  Bowling-Green,  there  is  a  cave  with  a  perpendicular  descent  from  the  north 
of  about  thirty  or  forty  feet.  At  the  bottom  are  vast  quantities  of  human  bones. 
How  and  when  they  were  put  there,  can  of  course  only  be  conjectured.  About 
three  miles  south  of  Bowling-Green,  and  on  the  turnpike  to  Nashville,  is  the  Cave 
Mill,  in  level  barrens.  A  creek  breaks  up  from  the  ground,  runs  about  two  hun- 
dred yards,  then  disappears  in  the  cave ;  and,  after  a  course  under  ground  of  a 
mile  and  a  half,  again  appears,  and  runs  into  Barren  river.  Immediately  under 
the  roof  of  the  cave,  Mr.  Shanks  has  a  water  grist  mill  and  wool-carding  ma- 

*  Judge  Graham  supposed  it  to  be  Neaville. 


542  WARREN   COUNTY. 

chine,  with  no  covering  but  the  rocky  arch  above.  Directly  over  the  mill,  and 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  precipice,  runs  the  turnpike  over  which  thousands  pass, 
many  of  them  unconscious  of  the  deep  chasm  beneath. 

Mounds. — There  are  very  many  in  this  county,  mostly  near  watercourses — 
some  of  them  quite  large.  They  all  contain  human  bones.  In  one  of  them  was 
found  a  smooth,  circular,  well  polished  flint,  near  two  inches  broad,  three-fourths 
of  an  inch  thick,  and  weighing  one-fourth  of  a  pound,  apparently  made  as  a  four- 
ounce  weight.  On  the  north  bank  of  the  river,  near  Bowling-Green,  are  a  great 
many  ancient  graves, — some  of  them  with  a  row  of  stones  set  on  edge  around 
them.  These  graves,  with  a  large  mound  on  which  large  trees  are  growing,  are 
included  within  the  remains  of  an  old  fort,  built  of  earth.  Some  ancient  relics 
were  found  here  in  1838,  and  are  now  in  the  possession  of  Lloyd  Berry,  Esq. 
One  of  these  is  in  the  shape  of  a  bowl,  hollow,  and  composed  of  earth  and  poun- 
ded shells  ;  and  seems  to  have  been  burnt  or  dried  in  the  sun.  Its  color  is  dark. 
The  other  two  are  composed  of  the  same  materials,  but  of  lighter  color,  and  in 
the  shape  of  flat-bottomed  candlesticks,  the  stem  being  shorter  and  solid  ;  the 
upper  surface  of  the  bottom  slightly  concave  ;  the  under  surface  convex,  and  about 
half  an  inch  in  thickness. 

On  the  south  bank  of  Greene  river,  about  twelve  miles  from  Bowling-Green,  is 
an  old  fort,  situated  on  a  hill  or  bluff,  inaccessible  save  on  the  south-west  corner. 
The  remainder  of  the  hill  is  level  on  top,  with  perpendicular,  or,  rather,  overhang- 
ing cliff  or  bluff,  about  thirty  feet  high.  Near  the  centre,  lengthwise,  of  this  hill, 
is  an  old  fort,  which  seems  to  have  been  erected  with  stone  and  earth.  The  walls 
are  now  about  one  foot  high. 

The  annexed  is  a  rough  sketch  of  the  hill  and  fort.     One  of  the  projections 

from  the  fort  is  twenty  feet,  the  other 
thirty  feet  in  length — each  fifteen 
feet  wide.  The  area  of  the  fort  se- 
ven acres.  There  is  nothing  to  in- 
dicate who  were  its  tenants,  nor 
when  it  was  erected.  From  it,  to 
the  distance  of  more  than  a  mile, 
there  is  a  line  of  mounds,  diminish- 
ing in  size  as  they  recede  from  the 
fort,  perhaps  showing  a  running  fight,  and  the  most  bloody  contest  nearest  the 
fort.  There  are  other  ancient  works  in  the  county,  which  have  not  been  exam- 
ined. 

Eight  miles  east  of  Bowling-Green,  there  is  in  the  level  open  barrens,  a  large 
deep  sink,  about  fifty  yards  wide,  and  a  hundred  yards  in  length.  On  the  south 
side,  the  descent  is  near  twenty  feet;  on  the  north,  it  is  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
deep.  Large  river  trees  are  growing  in  it.  Shortly  after  the  first  settlement 
here,  a  blind  horse  fell  in  this  sink.  A  hungry  wolf  had  the  folly  to  jump  in 
after  its  prey,  and  being  unable  to  get  out,  was  found  and  shot.  Since  that  time 
it  has  been  known  by  the  name  of  the  '*  Wolf  iSmA." 

Four  miles  above  Bowling-Green,  on  the  river,  is  McFadin's  old  station. 
Some  anecdotes  are  connected  with  it,  one  of  which  we  relate:  A  dashing  young 
Virginian  came  to  the  station,  and  began  his  brag  that  he  could  outrun  any  man 
"  in  all  Kaintuck."  McFadin,  who  was  a  quizzical  old  genius,  inquired  whether 
he  would  run  barefooted  or  shod,  and  was  promptly  answered  "  barefoot."  Let 
me  fix  time  and  place,  said  McFadin,  and  I  will  risk  a  gallon  of  whisky  I  find  a 
man  to  beat  you.  The  bet  was  made  and  the  day  fixed.  The  old  hunter  Ray- 
mer  was  sent  for.  The  parties  repaired  to  the  track  selected  by  McFadin.  It 
was  probably  the  most  flinty  bed  in  all  the  country.  At  the  word  the  racers  started. 
They  had  gone  but  a  few  yards  when  the  Virginian  was  compelled  to  hold  up. 
But  as  Raymer's  feet  were  hard  as  a  buffalo's,  he  kept  ahead  like  a  quarter  horse, 
to  the  great  amusement  of  old  McFadin  and  his  friends.  That  ground  has  since 
been  called  "  Raymer^s  Race  Track.'''' 

.TosEPH  Rogers  Underwood  was  born  in  Goochland  county,  Virginia,  on  the 
24th  of  October,  1701.  He  was  the  eldest  child  of  John  Underwood,  who  for 
manj'  years  represented  that  county  in  the  legislature,  during  those  periods  in 
the  history  of  that  State  when  political   honors  were  rarely  bestowed  but  as  the 


JOSEPH   ROGERS   UNDERWOOD.  543 

reward  of  personal  merit.  His  mother,  Frances  Rogers,  was  a  daughter  of  George 
Rogers,  of  Caroline  county,  Va.,  a  gentleman  eminently  distinguished  for  the 
purity  of  his  life  and  the  integrity  of  his  character. 

The  parents  of  young  Underwood  being  in  humble  circumstances,  and  having 
a  large  family  of  other  children  to  provide  for,  were  induced  to  commit  him  to 
his  maternal  uncle,  Mr,  Edward  Rogers,  a  soldier  of  the  revolution,  who  had  emi- 
grated to  Kentucky  as  early  as  1783.  He  brought  his  youthful  charge  to  Barren 
county  in  the  spring  of  1803,  and  nobly  did  he  fulfil  the  promises  made  to  the 
parents  of  the  little  boy,  "to  be  unto  him  as  a  father." 

The  Greene  river  country  was  then  a  wilderness,  and  contained  but  few  schools, 
and  those  not  of  the  best  class.  Joseph  was  placed  at  school  with  the  Rev,  John 
Howe,  near  Glasgow.  About  a  year  thereafter  he  was  placed  under  the  tuition  of 
the  Rev,  Samuel  Findley  at  Danville,  and  afterwards  at  Lancaster,  and  after  that 
with  McMurrel,  who  taught  a  French  and  Latin  school  at  Glasgow.  Having  under 
these  several  teachers  acquired  the  rudiments  of  his  education,  he  was  sent  by 
his  parental  uncle  to  the  Transylvania  University,  at  which,  in  1811,  he  fin- 
ished it. 

On  leaving  the  university  he  commenced  the  study  of  the  law  in  Lexington, 
with  Robert  Wickliffe,  Esq.,  and  under  the  instructions  of  this  learned  and 
accomplished  lawyer,  he  completed  his  course  of  elementary  reading. 

About  this  time  Kentucky  was  thrown  into  great  excitement  by  the  war  with 
Great  Britain,  then  raging  with  violence  on  the  Canada  border.  The  melan- 
choly affair  of  the  river  Raisin  had  deprived  the  state  of  some  of  its  best  citizens, 
and  plunged  the  commonwealth  in  mourning.  The  impulse  to  arms  was  univer- 
sal, and  pervaded  all  classes.  In  March,  1813,  a  company  of  volunteers  being 
about  to  be  raised  in  Lexington,  to  be  commanded  by  Captain  John  C.  Morrison, 
and  attached  to  the  regiment  of  Colonel  William  Dudley,  young  Underwood  was 
the  first  to  volunteer  on  that  occasion,  and  seizing  the  colors,  marched  alone 
with  the  musicians  down  the  ranks  of  the  assembled  citizens.  This  little  inci- 
dent caused  him  to  be  elected  lieutenant.  He  proceeded  with  the  regiment  to 
which  he  belonged  to  join  the  northern  army,  commanded  by  General  Harrison. 
He  was  in  Dudley's  defeat  on  the  5th  of  May,  1813,  when  the  captain  of  his 
company  being  killed,  the  command  devolved  on  Lieutenant  Underwood.  The 
remnant  of  Dudley's  regiment  were  compelled  to  surrender  as  prisoners  of  war. 
Lieutenant  Underwood  after  being  badly  wounded,  and  the  ball  still  remaining  in 
the  wound,  was  stripped  of  his  clothing  and  compelled  to  run  the  gauntlet.  He 
and  his  comrades  were  thrown  into  the  old  fort  built  by  General  Wayne  on  the 
left  bank  of  the  river,  and  forced  to  sit  down  in  the  mud  and  water,  and  whilst 
tlius  confined,  the  infuriated  savages  stalked  round  upon  the  embankment  that 
overlooked  them,  and  singled  out  and  shot  down  their  victims.  In  the  meantime, 
an  angry  controversy  arose  among  the  Indians  themselves,  whether  they  should 
make  one  general  slaughter  of  all  the  prisoners  or  not.  It  was  a  moment  of 
intense  and  terrible  interest  to  the  poor  soldiers  who  were  within  hearing  of  it, 
helplessly  awaiting  the  issue.  Mercy,  however,  prevailed,  and  their  lives  were 
spared.  Lieutenant  Underwood  was  finally  released  on  his  parol,  and  returned 
home  to  his  uncle  in  the  summer  of  1813, 

In  the  fall  of  1813,  Mr,  Underwood  obtained  license  to  practice  law,  and  set- 
tled in  Glasgow.  He  rose  rapidly,  and  soon  stood  in  the  first  rank  of  his  profes- 
sion. 

In  1S16  he  was  elected  to  represent  Barren  county  in  the  legislature;  and  con- 
tinued to  represent  that  county  in  the  same  body,  for  four  successive  years.  In 
March,  1817,  he  married  Miss  Eliza  M.  Trotter,  daughter  of  Mr.  John  Trotter, 
of  Glasgow;  and  grand-daughter,  on  her  mother's  side,  of  the  Rev.  David  Rice. 
This  lady  died  in  July,  1835. 

Mr,  Underwood  having  removed,  in  the  year  1823,  to  Bowling-Green,  was 
elected,  in  18-25,  to  represent  the  county  of  Warren  in  the  legislature.  He  served 
two  years  in  that  body  with  great  distinction  and  eminent  usefulness,  and  then 
retired  to  private  life  and  the  practice  of  his  profession.  In  1828  he  was  a  can- 
didate for  lieutenant-governor,  but  the  vote  resulted  in  the  election  of  Mr,  Breath- 
itt. In  the  same  year  he  was  commissioned  as  a  judge  of  the  court  of  appeals  ; 
which  office  he  held  until  February,  1835,  when  he  resigned,  and  was  elected  to 
Congress.     He  continued,  with  high  reputation,  to  serve  as  a  member  of  Con- 


544  WASHINGTON   COUNTY. 

gress  until  1843,  when  he  again  retired  to  private  life.  In  August,  1845,  he  was 
elected,  by  a  very  large  majority,  to  represent  the  county  of  Warren  in  the  legis- 
lature, and  was  made  speaker  of  the  house  of  representatives.  At  the  session 
of  the  legislature  of  1846-7,  he  was  elected  by  that  body  to  succeed  the  Hon. 
James  T.  Morehead  as  senator  in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  from  Ken- 
tucky. 

In  his  politics,  Mr.  Underwood  has  always  been  a  firm  and  consistent  whig. 
In  1824,  and  again  in  1844,  he  was  one  of  the  presidential  electors  of  the  State, 
and  both  times  cast  his  vote  for  Henry  Clay.  As  a  lawyer.  Judge  Underwood 
has  few  superiors  in  the  State ;  his  decisions,  while  on  the  bench  of  the  court  of 
appeals,  being  distinguished  for  their  soundness  and  general  equity.  On  the 
whole,  it  may  be  said  that  he  stands  deservedly  conspicuous  among  the  distin- 
guished men  of  Kentucky.  Learned  as  a  jurist,  experienced  as  a  statesman,  an 
ardent  patriot,  he  is  qualified  to  adorn  any  station  to  which  the  partiality  of  his 
countrymen  may  elevate  him. 

Gen.  Joseph  Warren,  in  memory  of  whom  this  county  was  named,  was  a  dis- 
tinguished patriot,  and  was  one  of  the  earliest  of  those  who  sealed  with  their 
blood  the  charter  of  their  country's  liberties.  He  was  born  at  Roxbury,  near 
Boston,  in  1741.  His  father  was  a  respectable  farmer.  Joseph  entered  Harvard 
University  in  1755,  being  then  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  there  established  a 
character  for  talents,  address,  a  generous,  bold,  and  independent  spirit,  which  his 
subsequent  life  only  confirmed  and  rendered  more  striking.  On  leaving  college, 
he  studied  medicine  under  the  instruction  of  Dr.  Loyd,  an  eminent  physician  of 
that  day  ;  and,  upon  the  completion  of  his  studies,  commenced  the  practice.  His 
affable  manners,  handsome  person,  and  thorough  skill  in  his  profession,  soon  ren- 
dered him  a  general  favorite;  and  his  success  was  rapid  and  complete.  Possess- 
ing fine  talents  as  an  orator  and  writer,  he  soon  became  prominent  as  a  politician 
and  public  speaker;  and,  on  two  occasions,  was  appointed  to  deliver  orations  on 
the  5th  of  March — the  anniversary  of  the  Boston  massacre.  In  that  brilliant  con- 
stellation of  talent  which  then  gave  the  New  England  States  an  enviable  intel- 
lectual prominence  in  the  colonies,  Dr.  Warren  was  a  star  of  the  first  magnitude. 
An  ardent  patriot,  he  was  foremost  among  those  who  took  measures  to  arouse  the 
country  to  resistance,  against  the  aggressions  of  the  mother  country.  On  the  18th 
of  April,  1775,  discovering  the  design  of  the  British  commander  to  seize  our  pub- 
lic stores  at  Concord,  he  instantly  dispatched  faithful  messengers,  who  removed 
everything  except  three  old  cannon,  a  few  gun-carriages,  and  sixty  barrels  of 
flour  :  these  the  British  soldiery  destroyed.  He  participated  in  the  battle  of  Lex- 
ington, where,  while  pressing  on  the  enemy  with  daring  impetuosity,  he  had  a 
lock  of  hair,  close  to  his  ear,  shot  away  by  a  musket  ball.  He  was  the  president 
of  the  provincial  congress  of  Massachusetts,  of  1775  ;  and,  on  the  14th  day  of 
June,  was  appointed,  by  that  body,  major-general  of  the  military  force  of  the 
province.  When  congress  adjourned,  he  rode  to  the  camp;  and,  mingling  famil- 
iarly with  the  soldiers,  infused  into  them  his  own  undaunted  spirit.  In  the  memo- 
rable battle  of  the  17th  of  June,  on  Bunker  Hill,  when  their  ammunition  was 
expended,  the  Americans,  after  having  thrice  repulsed  the  charge  of  the  British 
regulars,  were  compelled  to  retire.  Gen.  Warren  was  one  of  the  last  to  leave  the 
entrenchments,  and  had  proceeded  from  the  works  but  a  few  steps,  when  he  was 
struck  by  a  random  shot,  and  instantly  expired.  Congress  passed  a  resolution  to 
erect  a  monument  to  his  memory,  which  long  occupied  the  site  of  the  present 
Bunker  Hill  monument. 


WASHINGTON    COUNTY. 

Washington  county  was  formed  in  1792,  and  named  in  honor 
of  the  father  of  his  country,  Gen.  George  Washington.  It  is  sit- 
uated near  the  centre  of  the  State,  and  is  drained  by  Salt  river : 


JOHN  LANCASTER.  545 

bounded  on  the  north  by  Anderson  ;  east  by  Mercer ;  south  by 
Marion  :  west  and  north-west  by  Nelson.  The  face  of  the  coun- 
try is  undulating — the  soil  rich  and  fertile.  Staple  products, 
hemp,  wheat  and  corn  ;  exports,  beef,  pork,  hemp  and  whisky. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  in  Washington  in  1846,  $2,832,- 
853;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  188,367;  average 
value  of  land  per  acre,  $7.55  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twen- 
ty-one years  of  age,  1,653  ;  number  of  children  between  the  ages 
of  five  and  sixteen  years,  2,261.     Population  in  1840,  10,596. 

The  towns  of  Washington  county  are  Springfield,  Maxville, 
and  Fredericktown.  Springfield,  the  seat  of  justice,  is  about  forty 
miles  from  Frankfort.  It  contains  a  large  brick  court-house  and 
other  county  buildings,  three  churches,  (Methodist,  Presbyterian 
and  Catholic,)  twelve  lawyers,  six  physicians,  ten  stores,  three 
groceries,  and  twelve  mechanics'  shops.  Population,  700.  In- 
corporated in  1793,  and  took  its  name  from  a  spring  in  the  bounds 
of  the  town.  Maxville  has  two  physicians,  four  stores,  six  me- 
chanics' shops,  post-office,  and  320  inhabitants.  Fredericktown  is 
eight  miles  from  Springfield,  on  the  Beech  fork  of  Salt  river,  and 
contains  a  physician,  tavern,  carding  machine,  manufacturing 
mill,  several  mechanics'  shops,  with  a  population  of  60.  Estab- 
lished in  1818. 

In  the  year  1776,  James  Sodowsky,  or  Sandusky,  removed  from  Virginia  to 
Washington  county,  and  built  Sandusky's  station,  on  Pleasant  run.  On  the 
breaking  up  of  Harrod's  settlement,  in  1774,  Jacob  Sandusky,  a  brother  of  James, 
and  connected  with  Harrod's  settlement,  traveled  to  Cumberland  river;  there  pro- 
cured a  canoe,  descended  the  Cumberland,  Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers,  to  New 
Orleans;  from  thence  betook  shipping,  and  went  round  to  Virginia,  via  Balti- 
more. He  is  believed  to  have  been  the  first  white  man  that  ever  descended  those 
rivers,  except  French  or  Spanish.  Shortly  after,  he  returned  to  Kentucky,  and  set- 
tled with  James,  at  Sandusky's  station.  From  this  station  the  brothers  removed, 
in  1785,  to  Jessamine  county.  Jacob  died  in  Jessamine,  and  James  in  Bourbon 
county.  The  nephews  of  Jacob  state  that  he  kept  very  full  notes  of  the  settle- 
ment of  the  country,  and  often  pronounced  the  published  histories  to  be  incorrect 
in  many  particulars. 

The  following  account  of  the  adventures  of  John  Lancaster,  in  178S,  we  copy 
from  "Early  Sketches  of  Catholic  Missions  in  Kentucky,"  by  the  Rev.  M.  J. 
Spalding,  D.  D. : 

"  John  Lancaster  was  descending  the  Ohio  river  in  a  flat  boat,  bound  from 
Maysville  to  Louisville.  His  companions  on  the  boat  were  Col.  Joseph  Mitchell 
and  son,  and  Alexander  Brown.  VVhen  they  had  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Mi- 
ami river,  on  the  8th  of  May,  1788,  the  boatmen  discovered  a  large  party  of  Ir>- 
dians  lying  in  wait  for  them.  They  did  not  make  this  fearful  discovery  until  they 
were  very  near  the  party;  and  unfortunately  the  current  bore  the  boat  directly 
towards  them.  Escape  was  hopeless.  The  savages  displayed  a  white  flag,  in 
token  of  friendship  :  but  at  the  same  time  leveled  their  muskets  at  the  man  who 
was  at  the  oar,  and  would  have  shot  him  down,  had  not  the  chief  interposed.. 
This  man  was  called  Captain  Jim,  or  Shawnese  Jim,  and  he  spoke  a  little  broken 
English,  which  he  had  probably  learned  at  some  of  the  British  military  posts  in' 
the  north-west.  He  assured  the  white  men  that  his  people  meant  them  no  harm, 
and  that  they  merely  wished  to  trade  with  them. 

"  Meantime,  a  skiff,  manned  by  four  Indians,  was  seen  to  put  off  from  the- 
shore,  and  was  rowed  rapidly  towards  the  boat,  which  it  struck  with  so  muclt 
violence  as  to  upset  the  skiff,  and  to  precipitate  three  of  the  Indians  into  the  river- 
John   Lancaster  here  showed  great  presence  of  mind,  by  leaping  promptly  into 

35 


54G  WASHINGTON  COUNTY. 

the  river,  and  aiding  the  struggling  Indians  in  their  efforts  to  escape  from  a  wa- 
tery grave.  He  succeeded,  and  liad  reason  to  hope  that  he  had  done  much  to 
conciliate  their  good  will — a  hope  which  the  event  did  not,  however,  justify.  On 
entering  the  hoat,  the  Indians  seized  on  the  white  men,  and  made  them  prisoners, 
two  of  them  struggling  violently  for  the  possession  of  Mr.  Lancaster.  Some 
time  after  they  had  reached  the  shore,  these  same  two  savages  came  to  blows,  and 
had  a  desperate  fight  on  the  same  ground  of  quarrel,  when  Captain  Jim  inter- 
posed, and  decided  in  favor  of  the  first  who  had  seized  the  person  of  the  captive. 

"  The  boat  was  soon  rowed  to  the  shore  and  robbed  of  all  its  effects.  The  In- 
dians then  decamped  with  the  booty,  and  the  four  prisoners  whom  they  had  taken. 
Tlie  first  night  was  devoted  to  revelry  and  drunkenness;  the  savages  having  car- 
ried with  them  the  whisky  with  which  the  boat  was  partly  laden.  The  prisoners 
were  bound  down  on  their  backs  to  the  earth,  with  cords  which  were  passed 
around  their  limbs  and  bodies,  and  tied  closely  to  stakes  driven  in  the  ground. 
During  the  whole  night,  the  rain  poured  down  in  torrents,  on  their  faces  and 
bodies;  while  their  only  covering  was  a  blanket,  their  Indian  captors  having  al- 
ready stripped  them  of  their  clothing  and  money.  They  passed  a  sleepless  night, 
witnessing  the  wild  revelry  of  the  Indians,  and  musing  sorrowfully  on  the  dread- 
ful fate  which  probably  awaited  them  on  the  morrow. 

'•  On  the  next  morning  they  were  released  from  their  confinement,  and  were 
hurried  on  towards  the  Indian  village  in  the  interior,  which  Mr.  Lancaster  esti- 
mates was  about  sixty-five  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Miami,  and  twenty-five 
miles  lower  down  the  Ohio  river.  After  they  had  reached  their  encampment, 
which  was  probably  one  of  the  Shawnese  towns,  they  were  made  to  witness  new 
scenes  of  stirring  interest.  While  the  captives  were  gloomily  meditating  on  their 
probable  doom  to  the  stake,  the  Indian  master  of  John  Lancaster  suddenly  came 
up  to  him,  and  embraced  him,  shedding  tears,  and  exclaiming,  amidst  sobs  and 
lamentations  that  '  he  was  his  brother,  who  should  take  the  place  of  one  who 
had  been  slain  during  the  previous  year!'  Immediately  the  Indian  ceremony  of 
adoption  took  place.  Mr.  Lancaster  was  stripped  of  his  blanket,  and  had  his 
body  greased  with  bear's  oil,  and  painted  of  a  vermilion  color.  He  was  then 
taught  some  scraps  of  Indian  song,  and  was  made  to  join  in  the  savage  festival 
which  ensued.  This  consisted  of  songs  and  the  war-dance,  one  Indian  beating 
time  with,  a  stick,  the  head  of  which  was  curiously  wrought  and  trimmed  with 
the  hoofs  of  deer.  After  the  performance  of  this  singular  ceremony,  he  was 
viewed  as  having  been  regularly  adopted  into  the  Indian  tribe. 

"  Mr.  Lancaster  continued  a  captive  in  the  Indian  camp  for  eight  days,  during 
•which  he  made  great  proficiency  in  the  knowledge  of  Indian  manners  and  cus- 
toms. He  was  called  Kiahba,  or  the  Running  Buck,  from  his  remarkable  activity 
and  fleetness  of  foot.  He  was  placed  on  an  equal  footing  with  the  Indians,  and 
his  new  brother  treated  him  vv'ith  great  kindness.  After  some  days,  however,  this 
foster  brother  was  sent  off  from  the  camp,  and  then  he  experienced  rougher  treat- 
ment. Captain  Jim,  under  whose  charge  he  was  now  left,  became  sullen  and 
•vindictive.  He  quarreled  with  his  wife,  who,  fearing  his  vengeance,  fled  from 
the  camp.  Jim  immediately  pursued  her,  threatening  vengeance,  and  was  soon 
perceived  returning  to  the  camp,  after  having,  in  all  probability,  been  her  mur- 
derer. As  he  was  returning,  his  daughter,  who  was  well  acquainted  with  her  fa- 
ther's moods,  and  who  had  entertained  a  partiality  for  Kiohba,  said  to  the  latter: 
puck-e-ie — run!     He  took  her  advice,  and  instantly  darted  from  the  camp. 

'•  On  casting  a  glance  backward,  from  a  neighboring  eminence,  he  perceived 
Ca])tHin  Jim  beating  the  elder  Mitchell  with  a  tent  pole.  After  his  final  escape 
'from  the  Indians,  he  learned  that,  soon  after  his  departure,  young  Mitchell  was 
painted  black  and  burned  at  the  stake;  but  that  his  father  and  Alexander  Brown, 
after  sufft^ring  almost  incredible  hardships  and  privations,  were  finally  ransomed 
by  their  friends,  and  returned  to  Pittsburgh. 

"John  Lancaster  w;is  soon  out  of  sigiil  of  the  Indian  encampment.  He  took 
the  direction  of  the  Ohio  river,  hut  ran  in  diffident  directions,  and  crossed  repeat- 
edly tiie  various  Indian  trails,  in  order  the  more  easily  to  elude  |)ursuit.  He  was 
particularly  fearful  of  ab'>ut  fifty  Indian  dogs,  who  had  been  trained  to  following 
the  fo'itsteps  of  man.  He  was,  however,  fortunate  enough  to  escape  all  these 
multiplied  dangers;  and  after  running  for  six  days,  during  which  his  only  sui)- 
«istence  was  four  turkey  eggs,  which  he  had  found  in  the  hollow  of  a  fallen  tree, 


POPE— GRUNDY— HAKDIN.  547 

he  safely  reached  the  Ohio  river.  Exhausted  as  he  was,  he  immediately  tied  him- 
self with  bark  to  the  trunk  of  a  box-elder  tree,  and  after  four  hours'  unremitting 
toil,  succeeded  in  crossing  to  the  Kentucky  side.  While  crossing  he  had  swal- 
lowed much  water;  and  he  now  perceived  that  his  strength  had  almost  entirely 
failed. 

"After  resting  a  short  time,  he  determined  to  float  down  the  river,  to  the  sta- 
tion at  the  Falls,  which  he  estimated  was  between  twenty  and  thirty  miles  dis- 
tant. Accordingly,  he  made  a  small  raft,  by  tying  two  trees  together  with  bark, 
on  which  he  placed  himself,  with  a  pole  for  an  oar.  When  a  little  above  Eigh- 
teen Mile  Island,  he  heard  the  sharp  report  of  a  rifle,  when,  thinking  that  his 
pursuers  had  overtaken  him,  he  crouched  down  on  his  little  raft,  and  concealed 
himself  as  best  he  could.  Hearing  no  other  noise,  however,  he  concluded  that 
his  alarm  was  without  foundation.  But  shortly  after,  a  dreadful  storm  broke  upon 
the  river;  night  had  already  closed  in,  and  he  sank  exhausted  and  almost  lifeless 
on  his  treacherous  raft,  drenched  with  the  rain,  benumbed  with  cold,  and  with  the 
terrible  apprehension  on  his  mind,  that  he  might  be  precipitated  over  the  Falls 
during  the  night. 

"  At  break  of  day,  he  was  aroused  from  his  death-like  lethargy,  by  one  of  the 
most  cheering  sounds  that  ever  fell  on  the  ears  of  a  forlorn  and  lost  wanderer— 
the  crowing  of  a  cock, — which  announced  the  immediate  vicinity  of  a  white  set- 
tlement. The  sound  revived  him  ;  he  collected  all  his  energies  for  one  last  eflfort, 
and  sat  upright  on  his  little  raft.  Soon,  in  the  gray  light  of  the  morning,  he  dis- 
covered the  cabins  of  his  countrymen,  and  was  enabled  to  effect  a  landing  at  the 
mouth  of  Beargrass — the  site  of  the  present  city  of  Louisville.  He  immediately 
rejoined  his  friends,  and  their  warm  welcome  soon  made  him  forget  all  his  past 
sufferings.  He  lived  for  many  years  to  recount  his  adventures;  and  died  a  few 
years  ago  of  a  good  old  age,  surrounded  by  his  children  and  his  children's  chil- 
dren." 

John  Pope,  a  distinguished  politician  and  statesman,  was  for  many  years  a 
resident  of  this  county,  where  he  died  in  1842.  He  was  a  native  of  Prince  Wil- 
liam county,  Virginia,  where  he  was  born  about  the  year  1770,  but  emigrated  to 
Kentucky  while  quite  a  boy.  In  early  life  he  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  his 
arm,  from  a  severe  wound  received  while  attending  a  cornstalk  mill.  Owing  to 
this  accident,  he  was  induced  to  turn  his  attention  to  the  profession  of  the  law, 
and  being  a  man  of  great  native  vigor  of  intellect,  soon  attained  eminence.  He 
first  settled  in  Shelby  county,  but  afterwards  removed  to  Lexington.  He  was 
frequently  a  member  of  the  legislature,  in  which  body  his  great  talents  rendered 
him  eminently  conspicuous  and  influential.  In  1807,  he  was  elected  to  the  sen- 
ate of  the  United  States,  and  was  for  many  years  a  distinguished  member  of  the 
house  of  representatives.  In  1829  he  was  appointed  governor  of  the  territory  of 
Arkansas,  which  office  he  held  for  six  years.  He  died  at  his  residence  in  Wash- 
ington county,  in  the  year  1842.  In  early  life,  Mr.  Pope  belonged  to  the  federal 
party ;  but  in  after  years  attached  himself  to  that  party  which  has  assumed  to 
Itself  the  name  of  democratic,  and  of  which  General  Jackson  was  the  founder. 

The  late  Honorable  Felix  Grundy,  of  Tennessee,  was  also  for  some  years  a 
citizen  of  this  county,  to  which  he  was  brought  by  his  parents  from  Virginia,  in 
his  early  boyhood.  He  was  a  native  of  Berkely  county,  Va.,  where  he  was  born 
in  .September,  1777.  Mr.  Grundy  was  for  many  years  a  distinguished  member  of  the 
Kentucky  legislature,  and  while  he  remained  a  citizen  of  the  State,  was  appoin- 
ted chief  justice  of  the  court  of  appeals.  In  1808  he  removed  to  Tennessee,  and 
was  subsequently  a  member  of  Congress  from  that  State.  He  represented  the 
State  of  Tennessee  in  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  for  many  years,  and  dur- 
ing the  administration  of  Mr.  Van  Buren,  was  appointed  attorney  general  of  the 
United  States. 

Mr.  Grundy  was  one  of  the  most  distinguished  lawyers  and  statesmen  of  the 
western  country.  When  in  the  councils  of  the  nation  he  had  but  few  superiors. 
His  politics  were  democratic,  of  which  party  he  was  always  a  most  zealous 
and  efficient  supporter. 

Another  distinguished  citizen  of  Washington  county  was  General  Martin  D. 
Hardin,  the  son  of  Colonel  John  Hardin.     He  was  a  lawyer  of  great  eminence, 


548  WAYNE   COUNTY. 

and  practiced  his  profession  in  Frankfort  with  distinguished  success.  He  was 
a  man  of  marked  talent  and  very  decided  character,  as  were  indeed  all  the  mem- 
bers of  this  family.  He  was  secretary  of  state  under  Governor  Shelby,  and  in 
1817  was  appointed  by  Governor  Slaughter  to  the  senate  of  the  United  States,  in 
which  body  he  served  one  session.  He  was  a  major  in  the  rifle  regiment  of  Col- 
onel John  Allen,  in  the  campaign  on  the  northern  border  during  the  last  war  with 
Great  Britain,  in  which  situation  he  approved  himself  a  brave,  vigilant  and  effi- 
cient officer.  General  Hardin  died  at  Frankfort  in  the  fall  of  1823.  He  was  the 
father  of  the  late  Colonel  John  J.  Hardin,  of  Illinois,  who  fell  in  the  battle  of 
Buena  Vista  in  Mexico. 

Washington  county  derived  its  name  from  General  George  Washington,  com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  American  armies  during  the  war  of  the  revolution,  and 
first  president  of  the  United  States  under  the  federal  constitution.  Any  narrative 
of  his  life  is  almost  superfluous  ;  for  what  citizen  of  the  republic  has  it  not  engra- 
ven upon  his  heart?  A  patriot  without  blemish,  a  statesman  without  guile,  a 
leader  of  armies  without  ambition,  a  magistrate  without  severity,  yet  inflexible 
in  uprightness,  a  citizen  exemplary  in  the  discharge  of  every  duty,  a  man  in 
whose  character  weakness  and  faults  appeared  but  as  specks  on  the  brightness  of 
the  sun — who  had  religion  without  austerity,  dignity  without  pride,  modesty 
without  diffidence,  courage  without  rashness,  politeness  without  affectation,  affa- 
bility without  familiarity  ; — such  was  the  man  whose  memory  the  great  and  the 
good  of  all  nations  have  delighted  to  honor. 


WAYNE   COUNTY. 

Wayne  county  was  formed  in  the  year  1800,  and  named  after 
General  Anthony  Wayne.  It  is  watered  by  the  Cumberland  river 
and  its  tributaries,  the  south  fork  passing  entirely  through  the 
county  from  the  south  in  a  direction  a  little  west  of  north  :  boun- 
ded on  the  north  by  the  Cumberland  river,  which  separates  it 
from  Pulaski  county ;  east  by  Whitley ;  south  by  the  State  of 
Tennessee;  and  west  by  Clinton  and  Russell.  The  surface  of 
the  county  is  somewhat  broken  with  hills,  but  the  valley  lands 
are  fertile  and  productive — the  soil  very  generally  based  upon 
limestone.  The  county  abounds  with  stone  coal ;  and  on  the 
Big  South  fork  of  the  Cumberland,  there  is  a  continuous  strata  or 
seam  of  coal  upwards  of  thirty  miles  in  length.  There  is,  also,  an 
abundance  of  iron  ore  and  salt  water  of  a  rich  quality.  Numer- 
ous small  caves  are  found,  in  which  there  are  large  quantities  of 
alum  and  salt  petre,  and  some  marine  petrifactions  have  been 
discovered.  The  principal  exports  of  the  county  are,  horses, 
mules,  cattle  and  hogs. 

Valuation  of  the  taxable  property  of  Wayne  in  1846,  $1,214,- 
579  ;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  198,853  ;  average 
value  of  lands  per  acre,  $3.02;  number  of  white  males  over 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  1,335;  number  of  children  between  the 
ages  of  five  and  sixteen  years,  2,406.     Population  in  1840,  15,446. 

MoNTicELLo,  the  seat  of  justice  and  only  town  of  Wayne  county, 
is  ninety  miles  south  of  Frankfort.  It  contains  a  brick  court 
house  and  other  county  buildings  ;  two  churches,  Methodist  and 
Christian  ;  five  lawyers,  four  physicians,  six  stores,  three  groceries, 


WHITLEY   COUNTY.  549 

two  tanyards  and  ten  mechanics'  shops.  Population  300.  Es- 
tablished in  1810,  and  named  after  President  Jefferson's  resi- 
dence. 

General  Anthony  Wayne,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  was  named,  was  a 
distinguished  officer  in  the  United  States'  service,  and  was  born  in  Chester  county, 
Pennsylvania,  January  1st,  1745.  He  received  a  good  education,  and  after  leav- 
ing school  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  took  up  the  business  of  surveying,  in  which  he 
acquired  great  reputation  and  success.  He  was  one  of  the  provincial  deputies 
who  early  in  1774  were  chosen  by  the  different  counties  of  Pennsylvania  to  lake 
into  consideration  the  state  of  affairs  with  Great  Britain ;  and  a  member  of  the 
convention  which  shortly  after  assembled  at  Philadelphia.  In  the  same  year  he 
was  elected  to  the  legislature,  and  in  1775  appointed  a  member  of  the  committee 
of  safety.  In  September  of  this  year  he  raised  a  company  of  volunteers,  and  io 
the  ensuing  January,  was  appointed  by  Congress,  colonel  of  one  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania regiments,  and  at  the  opening  of  the  campaign  received  orders  to  join 
the  army  under  General  Lee  at  New  York.  In  1777  he  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  brigadier  general.  In  the  battle  of  Brandywine  he  commanded  a  divis- 
ion stationed  at  Chad's  ford,  to  resist  the  passage  of  Knyphausen.  He  maintained 
the  contest  until  near  sunset,  when  he  was  compelled  to  retreat.  He  was  in  the 
battle  of  Germantovvn,  where  he  evinced  his  wonted  valor ;  he  was  also  present 
at  the  battle  of  Monmouth.  In  July,  1779,  he  stormed  the  strong  fortress  of 
Stony  Point  by  a  night  assault.  He  was  present  at  Yorktown,  and  witnessed 
the  surrender  of  Lord  Cornwallis.  He  was  subsequently  sent  to  the  south,  where 
he  remained  until  the  conclusion  of  peace.  In  1789  he  was  a  member  of  the 
Pennsylvania  convention  and  an  advocate  of  the  constitution  of  the  United  States. 
In  179-2,  he  was  appointed  by  Washington,  successor  to  General  St.  Clair  in  the 
command  of  the  army  engaged  against  the  Indians  on  the  western  frontier.  It 
was  at  first  supposed  that  his  ardor  would  render  him  an  unfit  opponent  of  a  foe 
remarkable  for  caution.  He  soon,  however,  proved  the  incorrectness  of  this  idea. 
He  established  admirable  discipline  among  his  troops,  and  by  his  wise  and  pru- 
dent measures  in  preparing  for  an  engagement,  and  the  skill  and  bravery  with 
which  he  fought  and  gained  the  battle  of  August  20th,  1794,  near  the  river  Mi- 
ami of  the  lakes,  he  brought  the  war  to  a  completely  successful  termination.  In 
1795,  he  concluded  a  definite  treaty  of  peace  with  the  Indians.  He  died  iii  Decem- 
ber, 1796. 


WHITLEY    COUNTY. 

Whitley  county  was  formed  in  1818,  and  named  in  honor  of 
Col.  William  Whitley.  It  is  situated  in  the  south-east  section  of 
the  State,  and  is  drained  by  the  Cumberland  river  and  its  tribu- 
taries. This  river  penetrates  the  county  on  the  north-eastern 
border,  and  meanders  in  a  general  western  course  to  within  a 
few  miles  of  its  western  border,  when  it  makes  a  bend,  and  runs 
directly  north,  to  near  the  northern  border;  here  it  again  makes 
a  sudden  bend,  and  flows  out  of  the  county  on  the  north-western 
border :  bounded  on  the  north  by  Laurel ;  on  the  east  by  Knox ; 
on  the  south  by  the  State  of  Tennessee ;  and  on  the  west  by 
Wayne.  The  face  of  the  country,  except  the  river  valleys,  is  hilly 
and  broken,  two  spurs  of  the  Cumberland  mountain  penetrating 
the  south-eastern  corner  to  within  a  short  distance  of  Williams- 
burg, on  the  Cumberland  river.  Corn  is  the  staple  product,  and 
hogs  the  principal  export  of  the  county. 


550  WHITLEY  COUNTY. 

The  falls  of  the  Cumberland  river,  in  Whitley  county,  about 
fourteen  miles  below  Williamsburg,  are  among  the  most  remark- 
able objects  in  the  State.  The  river  here  is  precipitated  over  a 
sheer  fall  of  sixty-three  feet,  perpendicular.  On  a  clear  morn- 
ing, the  roar  of  the  waters  may  be  heard  for  a  distance  of  ten  or 
twelve  miles  above  and  below  the  falls.  Immediately  behind  the 
falling  sheet  of  water,  there  is  a  considerable  cave  in  the  surface 
of  the  rock ;  and  a  person  can  go  almost  across  the  river  by  this 
passage,  through  an  arch  formed  on  one  side  by  the  rock,  and  on 
the  other  by  the  flashing  waters.  Just  below  the  falls,  large  fish 
are  to  be  caught  in  great  numbers.  The  country,  for  six  or  eight 
miles  above  and  below  the  falls,  is  very  irregular,  and  presents 
to  the  eye  of  the  traveler  a  succession  of  scenery  as  romantic 
and  picturesque  as  any  to  be  found  in  the  State.  The  hills  and 
mountains  rise  upon  each  other,  like  clouds  upon  the  horizon. 

Valuation  of  the  taxable  property  of  Whitley  in  1846,  $388,- 
332;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  167,967;  average 
value  of  land  per  acre,  $1.42  ;  number  of  white  males  over  twen- 
ty-one years  of  age,  877 ;  number  of  children  between  five  and 
sixteen  years  old,  1,435.     Population  in  1840,  6,673. 

Williamsburg,  the  seat  of  justice  of  Whitley  county,  is  situated 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  Cumberland  river,  about  one  hundred 
miles  from  Frankfort,  and  contains  a  Methodist  church,  two  law- 
yers, four  stores  and  groceries,  one  tavern,  and  several  mechan- 
ics' shops.  Population,  75.  Boston  is  a  very  small  village,  con- 
taining a  Baptist  church,  a  store,  post-office,  &c.     Population,  30. 

In  October,  1786,  a  large  number  of  families,  traveling  by  land  to  Kentucky, 
known  by  the  name  of  McKnitt's  company,  were  surprised  in  their  camp  at  night, 
between  the  Big  and  Little  Laurel  rivers,  by  a  party  of  Indians,  and  totally  de- 
feated, with  the  loss  of  twenty-one  persons  killed,  and  the  rest  dispersed  or  made 
priaoners. 

Shortly  before  settlements  were  formed  in  what  is  now  Whitley  county,  John 
Tye,  his  son,  and  some  two  or  three  other  men,  having  encamped  on  the  head  of 
Big  Poplar  creek,  were  attacked  after  night  by  a  party  of  Cherokee  Indians. 
Tye's  son  was  killed,  and  the  old  man  wounded.  The  other  men  fled  after  the 
first  fire  of  the  Indians,  and  made  their  escape.  The  Indians  rushed  upon  the 
camp,  and  two  of  them  entered  it,  but  were  immediately  met  by  two  large  cur 
dogs,  which  defended  the  wounded  sire  and  the  dead  son  with  a  fearlessness  and 
bravery  which  would  have  done  credit  to  animals  of  a  higher  order.  In  this  con- 
flict, one  of  the  Indians  was  very  severely  wounded ;  and,  as  soon  as  he  extrica- 
ted himself  from  the  jaws  of  the  enraged  dogs,  the  party  precipitately  fled,  leav- 
ing their  moccasins  and  leggings  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  creek,  where  they 
had  left  them  in  order  to  ford  the  stream. 

In  the  early  settlement  of  the  county,  Joseph  Johnson  was  killed  by  three  Che- 
rokees,  on  Lynn  camp.  They  entered  his  house  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening,  when 
there  was  no  men  about  it  but  himself,  and  killed  him  with  their  tomahawks  and 
knives.  His  wife  was  out  milking  the  cows  at  the  time,  and  was  ignorant  of 
what  was  passing  within  until  she  reached  the  door  of  the  cabin,  when  she  be- 
held her  prostrate  and  bleeding  husband  in  the  agonies  of  death,  and  the  Indians 
Standing  over  and  around  him,  inflicting  additional  wounds  upon  the  now  uncon- 
•cious  body.  The  savages  discovered  her  almost  at  the  instant  she  reached  the 
door,  and  one  of  them  sprang  at  her  with  bis  tomahawk.  She  dropped  her  milk 
pail,  and  precipitately  fled  in  the  direction  of  the  house  of  the  elder  Johnson, 
about  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards  off,  the  Indian  in  full  chase.     Mrs.  Johnson  was 


WILLIAM    WHITLEY.  551 

a  remarkably  stout,  active  youn^  woman,  and  the  race  was  one  for  life.  Gettinw 
a  few  yards  the  start  of  the  savage,  she  maintained  the  relative  distance  between 
them,  until  she  reached  the  yard  fence  of  the  old  gentleman;  and  as  with  one 
bound  she  cleared  the  obstruction,  the  savage  made  an  unsuccessful  thrust  at  her 
head,  gave  a  yell  of  disappointment,  and  instantly  retreated. 

William  Whitley,  from  whom  this  county  received  its  name,  was  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  of  those  early  pioneers,  whose  adventurous  exploits  have  shed 
a  coloring  of  romance  over  the  early  history  of  Kentucky.  He  was  born  on  the 
14th  of  August,  1749,  in  that  part  of  Virginia  then  called  Augusta,  and  which 
afterwards  furnished  territory  for  Rockbridge  county.  Unknown  to  early  fame, 
he  grew  to  manhood  in  the  laborious  occupation  of  tilling  his  native  soil,  in  which 
his  corporeal  powers  were  fully  developed,  with  but  little  mental  cultivation.  He 
possessed,  however,  the  spirit  of  enterprise,  and  the  love  of  independence.  In 
1775,  having  married  Esther  Fuller,  and  commenced  house-keeping  in  a  small 
way,  with  health  and  labor  to  season  his  bread,  he  said  to  his  wife,  he  heard  a 
fine  report  of  Kentucky,  and  he  thought  they  could  get  their  living  there  with 
less  hard  work.  "Then,  Billy,  if  I  was  you  I  would  go  and  see,"  was  the  reply. 
In  two  days  he  was  on  his  way,  with  axe  and  plow,  and  gun  and  kettle.  And 
she  is  the  woman  who  afterwards  collected  his  warriors  to  pursue  the  Indians. 

Whitley  set  out  for  Kentucky,  accompanied  by  his  brother-in-law,  George 
Clark  ;  in  the  wilderness  they  met  with  seven  others,  who  joined  them. 

We  are  not  in  possession  of  materials  for  a  detailed  narrative  of  Whitley's 
adventures  after  his  arrival  in  Kentucky,  and  shall  have  to  give  only  such  desul- 
tory facts  as  we  have  been  enabled  to  collect. 

In  the  year  1785,  the  camp  of  an  emigrant  by  the  name  of  McClure,  was 
assaulted  in  the  night  by  Indians,  near  the  head  of  Skagg's  creek,  in  Lincoln  county, 
and  six  whites  killed  and  scalped. 

Mrs.  McClure  ran  into  the  woods  with  her  four  children,  and  could  have  made 
her  escape  with  three,  if  she  had  abandoned  the  fourth  ;  this,  an  infant  in  her 
arms,  cried  aloud,  and  thereby  gave  the  savages  notice  where  they  were.  She 
heard  them  coming:  the  night,  the  grass,  and  the  bushes,  offered  her  conceal- 
ment without  the  infant,  but  she  was  a  mother,  and  determined  to  die  with  it;  the 
like  feeling  prevented  her  from  telling  her  three  eldest  to  fly  and  hide.  She  feared 
they  would  be  lost  if  they  left  her  side;  she  hoped  they  would  not  be  killed  if 
they  remained.  In  the  meantime  the  Indians  arrived,  and  extinguished  both  fears 
and  hopes  in  the  blood  of  three  of  the  children.  The  youngest,  and  the  mother 
they  made  captives.  She  was  taken  back  to  the  camp,  where  there  was  plenty  of 
provisions,  and  compelled  to  cook  for  her  captors.  In  the  morning  they  com- 
pelled her  to  mount  an  unbroken  horse,  and  accompany  them  on  their  return  home. 

Intelligence  of  this  sad  catastrophe  being  conveyed  to  Whitley's  station,  he 
was  not  at  home.  A  messenger,  however,  was  dispatched  after  him  by  Mrs. 
Whitley,  who  at  the  same  time  sent  others  to  warn  and  collect  his  company.  On 
his  return  he  found  twenty-one  men  collected  to  receive  his  orders.  With  these 
he  directed  his  course  to  the  war  path,  intending  to  intercept  the  Indians  return- 
ing home.  Fortunately,  they  had  stopped  to  divide  their  plunder;  and  Whitley 
succeeded  in  gaining  the  path  in  advance  of  them.  He  immediately  saw  that 
they  had  not  passed,  and  prepared  for  their  arrival.  His  men  being  concealed 
in  a  favorable  position,  had  not  waited  long  before  the  enemy  appeared,  dressed 
in  their  spoils.  As  they  approached,  they  were  met  by  a  deadly  fire  from  the 
concealed  whites,  which  killed  two,  wounded  two  others  and  dispersed  the  rest. 
Mrs.  McClure,  her  child,  and  a  negro  woman,  were  rescued,  and  the  six  scalps 
taken  by  the  Indians  at  the  camp,  recovered. 

Ten  days  after  this  event,  a  Mr.  Moore,  and  his  party,  also  emigrants,  were 
defeated  two  or  three  miles  from  Rackoon  creek,  on  the  same  road.  In  this 
attack,  the  Indians  killed  nine  persons,  and  scattered  the  rest.  Upon  the  receipt 
of  the  news.  Captain  Whitley  raised  thirty  men,  and  under  a  similar  impression 
as  before,  that  they  would  return  home,  marched  to  intercept  them.  On  the  sixth 
day,  in  a  cane-brake,  he  met  the  enemy,  with  whom  he  found  himself  face  to 
face,  before  he  received  any  intimation  of  their  proximity.  He  instantly  ordered 
ten  of  his  men  to  the  right,  as  many  to  the  left,  and  the  others  to  dismount  on 
the  spot  with  him.     The  Indians,  twenty  in  number,  were  mounted  on  good  hor- 


552  WOODFORD   COUNTY. 

ses,  and  well  dressed  in  the  plundered  clothes.  Being  in  the  usual  Indian  file, 
and  still  pressing  from  the  rear  when  the  front  made  a  halt,  they  were  brought 
into  full  view  ;  but  they  no  sooner  discovered  the  whites  than  they  sprang  from 
their  horses  and  took  to  their  heels.  In  the  pursuit,  three  Indians  were  killed  ; 
eight  scalps  retaken  ;  and  twenty-eight  horses,  fifty  pounds  in  cash,  and  a  quan- 
tity of  clothes  and  household  furniture  captured.  Captain  Whitley  accompanied 
Bowman  and  Clark  in  their  respective  expeditions  against  the  Indians. 

In  the  years  I792,  '93  and  '94,  the  southern  Indians  gave  great  annoyance  to 
the  inhabitants  of  the  southern  and  south-eastern  portions  of  the  State.  Their 
hostile  incursions  were  principally  directed  against  the  frontiers  of  ^Lincoln  county, 
where  they  made  frequent  inroads  upon  what  were  called  the  outside  settlements, 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Crab  Orchard,  and  Logan's  and  JMcKinney's  stations. 
Tiieir  depredations  became,  at  length,  so  frequent,  that  Col.  Whitley  determined 
to  take  vengeance,  and  deprive  them  of  the  means  of  future  annoyance  ;  and,  with 
this  view,  conceived  the  project  of  conducting  an  expedition  against  their  towns 
on  the  south  side  of  the  Tennessee  river. 

In  the  summer  of  1794  he  wrote  to  Major  Orr,  of  Tennessee,  informing  him  of 
his  design,  and  inviting  the  major  to  join  him  with  as  large  a  force  as  he  could 
raise.  Major  Orr  promptly  complied ;  and  the  two  corps,  which  rendezvoused  at 
Nashville,  numbered  between  five  and  seven  hundred  men.  The  expedition  is 
known  in  history  as  the  Nickajack  expedition,  that  being  the  name  of  the  princi- 
pal town  against  which  its  operations  were  directed.  The  march  was  conducted 
with  such  secrecy  and  dispatch,  that  the  enemy  were  taken  completely  by  sur- 
prise. In  the  battle  which  ensued,  they  were  defeated  with  great  slaughter,  their 
towns  burned,  and  crops  destroyed.  This  was  the  last  hostile  expedition  in  which 
Whitley  was  engaged  during  the  war. 

Very  soon  after  the  general  peace,  he  went  to  some  of  the  southern  Indian 
towns  to  reclaim  some  negroes,  that  had  been  taken  in  the  contest;  when  he  was 
put  under  more  apprehension  than  he  had  been  at  any  time  during  the  war.  A 
half-breed,  by  the  name  of  Jack  Taylor,  who  spoke  English,  and  acted  as  inter- 
preter, if  he  did  not  intend  to  procure  Whitley's  death,  at  least  determined  to  in- 
timidate him.  The  Indians  being  assembled,  as  soon  as  Whitley  had  declared 
the  purpose  of  his  visit,  Taylor  told  him  he  could  not  get  the  negroes  ;  and  taking 
a  bell  that  was  at  hand,  tied  it  to  his  waist,  then  seizing  and  rattling  a  drum, 
raised  the  war-whoop.  Whitley  afterwards  said,' when  telling  the  story,  "I 
thought  the  times  were  squally  ;  I  looked  at  Otter  Lifter:  he  had  told  me  I  should 
not  be  killed; — his  countenance  remained  unchanged.  I  thought  him  a  man  of 
honor,  and  kept  my  own."  At  this  time  the  Indians  gathered  about  him  armed, 
but  fired  their  guns  in  the  air,  to  his  great  relief.  Whitley  finally  succeeded  in 
regaining  his  negroes,  and  returned  home. 

Sometime  after  the  affair  of  the  negroes,  he  again  visited  the  Cherokees,  and 
was  everywhere  received  in  the  most  friendly  manner. 

In  the  year  1813,  being  then  in  the  sixty-fifth  year  of  his  age,  he  volunteered 
with  the  Kentucky  militia,  under  Gov.  Shelby,  and  fell  in  the  decisive  and  victo- 
rious battle  of  the  Thames,  on  the  5th  of  October. 

Col.  Whitley  was  a  man  above  the  ordinary  size,  of  great  muscular  power,  and 
capable  of  enduring  great  fatigue  and  privation.  His  courage  as  a  soldier  was 
unquestionable,  having  been  foremost  in  seventeen  battles  with  the  Indians,  and 
one  with  a  more  civilized  foe.  In  the  battle  of  the  Thames,  he  fell  at  the  first 
fire.  His  memory  is  cherished  throughout  Kentucky  with  profound  respect,  as 
that  of  one  uniting  the  characters  of  patriot  and  hero. 


WOODFORD    COUNTY. 

Woodford  county  was  formed  in  1788,  and  named  after  Gen. 
Wu,LiAM  WooDFuRU.  It  was  thc  last  of  llie  nine  counties  organ- 
ized by  Virginia  previous  to  thc  separation  of  Kentucky,  and  lier 


"GARDEN   OF  KENTUCKY."  553 

admission  into  the  Union.  It  it^  situated  in  tlie  heart  of  the  iState, 
and  drained  by  Kentucky  river  and  its  tributary  streams :  bound- 
ed on  the  north  by  FrankUn  and  Scott ;  east  and  south-east  by 
Fayette  and  Jessamine ;  and  south-west  by  Mercer  and  Ander- 
son, the  Kentucky  river  forming  the  dividing  line.  The  county 
is  triangular  in  shape,  and  comprises  between  one  hundred  and 
eighty  and  one  hundred  and  ninety  square  miles.  The  face  of 
the  country  is  level,  or  very  gently  undulating — the  soil  equal  to 
an}'  in  the  State  in  fertility,  being  based  on  limestone,  and  deep, 
rich  and  friable.  The  timber  is  luxuriant,  and  of  the  finest  qual- 
ity— embracing  the  black  walnut,  blue  and  black  ash,  hickory, 
black  locust,  sugar-tree,  &c.  Woodford  has  been  appropriately 
termed  the  "  asparagus  bed  "  of  Kentucky.  The  farms  are  large, 
generally  under  fence,  and  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation ;  the 
population  intelligent,  refined  and  independent.  Hemp,  corn,  oata 
and  wheat,  are  the  staple  products ;  horses,  mules,  cattle,  hogs, 
bagging  and  bale  rope,  the  principal  exports. 

Valuation  of  taxable  property  in  Woodford  in  1846,  $6,607,- 
906;  number  of  acres  of  land  in  the  county,  116,693;  average 
value  of  land  per  acre,  $32.58  ;  number  of  white  males  over 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  1,367  ;  number  of  children  between  five 
and  sixteen  years  old,  1,038.     Population  in  1840,  11,740. 

Versailles,  the  seat  of  justice  of  Woodford,  is  situated  near 
the  centre  of  the  county,  directly  on  the  turnpike  road  from  Lex- 
ington to  Frankfort,  twelve  miles  from  the  former  and  fourteen 
from  the  latter  place — and  is  a  beautiful,  thriving  town,  with  a 
population  of  about  1400  hundred  souls.  It  contains  a  handsome 
brick  court-house,  and  other  county  buildings;  four  churches,  Bap- 
tist, Presbyterian,  Methodist  and  Christian;  three  female  schools, 
one  seminary,  averaging  nearly  two  hundred  scholars ;  twelve 
lawyers,  fourteen  physicians,  two  taverns,  eight  stores,  four  gro- 
ceries, eight  bagging  factories,  one  wool  factory,  masonic  hall, 
and  twenty  mechanics'  shops.  Established  in  1792,  and  named 
after  the  city  of  Versailles  in  France.  On  the  southern  border  of 
the  town,  about  one  hundred  yards  from  the  court-house,  a  large 
cave  spring,  of  clear,  crystal  water,  issues  from  an  abrupt  break 
on  gradually  descending  ground,  and  flows  ofi"  in  a  stream  of  suf- 
ficient size  to  afford  water  power  for  a  small  grist  mill  or  manu- 
facturing establishment;  and  a  wool  carding  factory,  which  has 
been  burnt  down,  was  formerly  located  upon  it.  This  cave 
or  natural  conduit  runs  under  the  town  in  a  general  direction 
from  north  to  south.  Immediately  over  it,  in  front  of  the 
court-house,  a  public  well  has  been  dug,  which  affords  at  all 
seasons,  an  ample  and  inexhaustible  supply  of  water  for  the 
town. 

Miihray  is  a  handsome  village,  situated  on  the  Lexington  rail 
road,  and  contains  four  hundred  inhabitants.  It  has  three  churches, 
five  physicians,  two  taverns,  three  stores,  two  groceries,  three 
hemp  factories,  two  schools,  and  a  number  of  mechanics'  shops. 
Took  its  name  from  its  central  position  on  the  rail  road  between 


554  WOODFORD    COUNTY. 

Lexington  and  Frankfort.  MorlnnsvUle  is  also  a  neat  village,  sit- 
uated four  miles  south  of  Versailles,  and  two  miles  from  the  Ken- 
tucky river — contains  a  Christian  church,  three  physicians,  one 
female  school,  four  stores  and  groceries,  one  bagging  factory  and 
eight  mechanics'  shops,  with  a  population  of  350.  Named  after 
Mr.  Morton,  the  proprietor. 

From  the  recollections  of  Major  Herman  Bowmar,  senior,  a  venerable  pio- 
neer of  Woodford,  now  nearly  eighty  years  of  age,  active,  sprightly,  and  intelli- 
gent, we  glean  the  following  facts,  concerning  the  settlement  of  that  county, 
sketches  of  character,  incidents,  &c.  The  father  of  Major  Bowmar  removed  to 
Kentucky  in  1779,  and  settled  at  Colonel  Bowman's  station  in  Mercer,  and  in 
1789,  removed  to  Woodford.  In  1791,  Major  Herman  Bowmar,  then  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  was  qualified  as  a  deputy  sheriff  of  Woodford — the  county  then 
embracing  portions  of  the  present  counties  of  Franklin  and  Scott,  being  divided 
into  two  sheriff's  districts.  His  acquaintance,  consequently,  became  extensive, 
and  his  recollections,  kindly  furnished  for  this  work,  show  a  remarkable  tenacity 
of  memory. 

As  late  as  the  year  1782,  there  were  no  settlements  within  the  bounds  of 
the  present  county  of  Woodford.  In  the  winter  of  1782-3,  Captain  Elijah  Craig, 
who  commanded  the  fort  at  Bryant's  station,  in  1782,  removed  to  Woodford,  and 
settled  a  station  about  five  miles  from  Versailles,  and  ten  miles  from  Lexington — 
the  county  of  Woodford  then  composing  a  part  of  the  territory  of  Fayette.  The 
close  of  the  revolutionary  war  caused  an  immense  emigration  to  Kentucky,  and 
during  the  years  1783-4-5-G-7  and  8,  the  increase  of  population  in  Woodford 
was  so  great,  as  to  give  the  county,  at  the  close  of  the  year  last  mentioned,  as 
many  voters  as  there  are  at  present  (1847)  in  her  reduced  territory.  That  por- 
tion of  the  original  territory  of  W^oodford,  lying  on  the  lower  Elkhorn  and  the 
lower  Mercer,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Kentucky  river,  was  an  exposed  and  guar- 
ded frontier  from  1783  to  1793, 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  in  Mercer  county,  there  was  no  man  of  his 
day  who  excelled  Capt.  James  Ray,  (the  late  Gen.  James  Ray,)  in  his  activity, 
bravery  and  efficiency,  as  a  pioneer  commander  and  Indian  fighter.  But  lower 
down,  as  the  frontier  extended,  the  most  active  and  efficient  was  the  late  Capt. 
John  Arnold,  who  settled  a  station  on  the  waters  of  Little  Benson  creek  in  1783, 
about  seven  or  eight  miles  above  the  site  of  Frankfort.  Several  other  stations 
were  settled  higher  up  than  that  of  Arnold,  his  being  the  extreme  frontier;  but 
not  having  sufficient  men  to  guard  them  with  safety,  against  the  apprehended  in- 
cursions of  the  savages,  they  were  abandoned  in  about  a  year,  and  the  occupants 
returned  to  the  older  settlements,  in  Mercer.  These  settlements  were  re-occupied 
in  the  year  1786.  Capt.  John  Arnold  was  the  commandant  of  a  company  of  spies 
for  several  years,  and,  with  Samuel  Hutton  and  others  as  his  associates,  ranged 
the  country  as  far  as  Drennon's  lick. 

In  1792,  Jacob  Coffman,  who  owned  and  resided  on  the  land  on  which  Law- 
renceburg,  the  county  seat  of  Anderson,  is  now  located,  was  killed  and  scalped. 
Maj.  Bowmar  was  of  the  party  raised  to  pursue  the  savages  and  avenge  his  death  ; 
but  the  pursuit  was  unsuccessful.  During  the  same  year,  Capt.  Todd,  residing 
then  in  Woodford,  but  now  embraced  in  the  territory  of  Scott,  was  riding  alone 
down  the  river  hill  where  South  Frankfort  is  situated,  when  he  was  fired  at  by 
several  Indians,  who  waylaid  his  path,  and  killed  and  scalped.  The  men  in  Frank- 
fort heard  the  report  of  the  guns  and  the  scalp  halloo,  but  were  unable  to  cross 
the  river  in  time  to  render  him  any  assistance.  Todd  was  an  estimable  man,  and 
his  death  was  greatly  lamented. 

The  Saturday  before  the  first  Monday  in  May,  1792,  (the  first  election  day  un- 
der the  government  of  Kentucky,)  twenty-five  Indians  crossed  the  Lexington  road 
about  two  miles  above  Frankfort,  and  fired  at  William  Chinn,  who  was  riding 
down  the  road.  Chinn  escaped  unhurt,  and  gave  the  alarm.  About  a  mile  fur- 
ther in  their  progress,  they  took  Jolui  Dimint  ])risoner.  Tliry  then  proceeded 
about  five  miles  further  u|)  into  Wooilfurd,  and  encamped  in  a  rocky  cliff  of  Main 
Glenn's  creek,  eight  or  nine  miles  from  Versailles.  Here  they  remained  during 
the  night  and  succeeding  day  (Sunday).     The  alarm  being  spread   through  the 


GEORGE  M.  BIBB.  555 

surrounding  country,  several  hundred  men  were  out  during  Sunday,  scouring  the 
neighborhood;  twenty-five  of  whom  lodged  at  Lewis  Easterday's,  about  three 
miles  above  Frankfort,  on  Sunday  night.  The  Indians,  on  the  same  night,  were 
induced  by  Dimint  to  go  to  Easterday's  still-house,  where  they  were  unsuccess- 
ful in  obtaining  whisky,  but  managed  to  steal  the  horses  of  the  twenty-five  whites, 
and  by  a  rapid  movement  soon  crossed  Main  Elkhorn.  A  party  under  Col.  John 
Grant,  and  another  under  captains  Nathaniel  Sanders  and  Anthony  Bartlett, — the 
former  from  the  neighborhood  of  Georgetown,  and  the  latter  from  the  south  side 
of  Elkhorn, — having  been  united,  got  upon  the  trail  of  the  Indians,  and  com- 
menced a  rapid  pursuit.  As  they  approached  the  Eagle  hills,  the  Indians  were 
overtaken  by  the  whites,  several  shots  exchanged,  and  one  of  their  number  killed.* 
The  Indians  abandoned  their  horses,  and  fled  precipitately  to  the  hills  with  their 
prisoner.  Dimint  eifected  his  escape  while  the  Indians  were  engaged  in  crossing 
the  Ohio,  and  returned  in  safety  to  his  family,  bringing  home  the  evidence  of  his 
captivity — the  "  buifalo  tug"  with  which  his  arms  had  been  confined. 

Among  the  most  active  and  reliable  men  in  the  defence  of  the  North  Elkhorn 
frontier,  the  settlement  at  the  main  forks  of  Elkhorn,  and  those  at  Frankfort  and 
its  immediate  neighborhood,  were  Col.  John  K.  Grant  and  Capt.  Samuel  Grant, 
with  their  brothers;  Maj.  Thomas  Herndon  and  Jacob  Tucker;  the  late  Col. 
James  Johnson  and  Capt.  Lucket,  as  they  grew  up ;  Capt.  Nathaniel  Sanders, 
Capt.  A.  Bartlett,  Capt.  Pemberton,  (the  late  Gen.  Bennet  Pemberton,)  and  Wil- 
liam Haydon  and  sons.  On  the  Elkhorn,  below  the  forks,  old  Mr.  Church  and 
sons,  Jeremiah  Craig,  and  others,  distinguished  themselves  by  their  bravery  and 
zeal, 

Woodford  was  principally  settled  by  emigrants  from  eastern  and  western  Vir- 
ginia ;  but  there  were  many  families  from  the  states  of  North  Carolina,  Mary- 
land, Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey,  and  quite  a  respectable  number  from  Ireland 
and  Germany. 

The  Honorable  George  M.  BiBB,f  is  a  native  of  Virginia — emigrated  to  Ken- 
tucky when  young — studied  law,  and  soon  distinguished  himself  at  the  bar  for  his 
legal  acquirements,  solid  judgment  and  cogent  reasoning.  He  rose  rapidly  in 
his  profession,  and  it  was  not  long  before  he  was  numbered  among  the  ablest  and 
soundest  lawyers  in  the  country.  He  became  well  known  in  a  short  time — was 
in  politics  a  republican — acquired  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  his  countrymen, 
to  which  his  honest,  consistent  and  undeviating  advocacy  of  the  rights  of  the 
occupying  claimants  contributed  not  a  little.  He  was  appointed  by  the  legisla- 
ture of  Kentucky  to  defend  the  occupying  claimant  laws  before  the  supreme 
court  of  the  United  States  and  against  the  State  of  Virginia — a  trust  which  he 
discharged  with  great  ability  and  in  a  very  satisfactory  manner  to  his  countrymen. 

Judge  Bibb  has  been  three  times  chief  justice  of  the  State  of  Kentucky — the 
second  time  upon  the  reorganization  of  the  court  of  appeals  at  the  session  of 
1824—5 — consequently  belonged  to  the  new  court  side  of  the  old  and  new  court 
question,  by  which  the  State  was  so  long  and  so  fearfully  agitated  about  that 
time,  and  of  course  believed  in  the  competency  of  the  legislature  to  enact  what  were 
called  relief  laws — including  laws  for  the  stay  of  execution,  replevin  laws,  and 
laws  for  the  valuation  of  property  taken  in  execution — without  which  power,  the 
legislative  branch  of  the  government  would  seem  to  be  imperfect. 

Judge  Bibb  has  been  twice  elected  to  the  senate  of  the  United  States — the 
last  time  when  General  Jackson  was  first  elected  president  of  the  United  States 
— to  whom  he  gave  his  cordial  support,  both  when  the  general  was  first  a  candi- 
date in  1824,  and  when  he  was  elected  in  1828 — which  support  was  in  a  short 
time  withdrawn,  however.  What  cause  of  dissatisfaction  he  had  with  that  illus- 
trious patriot,  is  but  imperfectly  known  to  the  writer  of  this  sketch. 

Upon  the  Judge's  retirement  from  the  Senate,  he  was  appointed  chancellor  of 
the  chancery  court  of  the  city  of  Louisville,  in  which  tribunal  he  fully  sustained 
his  high  character  as  an  able  and  impartial  administrator  of  justice.  And  in  that 
office  he  continued  until  invited  in  1844,  by  President  Tyler,  to  take  charge  of  the 
treasury  department  of  the  United  States.     From  this  he  retired  in  1845,  upon 

*Tlie  respective  friends  of  Col.  Grant  and  Capt.  Sanders,  claimed  for  their  commander  the  honor 
of  sliooting  this  Indian. 

t  The  sketch  of  .Ind-i^e  Bilib  properly  belonffs  to  Franklin  or  Jefferson,  but  was  not  received  until 
aAer  the  descriptions  of  those  counties  were  stereotyped. 


556  WOODFORD   COUNTY. 

the  inauguration  of  President  Polk  ;  and  since  then  he  has  resided  at  Washing- 
ton city,  practicing  law  in  the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States,  and  in  the 
courts  of  the  district  of  Columbia  ;  and  has  the  rare  good  fortune  of  enjoying  in 
the  evening  of  his  life,  much  of  the  activity,  with  all  the  mental  vigor  and  viva- 
city of  his  younger  days. 

The  Honorable  John  J.  Crittenden,  of  the  United  States'  senate  ;  the  Honor- 
able John  J.  Marshall,  late  judge  of  the  Louisville  circuit  court;  and  the  Hon- 
orable Thomas  A.  Marshall,  chief  justice  of  the  State  of  Kentucky,  were  all 
natives  of  Woodford  county. 

General  William  Woodford,  in  honor  of  whom  this  county  received  its  name, 
a  revolutionary  officer  of  high  merit,  was  born  in  Caroline  county,  Virginia.  He 
early  distinguished  himself  in  the  French  and  Indian  war.  Upon  the  assembling 
of  the  Virginia  troops  in  Williamsburg,  in  1775,  consequent  upon  the  hostile  atti- 
tude of  Lord  Dunmore,  he  was  appointed  colonel  of  the  second  regiment.  In 
the  military  operations  immediately  subsequent,  in  that  section  of  the  State,  his 
name  is  honorably  mentioned  in  history,  particularly  at  the  battle  of  Great  Bridge, 
fought  December  9th,  upon  which  occasion  he  had  the  chief  command,  and 
gained  a  signal  victory  over  the  enemy.  He  was  finally  promoted  to  the  com- 
smand  of  the  first  brigade,  in  which  station  he  served  through  the  war.  He  was 
in  various  actions,  in  one  of  which,  the  battle  of  Brandywine,  he  was  wounded. 
He  was  made  prisoner  by  the  British  in  1780,  during  the  siege  of  Charleston, 
and  taken  to  New  York,  where  he  died  on  the  13th  of  November,  of  that  year, 
in  the  46th  year  of  his  age. 


APPENDIX. 


The  following  account  of  the  last  excursion  of  the  Indians  into  Kentucky,  is 

copied  from  M'l)onald's  Sketches.     It  should  have  appeared  under  the  head  of 

Mason  County,  but  was  accidentally  omitted  ; 

'■111  the  course  of  tliis  summer  (1793),  the  spies  who  had  been  down  the  Ohio,  below  Limestone, 
discovered  wliere  a  party  of  about  twenty  Indians  had  crossed  the  Ohio,  and  sunk  their  canoes  in  the 
mouth  of  Holt's  creek.  The  sinking  of  their  canoes,  and  concealing  them,  was  evidence  of  the  in- 
tention of  the  Indians  to  re-cross  the  Ohio  at  the  same  place.  When  Kenton  received  this  intelli- 
gence, he  dispatched  a  messenger  to  Bourbon  county,  to  apprise  them  that  the  Indians  had  crossed 
the  Ohio, and  had  taken  that  direction;  whilst  he  forthwith  collected  a  small  party  of  choice  spirits, 
whom  he  could  depend  upon  in  cases  of  emergency.  Among  them  was  Cornelius  Washliurn,  who 
hail  tlie  cunning  of  a  fox.  for  ambuscading,  and  the  daring  of  u  lion  for  encounlering.  With  this 
party,  Kenton  crossed  the  Ohio,  at  Limestone,  and  proceeded  down  to  opposite  the  mouth  of  Holt's 
creek,  where  the  Iiidian  canoes  lay  concealed.  Here  his  party  lay  concealed  four  days,  before  they 
saw  or  heard  anything  of  the  Indians.  On  the  fourth  day  of  their  ambuscade,  they  observed  three 
Indians  come  down  the  bank,  and  drive  six  horses  into  the  river.  The  horses  swam  over.  The 
Indians  tlien  raised  one  of  their  canoes  they  had  sunk,  and  crossed  over.  When  the  Indians  came 
near  the  shore,  Kenton  discovered,  that  of  the  three  men  in  the  canoe,  one  was  a  while  man.  As  he 
thought  the  white  man  was  probably  a  pri.'^oner,  he  ordered  his  men  to  fire  alone  at  the  Indians,  and 
save  the  white  man.  His  men  fired  ;  the  two  Indians  fell.  The  headway  which  the  canoe  had,  ran 
it  upon  the  shore;  the  white  man  in  the  canoe  picked  up  his  gun,  and  as  Kenton  ran  down  to  the 
water's  edge,  to  receive  the  man,  he  snapped  his  gun  at  the  whites.  Kenton  then  ordered  his  men 
to  kill  him.  He  was  immediately  shot.  About  three  or  four  hours  afterwards,  on  the  same  day,  two 
more  Indians,  and  another  white  man,  came  to  the  river,  and  drove  in  five  horses.  The  horses  swam 
over;  and  the  Indians  raised  another  of  their  sunk  canoes,  and  followed  the  horses  across  the  Ohio. 
As  .soon  as  the  canoe  touched  the  shore  with  the  Indians,  Kenton's  party  fired  upon  them  and  killed 
them  all.  The  white  man.  who  was  with  this  party  of  Indians,  had  his  ears  cut.  his  nose  bored,  and 
.'ill  the  marks  which  distinguish  the  Indians.  Keiilon  and  his  men  still  kept  up  the  ambuscade, 
knowing  tliere  were  still  more  Indians,  and  one  canoe  behind.  Some  time  in  the  night,  the  main 
body  of  the  Indians  came  to  the  place  where  their  canoes  were  sunk,  and  hooted  like  owls;  bul  not 
receiving  any  answer,  they  began  to  think  all  was  not  right.  The  Indians  were  as  vigilant  a? 
weasels.  The  two  parties  who  had  been  killed,  the  main  body  expected  to  find  encamped  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Ohio ;  and  as  no  answer  was  given  to  their  hooting,  which  was  doubtless  agreed 
upon  as  a  countersign,  one  of  the  Indians  must  have  swum  the  river  to  reconnoitre,  and  discover 
what  had  become  of  their  friends.  The  Indian  who  swam  the  river,  must  have  discovered  the  am- 
buscade. He  went  upon  a  high  hill,  or  knoii,  which  was  immediately  in  Kenton's  rear,  and  gave 
three  long  and  loud  yells;  after  which  he  informed  his  friends  that  they  must  immediately  make 
their  escape,  as  there  was  a  party  of  whiles  waylaying  them.  Kenton  had  several  men  who  under- 
stood the  Indian  language.    Not  many  minutes  after  the  Indian  on  the  hill  had  warned  his  com- 


APPENDIX.  557 

panions  of  their  danger,  the  Bourbon  militia  came  up.  It  being  dark,  the  Indians  broke  and  run, 
leaving  about  thirty  horses,  which  they  had  stolen  from  about  Bourbon.  The  next  morning,  some 
aueni|its  were  made  to  pursue  the  Indians;  but  they  had  scattered  and  straggled  olf  in  sucn  small 
parties,  tliat  the  pursuit  was  abandoned,  and  Kenton  and  his  party  returned  home,  without  tlic  adair 
making  any  more  noise  or  eclat  than  would  have  taken  place  on  ihe  return  ot'  a  party  from  a  com- 
mon hunliiig  lour.  Although  Kenton  and  his  party  did  not  succeed  as  well  us  they  could  wish,  or 
Iheir  friends  expected,  yet  the  Indians  were  completely  foiled  and  defeated  m  their  object;  six  of 
them  were  killed,  and  all  the  horses  ihey  had  stolen  were  retaken,  and  the  remainder  of  the  Indians 
scattered,  to  return  home  in  small  squads.  This  was  the  last  inroad  the  Indians  made  in  Kentucky  j 
from  henceforward  they  lived  free  from  all  alarms." 


SCIENCE  AND  LITERATURE,  IN  KENTUCKY. 

BY      A      KENTUCKIAN. 

The  following  contribution  to  the  literary  history  of  the  West,  is  but  a  frag- 
ment; yet,  it  is  lioped,  that  it  may  serve  as  a  stimulus  to  those  who  have  oppor- 
tunity and  ability  to  do  full  justice  to  western  talent.  In  presenting  the  casual 
sketches  which  follow,  we  aim  merely  to  call  attention  to  the  subject.  We  are 
by  no  means  indifferent  to  the  merits  of  many  other  distinguished  and  gifted  sons 
of  Kentucky;  and  would  gladly,  were  it  in  our  power,  at  present,  enlarge  this 
sketch  to  a  full  outline  of  the  science  and  literature  of  our  native  state. 

In  literature,  science,  and  the  arts,  the  condition  of  the  Western  States  has  not  been  favorable  to 
progress.  The  talent,  and  force  of  character,  which  Kentuckians  have  so  often  manifested  in  a 
brilliant  manner,  have  tbund  their  field  in  business,  in  personal  adventures,  enterprise,  war  and 
emigration,  or  m  forensic  and  political  strife.  'The  calm  pursuit  of  letters  was  not  Uie  natural  voca- 
tion of  the  brave  pioneers,  or  of  their  immediate  descendants.  Yet  even  under  these  adverse  cip- 
cumstances,  Kentucky  has  had  not  only  orators,  soldiers,  and  statesmen  of  the  first  rank,  but  artists, 
scholars,  and  literary  men  of  whom  she  may  be  justly  proud.  The  bar  of  Kentucky,  some  thirty  or 
forty  years  since,  was  probably  unsurpassed  in  any  other  State.  Her  Allen,  Rowan,  Clay,  Daviess, 
Hays,  and  others,  were  truly  intellectual  giants.  Her  artists  have  won  high  distinction.  The  produo. 
tions  of  Jouett  display  the  hand  of  a  master,  and  compare  favorably  with  European  standard* 
Among  her  male  and  female  poetical  writers,  we  might  name  several  %vho  have  an  American  repu- 
tation. Her  men  of  science  and  invention  have  produced  works  of  ability,  and  inventions  of  the 
highest  iniporlance.  We  do  not  propose  even  to  enumerate  these,  but  we  cannot  abstain  from  allud- 
ing to  one  of  Kentucky's  brave  and  hardy  pioneers,  John  Fitch,  who  while  engaged  in  exploring  tha 
wilderness  and  rivers  of  the  west,  and  wielding  his  rifle  in  expeditions  against  the  hostile  savages, 
conceived  the  great  invention  of  the  steamboat  at  a  time  when  he  was  not  even  aware  of  the  exis- 
tence of  a  steam  engine.  Having  demonstrated  the  practicability  of  his  invention  long  before  tha 
more  successful  Fulton  introduced  the  steamboat  into  general  use,  he  is  undoubtedly  entitled  to  tha 
highest  rank  among  American  inventors.  No  invention  has  contributed  more  to  the  wealth  and 
power  of  the  West  than  the  Steamboat.  To  John  Fitch  belongs  the  honor  of  demonstrating  mora 
than  sixty  years  ago,  that  the  rivers  of  the  West  would  be  navigated,  and  the  Atlantic  ocean  cros* 
ed  by  steam  ;  and  although  he  was  not  sustained  by  public  or  private  co-operation  in  carrying  out 
his  whole  scheme — he  was  enabled  to  build  a  steamboat  which  in  1786  at  Philadelphia  made  a  speed 
of  eight  miles  an  hour.  Fitch  was  truly  one  of  our  greatest  national  benetactors.  The  comparaliva 
neglect  of  his  high  claims  upon  the  gratitude  of  hi.s  countrymen  inspires  us  with  a  lively  sympathy 
ill  las  behalf  He  enjoys  however  that  honor  which  Cato  preferred — for  we  may  well  ask  why  his 
countrymen  have  not  erected  a  monument  to  his  memory. 

In  medical  science,  Kentucky  has  not  been  backward.  Her  two  medical  colleges  are  the  most 
prosperous  in  the  West,  and  some  fifteen  or  twenty  of  her  talented  sons  have  been  called  to  occupy 
professorships  in  the  medical  colleges  of  other  states.  We  do  not  propose  to  enumerate  her  dia- 
tinguished  medical  men,  but  offer  the  following  sketches — the  materials  for  which  happened  to  be 
within  our  reach,  as  specimens  of  Kentucky  talent. 

Dr.  BENJAMtN  WiLKiNS  DuDLEY  has  long  been  conspicuous  as  an  eminent  surgeon.  Dr.  D.  wa9 
born  in  Spottsylvania  Co.,  Virginia,  April  12.  1785.  Some  months  after  his  birth,  his  father  emigrated 
to  Kentucky.  Dr.  D.  was  educated  in  Transylvania  University.  In  his  professional  studies  he  atr 
tended  the  courses  of  lectures  at  Philadelphia,  and  graduated  in  ISOG.  Alter  thus  receiving  the  in» 
structions  of  Rush.  Barton,  Physic,  Shippen,  Woodhouse  and  AVistar,  he  practised  his  profession  at 
Lexington  until  1810. — then  visited  London  and  Pans,  and  spent  four  years  in  those  cities,  profiting 
by  the  instructions  of  Cooper,  Dupuytren,  Larrey,  Boyer,  Dubois,  Abernethey,  Cline,  Cuvier.  tie. 
After  a  pupilage  of  two  years  in  the  hospitals  of  London,  he  was  honored  with  a  degree,  which  con- 
stituted him  a  member  of  the  Royal  College  of  Surgeons.  Not  only  were  his  pecuniary  means  ex- 
hausted by  this  long  residence  abroad,  but  his  books  and  instruments,  and  a  cabinet  of  rare  minerals, 
were  destroyed  by  Ihe  burning  of-lhe  custom  house  at  London. 

He  returned  to  Lexington,  and  soon  stood  in  the  front  rank  of  the  profession.  His  fame  filled  the 
■outhwest,  and  in  1818  he  was  appointed  to  fill  the  anatomical  and  surgical  chair  of  the  Medical  De- 
partment of  Transylvania  University.  His  appointment  was  co-eval  with  the  successful  estab- 
lishment 01  the  Medical  College  at  Lexington,  of  which  he  has  been  ever  since,  the  principal  support. 
For  about  thirty  years  past  Dr.  D.  has  enjoyed  an  amount  of  reputation  and  influence  which  few  pro- 
fessional men  have  ever  attained.  Standing  lor  many  years  at  the  head  of  Western  surgery, 
his  lectures  were  highly  prized  by  students,  and  the  clear  impressive  manner  in  which  he  imparted 
his  instruction  made  an  indelible  impression  upon  their  minds. 

As  a  surgeon  he  has  not  been  a  mere  mechanical  operator,  but  has  strictly  attended  to  constitu- 
tional treutmfut.  Hence  his  success  in  the  use  of  the  knife.  As  a  lithotomist  he  is  probably  unsur- 
passed. He  has  operated  upon  192  cases  of  stone  in  the  bladder.  His  operations  upon  the  eye  have 
been  very  numerous.  Among  other  important  operations,  he  has  perforated  the  cranium  in  some 
twelve  or  more  cases  for  the  relief  of  epilepsy.    In  the  treatment  of  chronic  affections  of  the  urethra 


558  APPENDIX. 

and  liladiler.  his  views  are  quite  original.  The  most  remarkable  peculiarities  of  his  practice,  how- 
ever, are  based  upon  his  views  of  the  utility  of  his  favorite  instrument — the  bandage.  Its  efficien- 
cy m  tlie  treatment  of  aneurism,  fractures,  ulcers  &c.,  has  been  amply  illustrated  in  his  hands. 

The  merits  of  Dr.  Dudley  are  strictly  professional.  In  general  literature  and  science  he  has  no 
pretensions.  In  his  profession,  his  reputation  is  based  upon  his  practice  and  his  lectures;  having 
done  nolhingby  his  pen  for  the  benefit  of  the  science,  notwithstanding  his  ample  fund  of  profession- 
al experience.  With  no  intellectual  reputation  at  the  commencement  of  his  career,  he  has  achiev- 
ed by  his  energy,  skill  and  address,  an  enviable  distinction;  and  will  long  be  remembered  as  the  dis- 
linguislied  surgeon  of  Kentucky.  As  the  prominent  man  of  the  Transylvania  school,  the  fact  of  his 
occupying  for  many  years  the  two  chairs  of  Anatomy  and  Surgery,  illustrates  the  importance  at- 
tached to  his  services.  The  aggregate  numbers  of  the  classes  to  which  he  has  lectured,  amount  to 
near  six  thousand; — 1660  is  the  number  of  graduates  under  his  teachings.  His  personal  appearance 
and  manner  as  a  lecturer,  are  striking  and  impressive.  His  stature  is  moderate,  his  voice  strong, 
tliough  not  sonorous  or  loud ;  his  face  marked  hy  the  lines  which  indicate  a  strong  character;  and 
Ills  head  sucli  as  would  indicate  to  the  phrenologist  an  influential  and  original  mind. 

Dr.  Daniel  Drake,  for  about  thirty  years,  has  been  distinguished  as  a  medical  professor  in  the 
medical  colleges  of  Lexington,  Philadelphia,  Cincinnati  and  Louisville.  In  the  latter  city  he  holds  at 
present  the  cliair  of  Theory  and  Practice  of  Medicine,  in  the  most  flourishing  institution  of  the 
AVestern  country.  No  medical  name  is  more  extenisively  known  in  the  Western  and  Southwestern 
states,  than  that  of  Dr.  Drake. 

Dr.  D.  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  about  sixty  two  years  since.  In  his  second  j'ear  the  family  re- 
moved to  Kentucky  .  In  his  professional  career  he  has  been  identified  with  the  West.  Unlike  Dr. 
Dudley,  the  talents  of  Dr.  Drake  have  been  as  showy  in  other  departments  as  in  his  own  profession. 
In  general  literature  and  science,  and  in  the  various  social,  moral  and  literary  enterprises  of  the  limes, 
Dr.  D.  has  been  actively  engaged.  Having  an  extensive  fund  of  information,  an  easy  and  fluent  de- 
livery; with  a  fund  of  humour,  and  even  eloquence;  he  has  often  been  conspicuous  as  a  public 
speaker  on  popular  and  professional  subjects.  The  professional  distinction  of  Dr.  Drake  has  not 
been  of  that  solid  practical  character  which  commands  the  highest  reverence  of  the  members  of  the 
profession.  Though  familiar  with  medical  literature,  and  capable  of  lecturing  or  writing  in  a  pleas- 
ing style  upon  the  current  topics  of  interest;  his  productions  have  not  been  of  that  extent  or  elabor- 
ateness necessary  to  a  very  lasting  reputation.  Nor  has  his  practical  professional  skill  been  conce- 
ded by  all.  In  the  course  of  a  long  and  restless  career,  he  has  sometimes  been  engaged  in  strife  with 
his  professional  brethren,  and  has  therefore,  decided  enemies  or  opponents  as  well  as  friends;  be- 
tween whom  there  is  some  diti'erence  in  their  estimate  of  his  professional  worth.  An  impartial 
spectator,  however,  cannot  but  concede  to  Dr.  D.  the  possession  of  decided  talent,  varied  acquire- 
ments and  versatile  powers ;  with  remarkable  excellence  as  a  public  lecturer  and  miscellaneou« 
professional  writer.  It  has  been  said  that  Dr.  D.  contemplates  the  publication  of  an  elaborate  medi- 
cal work,  upon  which  he  has  been  engaged  some  years.  Such  a  publication  would  give  his  reputa- 
tion a  more  permanent  basis. 

Dr.  Charles  Caldwell,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  medical  Professors  and  most  voluminous 
writers  of  America,  is  at  present  Professor  of  the  Institutes  of  Medicine  in  the  Louisville  Medical 
Institute.  As  a  cotemporary  of  Rush  and  Physic,  he  may  be  said  to  belong  to  a  past  generation  ;  but 
he  still  retains  in  an  extraordinary  degree  his  inexhaustible  vigor  of  mind  and  body. 

Dr.  Caldwell  was  born  in  Caswell  Co.,  N.  C,  about  the  year  1772.  At  nine  years  of  age  he  was 
sent  to  school,  and  after  two  years  in  the  log  cabin  schools  of  Caswell  and  Cabarrus  counties,  was 
considered  master  of  all  their  teachers  could  impart.  Having  surpassed  all  his  schoolfellows,  he 
was  permitted  by  his  father  to  attend  a  Latin  school,  on  condition  that  he  allowed  no  fellow  pupil 
to  surpass  him  in  his  studies.  The  conditiou  was  fulfilled,  and  by  the  age  of  fourteen  he  liad  mas- 
tered the  Latin,  Greek  and  all  the  other  studies  of  the  classical  schools.  His  father  wislied  him  to 
study  Divinity,  but  he  declined  ;  and  taking  an  independent  course,  opened  a  grammar  school  in  Ire- 
dell couniy,  which  was  attended  by  several  pupils  much  older  than  himself  One  year  spent  in  this,  and 
two  in  another  grammar  school  in  that  county,  completed  his  seventeenth  year.  He  then  commen- 
ced the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr.  Harris,  of  Salisbury,  N.  C.  After  a  year  and  a  half  of  private 
study,  he  removed  to  Philadelphia,  and  graduated  in  the  medical  school  of  that  city,  in  which  Rush, 
Wislar  and  Shippen  were  professors.  In  1795  he  commenced  his  career  of  authorship  by  the  trans- 
lation of  Blumenbach's  Elements  of  Physiology.  This  period  of  his  life  was  one  of  extraordinary 
mental  activity,  being  often  engaged  from  eighteen  to  twenty  hours  of  ihe  twenty-four,  in  active  men- 
tal labour,  and  taking  but  four  hours  sleep  !  In  this  respect  Dr.  C.  has  been  throughout  his  life  an 
admiralile  model  for  the  ambitious  student  ;  and  even  at  tlie  present  time  there  are  few  young  men 
who  can  rival  his  mental  activity  and  scholastic  assiduity.  Knowing  his  habits,  one  need  not  be  sur- 
prised at  the  extent  of  his  lilefary  labors.  Dr.  C.  has  written  and  published  in  the  course  of  his  life,  a 
vast  number  of  productions — his  essays,  translations,  pamphlets  and  books  on  various  subjects  have 
lieen  estimated  to  amount  in  the  aggregate  to  more  than  ten  thousand  pages,  and  perhaps  eleven  thous- 
and would  be  nearer  the  triilh.  In  reviewing  the  voluminous  collection,  we  are  struck  with  the  great 
diversity  of  bis  writings — Medicine,  History,  Biography,  Poetry  and  Fiction,  Jurisprudence,  Phre- 
nology, Kducation,  Penal  Law,  Hygiene,  Mesmerism,  Philosophy,  the  Languages,  iNIorals,  the 
Physical  Sciences,  and  the  Ancient  Classics  have  each  been  the  subject  of  essays  or  volumes.  He 
has  made  in  the  aggregate  two  hundred  and  eleven  distinct  publications.  Four-fifths  of  lliis  number 
do  not  exceed  fifly  pages  in  length — twenty-one  are  above  1(10  pages — thirteen  above  200,  and  six 
of  three  hundred  .and  upwards.  Notwithstanding  the  extent  of  his  literary,  and  scientific  labors,  Dr. 
C.  has  not  achieved  the  solid  and  commanding  reputation  to  which  his  abilities,  energj'  and  perse- 
verance were  justly  entitled.  This  may  be  auributed  partly  to  the  lack  of  concentration.  Writing 
upon  all  subjects  with  graceful  facility,  he  has  produced  no  imposing  original  work  upon  which  his 
fame  might  rest.  ■  At  the  same  lime  delighting  in  philosophy  and  argumeniative  discussion,  rather 
than  in  practical  details,  he  has  acquired  the  character  of  a  speculative,  rather  than  practical  writer; 
and  having  a  higher  degree  of  mental  liberality  than  his  cotemporaries,  he  has  generally  been  too 
much  in  advance  of  the  age.  to  be  fully  appreciated.  His  position  has  always  been  in  the  van.  In 
Medical  Jurisprudence  he  was  in  conjunction  with  Dr.  Stringham,  the  first  in  the  United  Stales  to 
deliver  a  course  of  lectures.  The  first  cour.se  of  clinical  lectures  in  the  Philadelphia  Almshouse  (now 
Blockley  Hospital)  was  delivered  by  Dr.  C.  He  was  the  first  prominent  champion  of  Phrenology 
in  till'  ITiiiied  States,  and  may  be  regarded  as  the  father  of  Ihe  science  in  Ibis  country.  In  Mesmer- 
ism too,  he  was  one  of  the  few  distinguished  men  who  openly  and  manfully  espoused  the  cause  of 
scientific  truth,  in  the  face  of  public  ridicule  and  opposition. 

The  principal  professional  labors  of  Dr.  C.  have  been  in  the  teaching  of  philosophical  medicine, 
in  which  he  has  been  engaged  nearly  thirty  years,  as  Professor  of  the  Institutes  at  Lexington  and 
LouisviUo.    In  the  former  city  he  was  the  most  distinguished  member  of  the  Faculty,  by  whom  the 


APPENDIX.  559 

medical  department  was  successfully  established ;  and  in  the  latter  he  may  he  regarded  as  the  founder 
of  the  Medical  Institute,  having  been  the  most  prominent  actor  in  its  establishment. 

Prof.  Caldwell  lias  received  many  honors  in  the  course  of  his  life,  and  enjoys  a  European,  as  well 
as  American  reputation,  lie  has  a  remarkably  venerable  and  distinguished  personal  appearance; 
a  dignified  bearing ;  a  great  flow  of  conversation,  and  inexhaustible  energy.  As  a  writer,  he  is 
always  clear  and  instructive.  Though  somewhat  diffuse  in  style,  he  has  no  idle  verbiage — no  ab- 
surdities in  thought — no  violations  ot  good  taste.  In  conversation,  writing,  or  lecturing,  he  has  ever 
the  same  strong,  steady  current  of  thought.  Never  inventive,  but  always  independent  in  his  views, 
never  brilliant,  but  always  polished;  never  sublime,  but  generally  elevated  ;  never  enthusiastic,  but 
always  earnest;  never  very  practical,  yet  always  rational,  instructive  and  useful;  never  rash  in 
his  intellectual  progress,  y-et  always  in  advance  of  most  of  his  cotemporaries.  It  may  be  said,  upon 
the  whole,  that  tew  have  done  so  mueh,  and  done  so  well ;  and  although  not  adapted  to  general  popu- 
larity, he  has  gained  a  wide-spread  reputation  among  liberal  minds. 

Dr.  John  Milton  Hakney,  a  distinguished  poet,  was  the  son  of  Major  Thos.  Harney,  of  Delaware, 
who  emigrated  to  Tennessee,  and  settled  near  Nashville,  in  1791.  The  birth  of  Dr.  Harney  occurred 
in  Sussex  Co.,  Delaware,  March  9th,  1789.  Major  Harney  was  a  gallant  and  accomplished  gentle- 
man, and  his  traits  of  character  have  been  inherited  by  his  descendants.  His  youngest  son,  Col.  W. 
S.  Harney,  has  been  distinguished  as  a  brave  and  efficient  officer  in  the  Florida  campaigns,  and  in 
the  present  war  with  Mexico.  His  eldest  son,  Dr.  Benj.  F.  Ifarney,  is  the  oldest  surgeon  in  the  U.  S. 
Army.  His  .second  son,  Dr.  Jno.  M.  Harney,  the  subject  of  our  sketch,  manifested  not  only  a  vigor- 
ous and  brilliant  intellect,  but  an  exalted  sense  of  honor,  purity  of  life  and  dignity  of  character. 

We  have  but  few  details  of  the  life  of  Dr.  II.  It  is  known  that  he  settled  at  Bardstown,  Ky..  in  th« 
practice  of  his  profession,  where  he  was  much  esteemed  and  admired.  He  married  a  daughter  of 
Judge  Rowan,  in  1814,  by  whom  he  had  a  daughter  (now  living.)  Mrs.  H.  did  not  long  survive  the 
birlli  of  her  daughter.  After  her  death.  Dr.  H.  went  to  New  York,  visited  England,  Ireland,  France 
and  Spain;  and  spent  some  time  as  surgeon  in  the  naval  service  of  Buenos  Ayres.  Subsequently 
he  Settled  at  Savannah,  where  he  edited  with  ability  a  political  newspaper.  Being  out  of  health  at 
the  time  that  a  fire  broke  out  in  Savannah,  liis  exposure  while  laboring  to  extinguish  the  flames, 
proiluced  an  impression  upon  his  constitution  from  which  he  never  recovered.  He  returned  to  Ken- 
tucky, and  died  at  Bardstown,  Jan.  15,  1825,  in  his  36th  year.  In  his  latter  years.  Dr.  H.  became 
deeply  impressed  with  the  truth  of  Christianity,  and  after  full  investigation,  adopted  the  Roman 
Catholic  faith. 

Dr.  Harney  possessed  a  highly  poetical  temperament.  Ardent  and  firm,  yet  keenly,  almost  mo»- 
bidly  sensitive ;  generous,  affectionate,  grave  and  pensive,  full  of  romance  and  chivalry,  his  personal 
character  was  just  what  we  should  look  for  in  the  true  epic  poet.  As  a  poet,  although  most  of  his 
productions  have  been  lost,  there  is  sufficient  evidence  that  he  was  entitled  to  a  high  rank.  Critics 
and  poets  who  have  been  familiar  with  his  writings,  affirm  that  his  genius  was  truly  of  a  high  order. 
In  reading,  after  his,  the  works  of  Milton,  Thompson,  Pope  and  Cowper,  we  feel  that  Harney's  was 
a  kindred  spirit,  and  that  he  might  have  won  a  place  in  the  brightest  constellations  of  either  hemis- 
phere. 

The  principal  evidences  of  his  powers  are  now  unfortunately  lost,  in  consequence  of  the  sudden 
deaths  of  individuals  who  had  his  manuscripts  in  charge;  but  in  his  Crystallina,  Fever  Dream,  and 
some  other  of  his  productions,  there  is  the  evident  impress  of  genius;  and  on  the  memories  of  those 
who  knew  him,  the  impression  of  his  mental  superiority  was  firmlv  stamped.  Owing  to  his  extreme 
sensitiveness,  he  suppressed  nearly  the  whole  of  the  edition  of  his  Crystallina,  when  he  experienced 
the  annoyance  of  unfriendly  criticism.  Subsequently  for  some  years  he  occupied  his  leisure  in  the 
preparation  of  an  epic  poem  of  some  length,  which  is  believed  to  have  been  worthy  of  his  abilities. 
This,  and  many  other  productions  of  his  pen,  are  probably  irrecoverably  lost;  but  in  the  memory  of 
those  who  knew  and  honored  him,  there  was  a  consciousness  of  his  powers,  independent  of  any  writ- 
ten manifestation,  and  among  those  who  enjoyed  the  perusal  of  his  manuscript,  there  was  an  ardent 
admiration  of  his  genius.  The  classical  scholar,  the  critic  and  the  poet  alike  honored  the  name  of 
Harney. 

Dr.  Joseph  Buchanan,  a  philosopher,  mathematician  and  mechanical  inventor,  was  born  In 
Washington  Co.  Va.,  Aug.  24, 1785,  removed  to  Tennessee  in  1795,  visited  Kentucky  for  the  comple- 
tion of  his  education  in  1804,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  chiefly  in  that  state,  in  scientific  and 
literary  occupations. 

His  boyhood  in  Tennessee  (on  the  Cumberland)  was  spent  amid  the  usual  hardships  of  a  frontier 
life  and  poverty,  with  but  trifling  opportunities  of  education.  In  1802  he  repaired  to  a  grammar 
school  near  Nashville ;  where  he  spent  five  months,  and  by  his  remarkable  proficiency  astonished 
his  class-mates  and  "obtained  the  reputation  of  a  great  genius."  Having  made  as  he  conceived  an 
important  invention  for  mills,  he  wished  to  devote  his  attention  to  the  execution  of  his  invention, 
but  upon  a  critical  review  of  his  plan,  discovered  a  defect,  and  gave  it  up.  In  1803  he  returned  to 
the  Academy,  and  in  the  course  of  nine  months  mastered  the  Latin  language,  and  distinguished  him- 
self by  original  composition.  "He  was  so  fond  of  originality  in  all  his  essays,  that  he  would  not 
even  condescend  to  write  on  any  subject  on  which  he  had  ever  read  anything." 

In  1M)4  he  was  sent  by  his  guardian  Major  Edmonson,  to  Transylvania  University  at  Lexington, 
Ky.  Rustic  and  diffident — enteebled  by  intense  study  and  a  pulmonary  fever,  he  passed  for  a  sim- 
pleton, until  his  proficiency  in  mathematiral  studies  again  made  him  conspicuous.  In  studying  Fer- 
guson's Optics,  he  detected  an  error  of  the  author  in  regard  to  the  focal  distances  of  lenses.  His 
professor  sustained  the  author  and  put  him  down  by  authority.  When  the  weekly  theses  were  han- 
ded in,  Buchanan  gave  in  as  his,  the  disputed  proposition  concerning  the  lenses,  and  proposed  to 
render  it  sufiiciently  long  by  a  demonstration  on  the  black  board.  The  professor,  however,  would 
not  permit  him  to  use  the  board  and  gain  a  mathematical  triumph.  During  the  vacation  he  publish- 
ed a  mathematical  pamphlet  of  20  pages,  demonstrating  the  sufficiency  of  gravitation  for  the  celestial 
motions,  and  the  incorrectness  of  "the  projectile  velocity  assigned  by  Newton."  In  this,  as  usual,  he 
relied  upon  his  own  genius,  with  but  little  assistance  from  authors. 

In  1805  he  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr  S.  Brown  ;  invented  a  new  musical  instru- 
ment, producing  its  music  from  glasses  of  different  chemical  composition;  and  originated  the  grand 
conception  of  the  Music  of  Light,  to  be  executed  by  means  of  harmonific  colors  luminously  display- 
ed. The  invention  has  never  been  put  into  operation,  but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  would  pro- 
duce one  of  the  grandest  and  most  imposing  spectacles  ever  witnessed  liy  the  human  eye.  To  per- 
fect his  invention  it  was  necessary  to  study  music,  colors,  and  the  laws  of  vision;  in  doing  which  he 
discovered  that  Father  Castel  and  the  Darwins  had  anticipated  the  fundamental  principles  of  his  dis- 
covery, and  this  precluded  his  hopes  of  immortality.  Nevertheless  he  read  before  the  medical  soci- 
ety, an  essay  of  80  pages  upon  his.  discovery,  strongly  characterised  by  critical  acumen,  and  ingeni- 
ous originality. 

To  procure  the  means  of  finishing  his  education  at  Philadelphia,  he  removed  to  settle  and  practioa 


560  APPENDIX. 

for  a  short  Ume  at  Port  Gibson,  Mississippi  Territory.  In  1807  he  resolved  to  that  place,  where  ht 
spent  eight  montlis,  suffered  from  the  climate,  practised  his  profession,  and  wrote  a  volume  of  173 
pages  on  the  subject  of  Fever,  with  which  he  removed  to  Philadelphia.  Professors  Barton  and  Rush 
spoke  highly  of  the  style,  ability,  and  ingenuity  of  his  essay,  and  offered  llieir  friendly  services.  But 
being  now  destitute  of  resources,  lie  could  neither  publish  his  work,  nor  remain  in  attendance  upon 
the  lectures  ;  and  in  1S03  he  walked  out  in  27  days  to  Lexington,  Ky.,  and  settled  at  that  place,  empty 
in  purse,  but  improved  in  health.  The  degree  of  A.  B.  was  soon  after  conferred  upon  liim,  by  th« 
University,  at  the  instance  of  President  BIythe. 

He  now  directed  his  attention  to  the  medical  department  of  Transylvania,  which  had  only  a  nomi 
iial  existence,  tliere  being  but  one  professor,  who  gave  no  lectures.  The  Trustees  co-operaiing  with 
him,  a  regular  Faculty  was  organized,  and  he  received  (in  1809)  the  appointment  of  Professor  of  the 
Institutks  of  Medicine,  being  then  in  his  24th  year — five  years  from  his  arrival  as  a  rustic  student 
from  the  wilds  of  Tennessee. 

The  fall  of  1811  was  fixed  upon  as  the  time  for  the  opening  of  the  medical  session  ;  prior  to  which 
he  was  engaged  in  preparing  his  lectures.  Dr.  B.  had,  unfortunately,  but  little  faith  in  the  success 
of  the  enterprise — not  expecting  an  efficient  support  from  any  of  his  colleagues  but  Dr.  Overton;  in 
whom  he  had  the  highest  confidence.  Nevertheless  lie  prepared  his  lectures,  and  being  wholly  en- 
grossed in  writing  and  inventions,  made  no  effort  to  obtain  practice.  When  he  abandoned  the  attempt 
to  esiablish  a  school,  he  published  his  philosophical  views  (in  1812)  in  a  volume  of  336  pages,  under 
llie  title  of  "The  Philosophy  of  Human  Nature,'"  of  which  a  thousand  copies  were  issued.  This 
established  his  reputation  as  a  profound  thinker.  It  is  a  work  of  rare  merit,  and  notwithstanding  the 
subsequent  progress  of  physiological  and  phrenological  science,  (with  the  latter  of  which  he  was  un- 
acquainted,) it  IS  still  a  valuable  and  interesting  book. 

Not  long  after  this  publication  he  determined  with  the  advice  of  his  friends  to  abandon  the  medical 
pvotession,  and  give  his  attention  to  introducing  into  Kentucky  the  Pestalozzian  system  of  educa- 
tion. He  visited  Philadelphia,  to  study  the  new  system,  as  introduced  by  Mr.  Neef,  and  spent  some 
years  in  Pestalozzian  teaching  in  Kentucky.  But  his  indomitable  mental  activity  withdrew  him  tVora 
tliis  field,  and  in  his  32d  year  he  entered  the  profession  of  law,  and  delivered  a  course  of  law  lec- 
tures to  a  private  class;  being  meanwhile  engaged  in  editing  the  Reporter,  and  writing  on  other  sub- 
jects ;  or  as  he  expressed  it  "wearing  out  my  days  in  hard  study  without  deriving  much  profit  from 
it."  The  principles  of  materialism  inculcated  in  his  "Philosophy"  he  reviewed  in  a  masterly  man- 
ner— showing  that  without  destroying  the  force  of  his  former  arguments,  one  might  by  a  deeper  ai>- 
(Uysis  arrive  at  a  system  of  universal  spiritualism. 

Subsequently  he  took  an  active  interest  in  politics,  as  a  Jeffersonian  democrat,  a  friend  of  Mr.  Clay 
and  a  supporter  of  the  old-court  party.  He  edited  the  Palladium,  at  Frankfort;  the  Western  Spy 
ttnd  Literary  Cadet,  at  Cincinnati ;  and  the  Focus,  at  Louisville.  The  latter,  which  he  projected  in 
1826,  he  edited  until  he  died  in  1829,  leaving  a  wife  and  son,  (Dr.  J.  R.  Buchanan,  Prof  Institutes  of 
Medicine  &c..  Cincinnati).  He  left  behind  valuable  manuscripts  and  sketches  of  important  mechani- 
cal inventions.  In  1821-2  he  constructed  an  extremely  economical  steam  engine,  which  he  success- 
fully applied  to  the  propulsion  of  the  machinery  of  a  factory,  and  to  steam  navigation  on  the  Ohio. 
The  invention  was  of  some  importance,  from  its  economy  of  fuel;  but  it  was  found  that  the  spiral 
tubes  which  he  substituted  for  boilers,  became  encrusted  by  the  impurities  of  the  river  water;  and 
hence  were  adapted  only  to  the  use  of  the  pure  fluid.  From  the  superior  lightness  and  efficiency  of 
his  engine,  he  supposed  at  first  that  it  would  be  applicable  to  serial  navigation.  An  experiment 
however,  demonstrated  that  certain  scientific  facts  upon  which  he  had  relied,  had  been  erroneously 
stated  by  English  authors.  In  1824  or  5  he  applied  his  engine  upon  land,  to  demonstrate  its  appli- 
cability to  land  carriage.  The  engine  and  wagon  ran  through  the  streets  of  Louisville  in  the  presence 
of  an  astonished  throng  of  spectators. 

His  discovery  of  a  new  motive  power  derived  from  combustion  without  the  aid  of  water  or  steam, 
has  a  high  degree  of  scientific  plausibility,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  he  never  attempted  its  exe- 
cution. 

Dr.  B.  was  theoretically  and  practically  devoted  to  education.  He  published  at  Louisville  a  gram- 
mar, very  valuable  for  its  simplicity;  designed  to  facilitate  the  study  of  grammar  by  youth.  His 
views  of  education  were  profound  and  enlarged — his  metliods  admirable,  and  incalculably  superior 
to  those  generally  in  vogue.  His  sanguine  predictions  were  fully  realized,  in  the  education  of  his 
own  .son,  who  was  so  rapidly  advanced,  that  by  the  age  of  twelve,  he  was  placed  at  the  study  of 
Blackstone's  Commentaries  ;  having  previously  mastered  a  course  of  studies  embracing  grammar, 
geography,  hLstory,  arithmetic,  algebra,  geometry,  surveying,  astronomy,  natural  philosophy,  che- 
mistry, mental  philosophy,  political  economy,  and  constitutional  law.  Similar  methods  of  educa- 
tion, adopted  since  his  death  by  the  Rev.  B.  O.  Peers,  of  the  Eclectic  Institute  of  Lexington,  produced 
similar  results.  In  competing  for  an  educational  prize,  the  pupils  of  Mr.  Peers — little  boys,  such  as 
we  find  in  common  schools  engaged  with  their  primer  and  first  lessons — were  seen  gravely  lecturing 
before  the  Kentucky  legislature,  in  the  statehouse,  upon  chemistry  and  natural  philosophy,  with 
illustrative  experiments! 

The  life  of  Dr.  Buchanan  affords  an  instructive  moral.  Simple  in  his  manners  and  tastes,  amiable 
ijtl  private  life,  elevated  in  his  aims — full  of  philosophy  and  philanthropy — original  and  ingenious — 
ardent  and  enthusiastic,  yet  subjecting  everything  to  the  searching  analysis  of  critical  reason,  he 
might  have  attained  the  highest  rank  in  any  pursuit  upon  which  his  energies  had  been  concentrati-d ; 
but  cultivating  his  intellect  to  the  neglect  of  other  powers,  he  scorned  the  pursuit  of  wealth  ;  abstrac- 
ted himself  from  society,  lived  in  continual  pecuniary  embarrassment — abandoned  the  road  to 
wealth  whenever  it  ceased  to  present  intellectual  attraction  and  novelty — wasted  his  powers  in 
desultory  labors,  lived  and  died  comparatively  indifferent  to  fame — and  as  soon  as  the  depths  of 
i^umaii  knowledge  had  been  sounded,  and  its  novelties  exhausted,  became  indifferent  to  all  itie 
other  incentives  of  ambition. 


THE    END 


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